American Epidemic

The street lamps dimly flickered as the rain came down harshly striking the side walk. The light from inside the restaurant barely cast a beam into the dark and monochromatic world outside. The steam rising from the manhole covers the only detectable heat. The taillights that passed looking as if they were oil paints running down a canvas.

There was a great emptiness in this place, a since of longing and desperation. This street, this side of town, this corner of a frenzied yet deathly silent world made a person’s soul feel as if it were in danger. Like nothing kind could ever belong here. The water splashes from the puddles in the road on to the sidewalk making every step a soggy and uncomfortable trek, the only people here choose to be. That’s how Michael knew he was in the right place.

Directly across the street lay his destination, an all- night club known as the night owl, with a large embossed metal sign, with a picture of a Barn Owl midflight. With no crosswalk in sight Michael began to cross the street, immediately almost as if conjured from another world a large four door sedan came barreling through the alley splashing water clear above his head and making him take a large leap back.

Michael once again looking up and down the street took a breath and quickly made his way across the street. As he walked down the sidewalk drenched, his shoes sloshing as he stepped he passed an awning with some young boys, obviously street kids none of them more than 14 shooting dice. One boy who seemed to be the boss stood up so quickly he bumped into Michael, he then immediately asked if Michael had coins to put down. “Not today” he said as he walked on.

Michael walked past a restaurant window and as the light from inside crept out he felt it on the skin of his hands, and could swear he felt warmth. Almost as if there was good in this place this was it, as he looked down the sidewalk to the entrance of the Night Owl it was all darkness except one poorly lit street lamp casting light on the club sign.

As Michael entered the club he left his coat dripping in the lobby. He made his way around to a large man leaning against the door frame near the bar. The man placed one hand on his chest and just shook his head, and pointed to the sign on the wall stating “Members Only”. Michael having had a poor experience getting to where he was pled for an exception. The Bouncer wouldn’t hear it.

On the way in Michael noticed a side entrance, he made his way out of the building forgetting his coat in the club and making his way out of the club and down the side of the building, up a small set of stairs, what appeared to be a break or smoking area for employees of the club, he reached out and grabbed the door knob turned and pulled with all his might the door was of course locked. Michael knew he had seen people in movies break into doors with a license or card, he reached to his back right pocket to find his wallet but the pocket was empty.

“Those Kids!” He knew right away what had happened when the kid “accidently” bumped into him. Michael goes into immediate panic everything that mattered to him right now was in that trifold wallet. The pictures of his wife and kids what little cash he had and of course what led him to where he is today at this moment, which was folded neatly and placed in a special compartment in his wallet.

In his panic he heard footsteps, someone was coming to the door, he stood on the hinge side of the door hugging the wall as it wildly swung open and two workers from in the kitchen came outside carrying bags of trash in each arm he caught the door the two men enamored in their own conversation over who should have one last night’s game and ones wife’s gout and possibly how even with gout she plays better than a particular Quarterback.

Michael snuck around the door and in making sure it was locked and closed behind him. As he entered the service area of the club he noticed several closed doors and he had been told what he was searching for would be found behind a large mahogany door with a symbol carved in it and the words MORS HIC VIVIT. He didn’t know what it meant but at this point it was too late to find out. Michael made his way carefully down the hall examining every door and cautiously avoiding detection from employees or visitors.

This was not the kind of club for dancing or gathering with coworkers for a job well done. This was where bad people went to wash away the stench that followed them after a job. This was where the whiskey was aged and the servers were trained to clean up blood without saying a word. All the tables were booths and the bar was in the center of the room, this allowed for no one to sit with their back to the door for an added since of security. Needless to say if discovered Michael was not ready to fend them off.

At the end of the hall last door on the right the door was gone and all that remained was an open frame as he peered in it appeared to be a Lounge or Den, for whom he wasn’t sure? An area for special people perhaps the owner? He noticed two large arm chairs perched in front of a roaring fireplace, the heat and light almost like an attractant. He felt it drawing him in almost impossible to resist but then he saw it like a bat to the face it stopped him dead in his tracks. MORS HIC VIVIT carved in the mantle above the fireplace.

Michael couldn’t be sure what the kind of wood the mantle was made of, but against the green paint and in the dim light he thought “this must be it, this must be something”. As he made his way towards the mantle his imagination began to run wild over who does this room belong to? Who built this fire? He knelt at the hearth and ran his fingers through the carving as if it would give him answers to why he was here. As he touched the letters he noticed they weren’t carved at all but they were carved pieces of wood they were stuck in notches carved into the mantle. As he began to remove the first letter he heard laughter coming from across the room and the door on the far side of the room swung open.

Two men laughing and stumbling carrying a large bottle of Bourbon made their way in the room Michael found himself standing in the shadow in a corner of the room. As the two men laughed and carried on talking about the day’s activities one man leaned over and vomited down the side of one of the chairs, looking to be sick again he ran from the room running right past Michael towards the Kitchen. Michael remained perfectly still, preventing his shoes from making squishing or sloshing sounds. As he stood there he noticed a drip running down the seam of his pants, he was petrified and helpless to stop it as it fell and hit the ground and in his mind echoed on the old hardwood floors.

It got eerily quiet in the room as the man in the chair seemed to be getting comfortable, he took a pull from his bottle and then a deep breath. The man stood and leaned against the Mantle he said quietly almost whispering “I know you’re watching me”. Michael in a panic feels as if he could pass out at any moment reaches to his pocket to find it empty not even keys to defend himself. He trembles and can’t tell if he is just extremely wet or if he has peed himself.

The man grabs a picture from the mantle and wails and begins to sob uncontrollably. Cursing the lord and all other deity for taking this person who meant so much to them. Screaming how he feels their presence every day but it’s just not enough. The man places the photo back on the Mantle throws the bottle on the fire and saunters slowly out of the room. Michael has had an emotional roller coaster, he begins to leave the room himself and he knows he is in over his head. As he turns to leave he notices there is dust built up where the letters go in the shape of the letters, he finds himself once again impossibly drawn to the mantle, he begins taking the letters down from the mantle and rearranging them.

On the back of each letter is what looks like a key sticking straight out that fits in different holes in the Mantle. When he was completed the final letter spelled the words, VIVIT MORS. At this the hearth moved back just a few inches where it could be pushed back to reveal a metal spiral staircase headed down, Michael paused before taking the first step not knowing what awaited at the bottom but hoped it was what he had been seeking.......