Brokedown Palace

I could feel the fear in the back of my throat as my legs fought to make their way up a dark and winding staircase. Before I could take another step two arms came out from behind me, knocking me onto my face. Before I could feel the impact, I sat straight up. I opened my eyes and quickly darted them back and forth to observe my small dark bedroom, the only light coming from the moon. I sighed putting my knees up to my chest and burying my face in my hands. I tried slowing my breathing to calm my pacing heart, but I knew it was useless. I peeled the sweat soaked sheets off of my legs and let my feet hover over the floor for a second, needing to remind myself once again that no one was here. It was just me. And that I would be okay.
After getting out of bed I walked over to the desk and chair that sat idly in the corner of my plain bedroom. I grabbed the black robe off of the chair and pulled it over my trembling body. Using both of my hands I swept my long blonde hair into a bun trying to relieve my neck of the heat. A soft purr could be heard from the bottom of my feet and I bent down to pick up Cat, and he nudged his small face against my leg. I wasn’t much of a cat person, but I found him as a kitten strolling around my garbage cans one of the first months I moved here. I figured since we both didn’t have anybody else, we could be each other’s.
I walked over to my record player sitting in my living room and threw on my favorite, before putting Cat down and walking into the kitchen knowing that it was going to be another long sleepless night.
“What should it be tonight babe?” I asked aloud to my furry friend curled up on the chair to my left, to which I got a soft purr.
“Cake it is” I sighed and pulled out all of my ingredients and began to bake. There was really no reason behind this except for the fact that it would help waste away my nights. As I mixed the ingredients into the bowl I found myself lost in the strumming coming from my living room. Jerry Garcia could calm my nerves when nothing else could and I was thankful that I was able to find the left behind record player in the attic when I moved in.
The nightmares came almost every night, but tonight had been exceptionally worse because they came one after another. I couldn’t help but think it had to do with man she had run away from at the bar.
I became lost in my thoughts only to snap out of it when the timer went off. Making my way over to stove, I pulled the chocolate cake from the oven and placed it on top. By the time the cake was perfectly iced the sun began appearing from behind the trees that lined the small yard. After staring at the cake for a few minutes I stuck my finger in it and ran it along top of the icing. Putting my finger in my mouth and enjoying the sweet frosting, I picked up the kitchen and got into the shower.
The shower lasted all but 4 minutes when the water ran cold, only to remind me that I had forgotten to pay the water bill once again.
Sighing I shut off the water and stepped out, feeling the goosebumps raise on my lightly tanned skin.
I got dressed for work in casual jeans and boots, and searched around the mess of clothes on my floor for my café T-shirt.
I found it underneath a sleeping Cat and laughed as I pulled it out from under him, slipping it on over my shoulders. My shift started in an hour so I figured I would take my time in eating breakfast (well a slice of cake) and didn’t bother putting on any makeup.
On my way out I grabbed the head phones off of my dresser and slipped my arms through my rain jacket and made my way down the road, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness in the bottom of my chest as I replayed the events of the night before.
I hoped with every bone in my body that he had not recognized me.

Louis’ POV
All night I stayed awake on google trying to find the beautiful girl from earlier, but nothing came up. I went through my whole contact list hoping that I could place a name to the face, but once again there was nothing. I even looked at the bars website in hopes her name would be somewhere but I could only find a live music schedule from 2008.
I let out a frustrated ground and slammed my computer shut, I knew her face. I knew it. And she clearly knew me it was written in her beautiful icy eyes.
It wasn’t that I was attracted to her, which was odd because she was breath taking, I just…felt for her.
I let out another groan as I thought back to the way she ran out of the bar when she saw me, and then I heard my door fly open.
“Christ mate it is 6:30 in the morning, d’ya think you could keep it the fuck down?” a hungover blonde Irishman stood in my doorway.
“Yeah-yeah sorry bout that”
His angry hungover demeanor changed when he realized I had not retaliated with a snarky remark.
“You alright? Is it about El again?
I sighed, “No I’m alright just need to get some sleep is all.”
His facial expression didn’t remained the same as he nodded and exited the room giving me a sympathetic pat on the shoulder,
I got up from my spot at my desk and decided that I would go back to the bar this weekend and talk to her. I wanted to know, no, I needed to know who she was and why I couldn’t keep her off of my brain.

Notes