Chapter 1
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Chapter 1:

The sun crept through the clumsily closed curtains.  It was now morning, Elliott thought. Still in bed, he felt the usual tinge of morning anxiety. He glared towards the blinds before slamming his eyelids closed again. Precious moments of sleep have now been stolen by the sun, unable to ever be returned. A heavy sigh escaped Elliott’s lips. At this moment, he decided it was time to wake up.

“Not that I have anything to be awake for…” He grumbled to the empty house, a slight echo mocking him. Elliott’s job had been made obsolete at his employer. No job. No reason to be up. No reason to do much of anything…

*Beep, beep, beep*

The sound of the alarm interrupted his inner monologue. Elliott’s open palm smacked his already abused alarm clock. However ruthless his action may have been, the annoying beeping was silenced. The green lit screen read 7:30am. Still not out of bed, he sat up to shove his feet into slippers. If he had to be up, he wasn’t going to suffer the discomfort of a cold floor. Slippers. Such a simple pleasure that Elliott treasures. As he stood, his body cracked and popped. His ever-advancing age sounding loud in the stillness of his home. A quiet, Elliott thought, that was almost torturous in its silence.

He couldn’t continue to stand here, feeling sorry for himself. He needed to think of something positive! One simple victory of the morning – the battle between man and bed. He laughed to himself. “Maybe I’m going crazy?” he muttered. Or maybe, it was the smell of coffee from the automatic brewer finally reaching his nose. Was he waking up? Regardless, he walked through the doorway to go downstairs.

***

Before he knew it, he was already in his favorite recliner with a cup of coffee on the table nearby. What the fuck..? Elliott couldn’t recall no matter how hard he tried; how did he get to his recliner? A time-leap. He realized he experienced a time-leap.  Frantically, he jumped towards the coffee table. His hands, brushing through ripped envelopes, looking for a simple small book. Elliott tried to be careful not to knock his coffee down. He needed more Fairy Tales – not spilled coffee!

He finally found the book. It wasn’t more than 4 in by 4 in. Multiple ‘pages’ attached together held a total of five patches for use. His book – tattered and old – was empty. Parts of the page cut in a grid pattern where Elliott had attempted to conserve what he had.

Such a fucking roller coaster of a morning. He couldn’t take much more of this shit.  Is it that bad to want some Fairy Tales? He didn’t want to answer that question. It was too early to be able to get more. Mitchell wouldn’t be awake at this hour. Ruby was probably in her own Fairy Tale right now. Regardless, Elliott didn’t know how to get ahold of Ruby. Elliott’s thoughts went back to Mitchell. He imagined the insane party Mitchell must have been having the night prior. No particular reason to party – just because. Mitchell had more than just ‘fuck you’ money. If he had the urge to party, he didn’t need an excuse.

Elliott imagined himself living it big with Mitchell for a moment. The crazy unlimited Fairy Tales, girls, booze, delicious food, really whatever he wanted. He collapsed back into his recliner with daydreams of girls dancing behind his eyelids. Girls that would offer him a blow job with a Fairy Tale. A Gin and Tonic with a Fairy Tale. Hors d'oeuvres with another page of a Fairy Tale for offering. Really whatever he wanted, with a Fairy Tale.

After Elliott’s daydream got stale, along with all the imaginary snacks, he realized he really did need a Fairy Tale of his own. Not just imaginative this time, either. The ringing in his ears was becoming unbearable. Just another fun side effect of withdrawal. Not only were his ears ringing like children’s bells at Christmas time, Elliott’s coffee had gone cold.

Elliott grabbed the mug and went to his kitchen. Emptying the shitty coffee, he looked at the clock on the wall. It read 9:00am. Time-Leap and daydreaming take up time, Elliott thought to himself. Might as well text Mitchell:

 

9:01am        E: Hey, M. Have you read any Fairy Tales recently?

9:03am                    M: Yes, I have. The books will be ready in two hours. Ruby will be there.

9:04am                    E: Thanks man

 

Mitchell responded much faster than Elliott would have assumed. Not that he minded. He raked his fingers through his hair as he thought how he will now need to get ready. Ruby meant he needed to be more presentable. Mitchell didn’t care about how his ‘readers’, as he called them, showed up. Ruby, on the other hand, she cared. She didn’t expect decency and efficiency during your visits. She demanded this. It never got easier visiting her. He shrugged. His disgust with seeing her wasn’t going to prevent him from his end goal. 

Elliott shrugged as he climbed the stairs back up to his room. The stairs seemed to stretch on and on. Elliott muttered to himself about getting older again. He dragged himself through his routine of showering, grooming his beard and dressing. Two hours was plenty of time. He knew Ruby wouldn’t like it. Fuck it, he was going to wear his favorite outfit anyway. Jeans paired with a shirt that has seen better days. Just like his deteriorating body. He justified keeping it because it was soft. Softness was something that always comforted Elliott. Comfort was needed to meet such a cold woman.

   He still felt slightly sluggish after his shower. Coffee. He still had time to brew some more. Starting the next brew, he looked for his to-go mug. Since losing his job to machinery, he hasn’t needed to use it. Therefore, he couldn’t care where it went. Until now, that is. He searched through the cupboards and finally found it behind the pile of Tupperware. He poured the coffee and decided to head over to the Bookstore.

   Elliott got what he needed for this trip: Coffee, keys, wallet and sunglasses. He walked out of his small two-story home to the truck. Elliott sighed seeing the truck, it was the exact feeling you get after not seeing a loved one for a while. The door still unlocked manually and if he listened carefully, he could hear the lock pop up against the cracked leather of the inner door. He got in and spoke a few words to the beloved truck, a prayer of sorts that the engine would start. And it did! Elliott was happy and drove listening to whatever radio station played last.

   He didn’t want to think about how he would be seeing Ruby in less than half an hour. If it had to do with Ruby, it was better dealing with the moment when you had to. Not a second too early. Elliott allowed himself to get lost in the music. His hand in the air like a plane with no wings, going up or down in the wind. Nothing could ruin his mood right now.

   Nothing. He wanted to believe that he could stop Ruby from ruining his good mood. Deep down, Elliott thought he would fail right off the bat. He shook his head briefly. He knew he was getting close to the bookstore at this point. It was an actual bookstore. Decently popular among the locals, too. Whether or not the public knew they sold Fairy Tales past the fantasy novels would be anyone’s guess. When Elliott arrived, he parked the rusty red truck and got out. The Bookstore’s door automatically opened with a ring of a bell. Elliot noticed Ruby was busy with a customer near the register. Elliott busied himself by looking for service manuals regarding his truck. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Elliott knew the truck was coming to its end. Anything he could learn about it would be better than just allowing the inevitable.

   “Elliott,” Ruby spoke and spooked Elliott at the same time. “I’m ready for you now.”

   “Uh, oh of course.” Elliott could already feel his discomfort increase. Ruby barely waited for his response before walking towards the register, her heels clicking away from him. There was a small door that with a sign ‘Appointments & Staff Only. Do not Enter’. The two walked through this door. Ruby locked the door. Elliott looked around, seeing the familiar desk with a total of three seats – one for Ruby and two for customers. Elliott sat down while waiting for Ruby.

   “These Fairy Tales are hot off the press. Do you want the usual?” Ruby asked. Elliott knew this meant one book for $75.

   He nodded, “Yes.” He fumbled for his wallet in his back pocket and fished the money out. A slight frown filled his face as he realized he will be broke before long. Parting with this money was almost physically painful for Elliott. On the other hand, getting high was more important. His hand tremors intensified as he reached for the book. The previous frown was no longer present. A gleam in his eyes were present, Ruby noticed. A change from how Elliott originally entered.

   “Payment checks out. We are set,” Ruby declared.

She unlocked the door to allow Elliott to leave. This transaction seemed shorter and not as painful as usual. Huh. He didn’t think too hard about this as he stuffed the book and wallet into his pockets. He fumbled his keys to unlock the door of his truck and rushed home. He barely remembered the drive home; he was so ecstatic to have his own Fairy Tales again. He spent the drive considering if he should use a full page or conserve it. Weighing pros and cons was almost as draining as lifting weights. At least he found a compromise within himself. He will take a half page today and the remaining will be fourths.

As soon as he got comfortable in the recliner, he carefully cut the first page in half with a pocketknife. Peeling half off, he applied it to his wrist. He figured that all the veins near the surface may absorb the medicine into his bloodstream quicker. He threw the other book away and got a water bottle from the fridge. Back to the recliner. He was looking forward to some happiness that didn’t feel forced. Even though, that is exactly what this Fairy Tale is – forced. He turned on a random movie and got comfortable in the recliner. He was going to enjoy whatever this Fairy Tale brought him. While waiting, he recalled the first time he ever had a Fairy Tale…

***

Elliott found himself – or at least his mental self – in his old childhood bedroom. The juvenile décor, certainly unbefitting for a young teenager.  It was a place he’d rather not remember.

This time he wasn’t alone. Mitchell was there. Now that Elliott thinks of it, Mitchell was always there. Elliott let this thought go through his mind. Mitchell was sitting on the beanbag chair in the corner of the bedroom while Elliott laid on his bed. He was staring at the ceiling, imagining a sky full of stars. Mitchell was talking about some new video game he had recently received from his parents. Elliott realized he didn’t really care much about video games, or anything for that matter. He responded to Mitchell just enough to keep him talking. Mitchell never knew how to be quiet for long. Maybe that’s why Elliott kept him around, to keep the silence away.

“Hey, Elliott. Did you even hear me?” Mitchell was snapping his fingers in front of Mitchell’s nose. “Are you in La-La Land again, dude?”

“Sorry, man. What did you say?” Elliott rubbed his forehead. He couldn’t help but feel bad for ignoring his friend.

“My dad hooked us up!” Mitchell held up a page of a Fairy Tale pulled from a full book. The page was fully intact regardless. “I was saving it to share with you.”

“Oh…” Elliott didn’t know what to think. He knew he hadn’t formed a concrete viewpoint on drug use, apart from what school and society dictates. However, wasn’t he too young to consider consuming something like this..?

“Don’t be a baby, Elliott!” Mitchell exclaimed. “This will be an adventure, a real Fairy Tale!” Mitchell was trying his hardest to pressure his friend into joining his adventure. He continued badgering, trying to convince Elliott.

“Fine, fine, fine! I will do HALF with you. No more!” Elliott agreed.

“No less! You will not regret this,” Mitchell triumphantly smacked half a patch on to Elliott’s shoulder.

***

   Elliott was transported back to the present moment. His breathing was normal, but his racing heartbeat hinted that something was off. He stopped the movie, thinking that maybe it was the cause. Elliott knew he was lying to himself. He wouldn’t admit it, though. Elliott’s eyes drifted shut, basking in the newfound silence of his home. This was a stark difference to the mix of the movie sound effects and ringing in his ears. Sometimes, the quietness was a welcomed change from what he preferred. The silence wrapped around him like a comforting lead blanket. He was able to hear anything going on around him. It was peaceful. He could enjoy his own Fairy Tale now.

*** 

   The sun found its way back into Elliott’s eyes. He slowly rubbed his eyes, a blissful ignorance enveloping his mind. His body felt like he was floating on a cloud – above it all. He giggled to himself. He definitely was still feeling it. He froze suddenly, like a small mammal hearing a predator nearby. Oh, it was just the house settling. Maybe, silence wasn’t a good idea at this point. Elliott shook his head and turned on some piano music – relaxing, soft. Nothing that would agitate himself further.

   Except, he couldn’t stop thinking about his dry mouth. His eyes slowly scoped out the living room, “Where did I put that water…?” It was frustrating to him how common this happens. He was almost unsure if he had actually grabbed water earlier. Sometimes, he felt that he did something so much, the memory of the action was ingrained to his routine. Yet, he couldn’t tell if the memory was today or any other. He shook his head; he needed to focus on finding the water – not the memory.

   Finally, after what felt like an entirety, he found the water bottle. It wasn’t even that far from him. Just on the coffee table in front of him. He nervously laughed at himself as he leaned forwards. For a brief moment, it looked as if ants were crawling all over his hand. With a blink, they vanished. He shook his head and grabbed the water. As he drank, he wondered if the ants were actually ever there or not. He wondered if this was from the Fairy Tale or something else. He knew if he kept thinking about it, he would drive himself crazy.

   He leaned into his music, letting it take him somewhere far from this moment. Maybe it would make him feel better if he just disappeared for a while. Not for long though, just into his music. He sighed and tried to keep his mind silent. He just wanted to become the music for a moment. In his attempt, he closed his eyes. He tried to think of the softness, the comfort, of his favorite shirt. Each hole seemed to be a piece of Elliott that was missing. A representation of sorts.

   He felt that he was losing himself to his mind again. He never liked doing that, but it was hard. Maybe he should get out of the house… He awkwardly shoved his feet back into his sneakers and grabbed his house keys. The water bottle seemed almost glued to his hand; he hadn’t put it down for long. Before leaving, he decided to get a new bottle and walk out the door. “Gotta lock the door..” He whispered as he grabbed the keys from his pocket. Elliott wasn’t sure where he wanted to go but he felt that anywhere was better than the house at this moment.

   He turned right. Elliott walked by houses that have been there for as long as he could remember. But through the lens of a Fairy Tale, it was like seeing them for the first time. Some were in desperate need of a fresh coat of paint and repairs. In contrast, others were peak perfection. His thoughts wandered around in his head while he walked with no destination in sight. He didn’t wonder how much time had passed by. This must be the second stage.

   Elliott’s wanderings brought him to the park a few short miles from his house. A brief sense of gratitude washed over him. The park was empty; it was his for the moment. Just like in his childhood days, Elliott rushed to the swing set. Young Elliott would immediately try to swing as high as he could. Present Elliott sat relatively still, lightly swaying in the breeze. He wondered if he could even swing like he did back then. A small laugh left his lips. Elliott chose to take this moment for himself and sink into it.

 

***

   Eventually, he felt that he was hanging at the park too long for someone his age. Before leaving, he circled around the park. If he stared at one part for too long, he felt that he could see childhood memories overlaying his present vision. He must be getting close to part two. He hurried home. Elliott noticed that his hallucinations were deepening, becoming his reality. He questioned if it was the Fairy Tale or his own messed up mind. He shook his head, focusing on the walk home.

   He locked himself inside his house and climbed into bed. Didn’t even bother to undress. Sleep was heavy on his eyes. It soon won the battle. Elliott dreamt of the sky filled with stars once again. Twinkling stars of various distances and levels of brightness. When Elliott finally came to, he knew he had slept for quite a while. Definitely more than he’s accustomed to. He groaned when he realized park sand was now in his bed. Between his jeans and skin, little bits were impressed on his skin. Sweat from his hair mixed into mud. Elliott felt utterly disgusting.

   But his body was still numb. Did someone turn his bones into cement? Everything was so heavy. Maybe he was just tired, he considered. He allowed his eyes to close again. When Elliott did finally awake for the day, it was well into mid-day. Thankfully, he could no longer feel any symptoms of the drug.

   In the silence, he heard his stomach grumble. He remembered that he should eat. As he sat up in bed, he ran his hand through his hair. He remembered his park adventures from the day before. As he made his way to the shower, he laughed. Elliott realized he hadn’t thought about his childhood in a bit and laughed about it. He ripped the patch off and got into the  shower. It was hard to not focus on food. He was so hungry he almost forgot to lock the front door. He said a few words to his truck before starting the engine with ease. Off to the town diner! He was certain he was on top of the world.

   He arrived and rushed to park. He opened the door and flashed an eager grin to his favorite waitress in town. She was busy with other customers, so he made his way to his usual booth. This was their unspoken agreement. Very rarely was the booth taken. It was almost as if the entire town knew this was his booth. The waitress headed over with a mug and coffee pot.

   “Elliott, where have you been!” Morgan jokingly huffed as she poured his coffee for him. She always had a smile for him.

   “Oh, you know. Places.” He was too humiliated to tell her about his drug use. He didn’t think anyone would understand. “I took some time to stay indoors.”

   “Well, don’t stay too cooped up! It’s not healthy, Elliott.” She lectured. Did she care or just pretend to? Elliott never thought terribly hard about this. He wasn’t going to ruin his good day.

   “I know, I know. I’m out now. See?” Elliott spread his arms in order to prove his point. In the back, they heard a loud throat clearing. Neither had to look to know it was Morgan’s manager and owner of the diner.

   Morgan quickly got back on track; she needed this job. “Welcome to Cloud Brook Diner. Are you ready to order now, or do you need time?” She winked at Elliott. The manager was a bit eclectic and tended to try various scripts. Elliott didn’t care. He came for two things: food and...

   He smiled at the other reason he came to the diner. “I’m good, Morgan. My usual please.” He didn’t even look at the menu on his table. Elliott didn’t need to.

   Morgan nodded and put his order in.  As Elliott sipped his coffee, he quietly watched Morgan go around the diner. It wasn’t too busy; currently in between breakfast and lunch rushes. A few morning visitors were ordering pie to-go and others were coming for early lunch. A moderate amount of time passed. Morgan returned back to him. “Coffee?” 

   “Yes,” He slid the mug closer to the edge.

   “Your plate is coming up soon. Sorry about the delay, hon.” Morgan filled his mug up. She knew exactly how much to leave for cream and sugar. It was like she knew him.

Elliott nodded. His thoughts had overtaken him. Did she associate with him because it was her job? He didn’t know. Elliott began to stare into his coffee. He had this feeling of insecurity, but he wasn’t sure why. He did know he felt this moment, this emotion was undeserving. Morgan didn’t owe him anything. And he knew that. His stomach grumbled again, interrupting his thoughts. Maybe, it was just his hangry self talking. He realized he could smell breakfast food. Was someone else getting theirs?

Morgan laid two plates and a bowl in front of him -- two pancakes, two pieces of bacon, one piece of toast and a small bowl of oatmeal. It had started to get busy, so she didn’t stay long. Not that Elliott minded, he was hungry and dug in.

***

When it came time to pay, Elliott frantically searched for his wallet. He had forgotten it. Soon, he realized he wouldn’t have been able to pay anyways. He gave Ruby the last of his money yesterday. He raked his hand through his hair. He had already finished his food and a few cups of coffee. He didn’t want to lose it in front of others. During his panic, Elliott hadn’t noticed that Mitchell had entered at some point. Morgan hadn’t even brought him the check. Great, now she was walking over. 

“The gentleman has paid for your meal,” She smiled as she handed Elliott a receipt. “It was good to see you, Elliott. Take better care of yourself.”

Elliott still felt his quickening heartbeat and took a brief moment to focus on his discomfort. He tried to relax and realize he was okay. Nothing was going to cause him harm at this moment.

   Eventually, Elliott made it home. He barely remembered the drive. At this point, it was slightly concerning… This wasn’t the first time. Maybe, he should have it looked into. Drained but full, Elliott plopped into his recliner. Turning the piano music on, he settled into a midday nap.

 

##Knock Knock Knock Knock##

 

         Four booming knocks on the door awoke him from the wondrous nap. Even half asleep, he knew it was Mitchell. It was his signature knock, ever since he was a kid. A second set of 4 knocks began but Elliott jumped out and got the door before it ended. Mitchell was a bit annoyed. Elliott didn’t want to know what would happen if he allowed the second set to complete.

         “Sorry, Mitchell. You caught me in a nap,” Elliott opened the door to allow Mitchell and his two bodyguards in. They followed Mitchell into the house. The guards sat on the two loveseats that Elliott used as sofas. However, these men made the seats look like recliners.

Mitchell snapped his fingers twice. The guards seemed to be…sedated now. Elliott wondered about it for a moment before Mitchell began speaking, “We need to talk. Is there somewhere private we can speak?” Mitchell asked. Elliott wasn’t sure what he meant but he led Mitchell to the office upstairs. It was more of a card game room. The two men sat on opposing sides of the folding table Elliott had. “I know you have little idea of what this is about.”

Elliott nodded as Mitchell spoke, thinking back to a few hours prior. “Thank yo—”

“No need to say that. However, Ruby and Isabella took the opportunity to review your visit with us yesterday. They noticed something you may find important -- your lack of employment.” Mitchell let this sit in the air. Elliott wasn’t sure who Isabella was or how the two ladies knew this information. Elliott had to stop himself from responding.

“Elliott, we are friends. Why didn’t you come to me for help? I am here for you, man. It doesn’t matter now. I want to offer you an opportunity for an exclusive membership with The Establishment.” Mitchell kept constant eye contact with Elliott as he said this. Deeply, Mitchell believed this was the best way to help his friend. Yet, he wasn’t sure if Elliot would go with it. But he felt slightly responsible for where his friend is currently at. “This includes your rent here being covered, a regular paycheck, rationed Fairy Tales allotment as well as discounted prices. In exchange, I own you.” Mitchell said this as seriously as possible. Again, Mitchell only felt slightly responsible. He was still a businessman with an empire to lead. “I don’t think I need to explain how this is in your benefit. Really, Elliott. I want to help you.”

Surprising both of the men in the room, Elliott said “Yes.”

“Oh, perfect, Elliott. This will be great. I will see you in 48 hours. Make sure you have your ID, you’re clean and have eaten.” Mitchell was happy with this result and took his wallet out. Two crisp but folded $100 bills were laid on the table between the men. “This is a gift. Ruby will send an email with more information. Unless you have any questions, my men and I are leaving.”

Elliott was staring at the two bills on the table. He shook his head, no questions. He wasn’t really sure what he had gotten himself into.

“Good. Take care, Elliott. 48 hours – see you then.” Mitchell left the room. Elliott could hear the man walk down the stairs, to the living room, two more snaps. Now six feet left the house.

***

It took Elliott a long time to take the two bills and place them in his wallet. His mind has been racing since Mitchell and his men left. He wasn’t sure why he agreed. What did Mitchell mean by own? Was this really the best for Elliott? He has Mitchell’s money now. Elliott had agreed to Mitchell’s proposal. Elliott had no recourse back. 

Over the next two days, Elliott didn’t do much. The night of agreeing to Mitchell, Elliott took the other half-page. He locked himself in his bedroom during the duration of the high. The next day was similar. The next night was the same as last. The second set of 24 hours passed by in the same manner. Essentially, Elliott was high for the majority of the 48 hours before seeing Mitchell.

As the hours got closer, Elliott knew he needed to get ready. He even almost let Ruby’s email go by unread. Elliott figured this was a good time to review it. It explained the dress code and hygiene standards that Mitchell expects, that Elliott should prepare to be tattooed, and not to forget his ID. When Elliott first read her email, it didn’t phase him. He figured this was because he must have been quite high. The second time, he was confused about the tattoo.

Many questions flew through his mind. Why would a tattoo be required? If he had to be tattooed, where would it be? What would Morgan think? The last question surprised even himself. His breath stopped, like he was waiting on himself to answer this question. With a rough shake of the head, he pushed all of these unwanted thoughts away. He needed to get ready.

A shower and oatmeal later, Elliott was officially ready. He was glad. But this trip was different. It wasn’t really happiness he felt but relief. From what? With a towel still wrapped around his waist, he reviewed Ruby’s email again. He vaguely recalled there was a dress code of sorts. In this case, it said ‘Salt & Peppers’. Unsure what this meant, he just hoped he had what he needed. With a quick online search, he realized all he needed was a white dress shirt and black dress pants. Elliott found both pieces deep in his closet and threw them on.

Now he was ready. Looking at the clock, he had an hour to be there. He shrugged and chose to leave now. What if there was traffic or an accident that delayed him? Mitchell would not be pleased. On his way to the Bookstore, he passed the Cloud Brook Diner. Morgan may have been working but Elliott couldn’t tell. The rest of the drive, he found himself in a daydream. He would be able to stop at the diner and get food. Morgan would join him, instead of just waiting on him. His usual would somehow taste better, the coffee would be the perfect temperature each sip. Coffee that never cooled down. Morgan would talk endlessly while he listened. If only…

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