Inconsolable by Amanda Lanclos Read Free Book Online Page B

doing that. I am not that type of man. Or at least I wasn’t. I finish the cigarette and plug my IPod in as I make my way to the road. I start at a steady jog, running around the block. Maybe instead of booze and women I should stick to running. Psh, I know that isn’t going to happen.
    I hear a horn honk and then shake my head as Meredith passes me by.  She was one of my good friends in high school.  The really nerdy girl that everyone picked on.  Just because the girl had bottle cap glasses and frizzy black hair didn’t mean she wasn’t one of the most genuine people you would ever meet.  I hear she is almost done with her teaching degree at Mississippi State.  I wave as I keep my pace.  I run past Mom and Dad’s praying they won’t be outside.  I have enough voicemails from Mom to last me ten years.  Maybe I should try to go to work for Dad.  It would at least get my mind off of things. 
    This morning wasn’t so hard getting out of bed and I didn’t dream anything either.  Maybe this is the remedy.  Get drunk and bang some woman until you can’t keep your eyes open.  That would be the hypothesis.  Now it’s time to test the theory. 
    After a good thirty minute run, I walk back into my apartment.  I grab my phone and see there is a message from Mary-Beth and one from Uncle Trey. 
    MB – Hey Blake, J. is home today.  Just wanted to update! Hope you’re doing well!
    Trey – Call me kiddo, parentals worried.   
    I walk into my kitchen, grab the bottle of Scotch off the bar and down a few gulps. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand as I make my way to the bathroom. I peel off the layers of clothing covering my sweat clad body and turn on the shower. I can smell the alcohol seeping from my pores, but I can’t begin to care about that. 
    Just as I step under the spray of the hot water I hear glass breaking and a loud bang. 
    Immediately I hit the floor in the shower, huddling into a ball.  I am no longer in that shower, but on that dirt road in Iraq with four of my brothers huddling under the window seal as the gun shots ring out and the house starts deteriorating.  
    Our cover is slowly starting to fade away. I watch as Kyle sticks his head out and aims his gun, firing to take out anyone he can. I, of course, am the one thinking of what we can do.  My eyes are calculating every exit. We have to make it out of here alive.
    “Carter!  I need you over here!  I can’t hold ‘em back anymore, man!”  Miller is screaming out and trying to reload his gun.  I watch as Jameson eases his way over to him on the ground in a slow crawl. 
    “They are gaining on us!” Jackson screams out and looks over at me.  “Johnson, exit strategy?” 
    “Two ways! Kick this hole out and it should be big enough for us to squeeze out of.  Or, let Black take them out and walk out the front door,” I let out a big watt smile and laugh a little while Kyle seconds the latter.
    “Let’s take these bitches out,” Kyle screams over his shoulder and Matt lets out a sigh. 
    “Kick it out, Andrews.”
    I come to and shake from the water.  I realize it has now gone cold as I sit with my arms wrapped around my knees.  My teeth are chattering from the cold water running over my skin.  I grab the handle of the shower door and pull myself up off the tiled floor.  I grab the towel off the rack, wrapping it around my body as I shakily walk down the short hallway to the kitchen.   Reaching for the bottle of Jack Daniels I unscrew it and take a huge swig, then grabbing the pack of cigarettes and lighter off the counter.  I take a deep breath as the poison seeps into my lungs.  I’ve faced death once before.  A little black smoke can’t hurt me anymore than that bomb did, right?
    I walk over to the couch and take a drag from the cigarette, now half gone.  If my mother knew what was going on with me she would probably kill me.  I hear my phone buzzing and look down.  Trey . I grab the phone and slide