a bad day

Al liked meeting people. The trouble was, figuring out how to control them. He could do it. At least for a little while. And then it ended. He would move on. It was the way he did things.

But Henry, getting out of the car... now that was unexpected. He thought they were buddies. Maybe even the best of friends. He'd help Henry. Then Henry could help him. Simple rules. Wasn't like he had him in shackles or anything. At least not at the moment. It was just common sense.

Here they were in a Korean Grill. Henry on the phone. This was not good. Even worse, the kid split out the back.

"Come on... Seriously." Al winced. He would have to chase after him. This was not the way he liked to start his day, even if it was practically the afternoon. Al took off after Henry.

But once Henry got to the alley, there was no where to go but up.

Now who's the real idiot, thought Al. It was an eight story building and Henry was going to the top of the fire escape. Al did his best to keep up. Al needed Henry. He seriously did.

"Hey, I thought we were partners." Al was out of breath as he reached the top of the metal stairwell.

He couldn't let Henry think of him as anything else, but his best friend in the world. He moved on to the roof where Henry waited. "I thought you wanted us to make some money. I told, you, I'd take care of you. Its just... you've got to do your part."

Henry looked at him confused. A little lost. There on the flat roof top. There was enough space up here for a garden. A little fixing up and it might be party central. It was wide open, and there was Henry near the edge. High above the traffic.

 Maybe Henry was a little fuzzy from all the prescription drugs. Maybe it made him forget things. But he wasn't dumb. Not really. Just a little naive. Al knew Henry liked the attention. After all, he'd followed Henry all the way up here. But Henry waited as if he had all day.

"Look, I got something for you." It was a cocktail of Vicodin, Valium, and Morphine. "You'll be  good as gold." Al cracked a smile as if he just needed to shake the little bag, and Henry would come running. But he didn't.

"I don't want it!" Henry barked back, far too grim for Al's satisfaction.

"You, don't mean that." Al was still his friend. He'd get him down from here, one way or another, as he moved in on Henry. Al put his arm forward with the drugs, but Henry jerked back and pushed Al toward the edge, instead. It wasn't exactly safe up here. Al did not want to look down. "Come on, don't be stupid."

Henry looked at him scared. He snatched the little bag of pills from Al who smiled as if this was the way it was suppose to be. Al wasn't expecting what came next. Henry shoved him hard. Then Al was gone.