Alan Price and the Colossus of Rhodes (The Nephilim Chronicles) by Jonathan Yanez Page B
Authors: Jonathan Yanez
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wanted.
“I’m so sorry, sir, is there
something wrong?”
Alan jerked his eyes away from the
view and did his best to act happy. Over the years, he had plenty of time to
work on how to acthappy. Yet, he was still a horrible actor. “No, no,
sorry. It’s everything I’ve been looking for. It’s just been a rough day.”
The real estate associate’s
eyebrows rose as she looked at her watch. Alan knew what she was thinking. The
clock’s hands had only just reached 10:00 AM. Instead of calling Alan out, she
motioned him to follow her through the penthouse one more time. “Remember, we
can change anything you don’t like.”
Alan followed the woman’s clacking
high heels and scent of designer perfume through the huge kitchen, four
bedrooms, three bathrooms, family room, living room and dinning area one last time.
“It’s great,” Alan said mustering a
grin, “I’ll take it.”
The woman gave Alan a Cheshire cat
smile, practically taking out her notepad and doing the math on her portion of
the commission right there. “Great, so glad to hear it. I’ll be right back I need
to run down to my car and grab a few items for you to sign.”
Alan nodded as the woman turned
with a twist of her long straight hair and hurried out of the penthouse as if
she were afraid he would change his mind.
Alan walked in and out of the
rooms, wondering why he wasn’t happier. This was something he always wanted. As
far back as he could remember a place to call his own had always been out of
reach. Every time he left a group home or foster parent, he would imagine a
place that he wouldn’t have to leave. A place just like this, that belonged to
him with him as the one to say when he was ready to leave or not.
Until now the reality of owning a
home, his home, was like a vapor that was grabbed at but vanished as soon as he
opened his fist. He was here now: to an extent happiness did exist. Still this
idea of joy was the kind of happiness Alan was telling himself he should
experience rather than actually experiencing the feeling itself.
He walked through the large
penthouse as he waited for the real estate agent to return. His designer shoes
echoed across the halls. Empty rooms caught his every noise and amplified them
back as if to remind him how alone he still was and would always be. Alan made
his way back to the large windows that overlooked the city.
Past all the high-rise buildings,
past the glare of the bright sun, Alan caught a reflection of himself, tall and
slender. Money could only improve so much. Past the luxurious clothes and
haircut, Alan shook his head at his reflection.
Sure, you have money and a place
now but something is still missing. Apparently, super speed doesn’t come with
any muscle tone. You’re still that skinny kid that couldn’t stick up for
himself. We need to fix that.
Chapter 23
Present Day
Why are you even stressing over
that? She was clearly crazy. Angels? Like flying Angels with wings, really?
Alan shook his head and made an
internal decision to stop thinking about the strange conversation that night.
However, as he rode the smooth elevator to the top of the high-rise, his hand
fell inside his jacket pocket. His fingers made contact with the phone Danielle
left him. The lights to passing floors beeped by and with every second Alan
could feel anxiety build. “One look won’t hurt,” Alan said to himself.
The phone was slender and compact.
It was one of the newest models available on the market. Alan remembered seeing
an advertisement for it just the other day, the commercial with the girl and
the family with the pet smiling and laughing as they opened apps for music and
videos.
The phone lit up under Alan’s
touch. It had a plain white background with an icon marked “Messages” that
jumped up and down on the screen. Alan swiped his thumb over the icon and a
single message read, “Danielle”with a number that followed after.
Alan’s thumb bent towards the
number more
“I’m so sorry, sir, is there
something wrong?”
Alan jerked his eyes away from the
view and did his best to act happy. Over the years, he had plenty of time to
work on how to acthappy. Yet, he was still a horrible actor. “No, no,
sorry. It’s everything I’ve been looking for. It’s just been a rough day.”
The real estate associate’s
eyebrows rose as she looked at her watch. Alan knew what she was thinking. The
clock’s hands had only just reached 10:00 AM. Instead of calling Alan out, she
motioned him to follow her through the penthouse one more time. “Remember, we
can change anything you don’t like.”
Alan followed the woman’s clacking
high heels and scent of designer perfume through the huge kitchen, four
bedrooms, three bathrooms, family room, living room and dinning area one last time.
“It’s great,” Alan said mustering a
grin, “I’ll take it.”
The woman gave Alan a Cheshire cat
smile, practically taking out her notepad and doing the math on her portion of
the commission right there. “Great, so glad to hear it. I’ll be right back I need
to run down to my car and grab a few items for you to sign.”
Alan nodded as the woman turned
with a twist of her long straight hair and hurried out of the penthouse as if
she were afraid he would change his mind.
Alan walked in and out of the
rooms, wondering why he wasn’t happier. This was something he always wanted. As
far back as he could remember a place to call his own had always been out of
reach. Every time he left a group home or foster parent, he would imagine a
place that he wouldn’t have to leave. A place just like this, that belonged to
him with him as the one to say when he was ready to leave or not.
Until now the reality of owning a
home, his home, was like a vapor that was grabbed at but vanished as soon as he
opened his fist. He was here now: to an extent happiness did exist. Still this
idea of joy was the kind of happiness Alan was telling himself he should
experience rather than actually experiencing the feeling itself.
He walked through the large
penthouse as he waited for the real estate agent to return. His designer shoes
echoed across the halls. Empty rooms caught his every noise and amplified them
back as if to remind him how alone he still was and would always be. Alan made
his way back to the large windows that overlooked the city.
Past all the high-rise buildings,
past the glare of the bright sun, Alan caught a reflection of himself, tall and
slender. Money could only improve so much. Past the luxurious clothes and
haircut, Alan shook his head at his reflection.
Sure, you have money and a place
now but something is still missing. Apparently, super speed doesn’t come with
any muscle tone. You’re still that skinny kid that couldn’t stick up for
himself. We need to fix that.
Chapter 23
Present Day
Why are you even stressing over
that? She was clearly crazy. Angels? Like flying Angels with wings, really?
Alan shook his head and made an
internal decision to stop thinking about the strange conversation that night.
However, as he rode the smooth elevator to the top of the high-rise, his hand
fell inside his jacket pocket. His fingers made contact with the phone Danielle
left him. The lights to passing floors beeped by and with every second Alan
could feel anxiety build. “One look won’t hurt,” Alan said to himself.
The phone was slender and compact.
It was one of the newest models available on the market. Alan remembered seeing
an advertisement for it just the other day, the commercial with the girl and
the family with the pet smiling and laughing as they opened apps for music and
videos.
The phone lit up under Alan’s
touch. It had a plain white background with an icon marked “Messages” that
jumped up and down on the screen. Alan swiped his thumb over the icon and a
single message read, “Danielle”with a number that followed after.
Alan’s thumb bent towards the
number more
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