Page 103 of Dark Room Junkie

“Are you already here?” he yawned on the other end.

“I’m not sure. I’m standing here in front of a brothel.”

“Then come up. Fourth floor.”

I rolled my eyes, got out, and locked the car. The front door was open, and with a slight feeling of unease, I stepped inside. On my way up, I tried to ignore the moans that echoed through the stairwell.

Where am I?

Juri leaned against a doorway and gestured for me to be quiet while pointing to another door. I followed his lead and entered the apartment without making a sound. Once inside, he shut the door behind us.

“You live here?” I asked, horrified.

Juri shrugged. “It’s clean.”

I knew I was very spoiled when it came to my living situation, but as I looked around, a cold shiver ran down my spine. It was cramped, cold, and in desperate need of renovation. The walls were covered in peeling plaster, and there were plenty of cracks and holes in the brick floor. The sound of dripping water echoed through the room.

Juri opened a door. “Like I said, you didn’t have to hurry. He won’t wake up anytime soon. He’s in a coma. If you need anything ... There’s the kitchen, and my room is one further down.”

With a yawn, he disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me by myself.

For a moment, I stood in the hallway and looked into an empty room. The shutters were closed, but the slats were slightly open, so there was dim light in the room. Hesitantly, I entered. It wasn’t until I closed the door behind me that I spotted Noé.

He was lying on a mattress facing the wall, using his backpack as a pillow and his parka as a blanket. On the worn parquet floor stood a half-full bottle of Jack Daniel’s and an empty glass. And right next to them lay an empty packet of pills.

Oh, man ...

I knelt down beside the bed and leaned over him. Gently, I brushed his hair away from his face. Sweat glistened on his skin, and the bruise around his eye had turned a slightly yellowish hue. He was completely out of it, not even noticing I was there.

I removed my coat and hung it on the door hook. Carrying the bottle, glass, and empty packet of pills, I went into the kitchen. Juri stood there, smoking and lost in thought, not even looking up when I placed the bottle beside the sink.

“What’s this?” I asked, pushing the empty packet toward him.

He took it in his hand and read the name on the back. “Some kind of benzos,” he replied, stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray.

“Should he go to the hospital?”

“Just let him sleep it off.”

“He’s running a fever.”

“He’ll be okay.”

The sleepless night was written all over Juri’s face, and his black hair was tousled in all directions. He wore a faded black hoodie and pushed back a few strands as I noticed the long scar on his neck.

What the ...?

Ping!The toaster popped out two slices, and the warm smell of bread filled the kitchen. Juri put them on a plate and silently left the kitchen with a knife and a jar of honey.

I dipped a kitchen towel in water and returned to Noé. Gently, I dabbed the sweat from his forehead, hoping to lower his fever. I considered calling an ambulance, but as long as he was breathing, maybe it wasn’t as bad as it seemed.

I sat down beside him on the mattress, leaning against the wall, and let Tom know I was here. We exchanged a few messages, which calmed me down, given the situation. Eventually, Noé stirred and rolled onto his other shoulder. When he put his arm around me, pressing his forehead against my thigh and holding onto me tightly, I slid down to him. A warm wave washed over me as he draped his leg over mine and replaced his pillow for my shoulder. I placed the backpack under my neck, wrapped my arm around Noé, and drew him closer to me.

As much as the moment hurt, I didn’t want to give up a second of it ever again. It wasn’t happiness I felt, but a deep connection. Of course, the skeptic in me chimed in, trying to convince me that it was all a figment of my imagination. But the longer Noé rested with me, the more certain I was that all those moments we had together were indeed real. Even the brief moment yesterday before Noé stormed out of the backstage area.

Yet I released my hold on him when he stirred on my chest and gradually regained consciousness. I didn’t know how aware he was of snuggling up to me. This thought wasn’t unfounded either, because as soon as he noticed me, he recoiled, sat up, and moved away from me. His breath caught as he stared at me for a while, realizing what was going on. His grip on my stomach tightened, and he clung to my shirt. But then he let out a loud exhale and rubbed his face. Too exhausted to resist the situation, he let his head droop weakly.

“Come here.” I gave him a gentle smile and indicated with my open arms that it was okay to lie back down with me.

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