believed him, thinking the gunshot had scrambled more of his brain than they had first feared.
It wasn’t until he’d told one of them that he knew they were cheating on their wife with a woman in radiology that someone had believed him.
Although the doctor was extremely embarrassed by his admission of guilt, he’d brought in a psychologist to work with Joe. What he hadn’t told the doctor was the affair would end in the physician’s own death at the hands of a jealous husband. Three weeks later, the doctor had been gunned down in the parking garage attached to the hospital. The death still weighed heavily on Joe’s heart.
The ability to see tragic events was what Joe hated most about his ability. He no longer saw the good in people, only the bad. Even though he knew it was irrational, Joe had lost faith in the human race. Why couldn’t he see happy events in the future, why only death?
Shaking it off, Joe poured a good amount of shampoo into his hand. Lathering his hair reminded him he really should get a cut. For the fourteen years he’d been on the police force, he had always kept his thick black hair well-trimmed. Now that he was on permanent disability, it didn’t seem to matter. His hair was already down to his shoulder blades and growing longer by the day. He just couldn’t bring himself to walk into a salon, when it took all his strength to simply go to the grocery store every two weeks.
He turned off the water and grabbed a towel. If he didn’t hurry, the all-night grocers would be crowded with busy housewives doing their weekly shopping.
It hadn’t taken long to figure out a schedule to fit his curse. If he arrived at the store before four a.m. he was virtually guaranteed to be alone in the aisles. Well, except for the stockmen and cashier. He had grown somewhat used to them, though, and could block them out.
Not bothering to dry his hair, Joe put it back into a loose ponytail and dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt. Grabbing his keys from the coffee table, he took a deep breath before opening the door. The anxiety was always the worst part of his bi-weekly outing.
* * * *
There were only a few customers in the store, and Joe did his best to avoid them. He pulled his baseball hat lower on his forehead and concentrated on the floor directly in front of his shopping cart. He hated his life more and more all the time.
Although he’d never been a social butterfly, he had at least been friendly to people. Fuck. Now he couldn’t even bring himself to look people in the eyes. He finished his shopping and rolled the cart to the check-out stand.
Joe gave the cashier a nod and unloaded his groceries onto the conveyor belt. The same woman had checked him out for almost six months. He wasn’t sure if she worked all the time or if the two of them were just on the same schedules. “Morning, Jessica.”
“Morning,” she greeted as she began to scan his items.
He noticed the small school picture taped to the side of the cash register. “Cute kid.”
“Thanks, he’s my pride and joy.”
He’d mentally calculated the total and knew he was close. It was one of the ways he tried to keep his mind sharp. He usually guessed within a couple of pennies.
Jessica gave him the total and Joe grinned as he pulled out his wallet. The picture that held a prominent place as he opened the cracked and misshapen leather, was of him and his ex-buddy Brian. He mourned his relationship with Brian more than anything, but his best friend refused to come around since he’d been released from the hospital. Joe had managed to hide his sexual attraction to Brian for years, so he didn’t believe that was the reason, unless he’d said something that had clued Brian in. Shit. No sense mourning what could’ve been if only he’d had the balls to talk to Brian about his feelings.
He withdrew the needed bills and set them on the belt, shutting the wallet quickly. At least his mind was still sharp. This time, he’d
It wasn’t until he’d told one of them that he knew they were cheating on their wife with a woman in radiology that someone had believed him.
Although the doctor was extremely embarrassed by his admission of guilt, he’d brought in a psychologist to work with Joe. What he hadn’t told the doctor was the affair would end in the physician’s own death at the hands of a jealous husband. Three weeks later, the doctor had been gunned down in the parking garage attached to the hospital. The death still weighed heavily on Joe’s heart.
The ability to see tragic events was what Joe hated most about his ability. He no longer saw the good in people, only the bad. Even though he knew it was irrational, Joe had lost faith in the human race. Why couldn’t he see happy events in the future, why only death?
Shaking it off, Joe poured a good amount of shampoo into his hand. Lathering his hair reminded him he really should get a cut. For the fourteen years he’d been on the police force, he had always kept his thick black hair well-trimmed. Now that he was on permanent disability, it didn’t seem to matter. His hair was already down to his shoulder blades and growing longer by the day. He just couldn’t bring himself to walk into a salon, when it took all his strength to simply go to the grocery store every two weeks.
He turned off the water and grabbed a towel. If he didn’t hurry, the all-night grocers would be crowded with busy housewives doing their weekly shopping.
It hadn’t taken long to figure out a schedule to fit his curse. If he arrived at the store before four a.m. he was virtually guaranteed to be alone in the aisles. Well, except for the stockmen and cashier. He had grown somewhat used to them, though, and could block them out.
Not bothering to dry his hair, Joe put it back into a loose ponytail and dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt. Grabbing his keys from the coffee table, he took a deep breath before opening the door. The anxiety was always the worst part of his bi-weekly outing.
* * * *
There were only a few customers in the store, and Joe did his best to avoid them. He pulled his baseball hat lower on his forehead and concentrated on the floor directly in front of his shopping cart. He hated his life more and more all the time.
Although he’d never been a social butterfly, he had at least been friendly to people. Fuck. Now he couldn’t even bring himself to look people in the eyes. He finished his shopping and rolled the cart to the check-out stand.
Joe gave the cashier a nod and unloaded his groceries onto the conveyor belt. The same woman had checked him out for almost six months. He wasn’t sure if she worked all the time or if the two of them were just on the same schedules. “Morning, Jessica.”
“Morning,” she greeted as she began to scan his items.
He noticed the small school picture taped to the side of the cash register. “Cute kid.”
“Thanks, he’s my pride and joy.”
He’d mentally calculated the total and knew he was close. It was one of the ways he tried to keep his mind sharp. He usually guessed within a couple of pennies.
Jessica gave him the total and Joe grinned as he pulled out his wallet. The picture that held a prominent place as he opened the cracked and misshapen leather, was of him and his ex-buddy Brian. He mourned his relationship with Brian more than anything, but his best friend refused to come around since he’d been released from the hospital. Joe had managed to hide his sexual attraction to Brian for years, so he didn’t believe that was the reason, unless he’d said something that had clued Brian in. Shit. No sense mourning what could’ve been if only he’d had the balls to talk to Brian about his feelings.
He withdrew the needed bills and set them on the belt, shutting the wallet quickly. At least his mind was still sharp. This time, he’d
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