Morning all. I had a strange dream where I crashed a garden party. I was part of a band of pirates. Our captain had decided that he was the only one allowed to eat cream puff and we therefore had to steal the caramel covered tower. It was being defended by an elderly bridge club wielding 1950s handbags filled with rolls of coins. When they hit you coins sprayed out and you would collect them in an old video game style, complete with the coin collecting musical notes (I think it was from Mario Brothers) No clue why I had the dream, but thought I would share. Now, on to the morning prompt.
No idea where this is going, but I expect it won’t be pleasant for Alex.
Tuesday, August 27th: The smell of hot pizza filled the small kitchen.
The smell of hot pizza filled the small kitchen. Alex felt his belly twist. It had been a long day and he skipped lunch. What little breakfast he managed was well worn away and the scent of the pizza was too much to resist. He stood at the kitchen counter and lifted a slice from the box and stood eating it right there. He was two slices in before his hunger was tamed enough to bother paying attention to anything else.
He took a deep breath and lifted a third slice. He thought about a plate and about sitting at the table. He also thought about his mud spattered clothes. The boots he kicked off at the door so he wasn’t leaving a trail of foot prints. The mud on his clothes had dried and would probably shower anything with dusty shards if he tried to sit. Normally he would have stripped off his work clothes in the laundry room, padded up to the bedroom in his shorts and come back down for food after pulling on cleaner clothes, preferably post shower.
Today, he picked up the pizza on the way home and couldn’t resist.
‘I’ll finish this slice and then shower her thought. Alex took his third slice back to the laundry room, retracing his steps and noticing the flakes of mud that he left behind as he came ito the kitchen. He promised a quick sweep up after he was finished eating. He had no desire to be yelled at for leaving a trail in his wake for someone else to clean.
He stepped back into the laundry room. One door led to the kitchen and the other outside to the driveway. Standing in the laundry room, he kept the pizza slice in his mouth as he unfastened his trousers and took them off, dropping them in the laundry basket. He ate a bite of pizza and held the remaining slice in one hand while he wiggled one arm free of the shirt, and over his head. He then put the slice back in his mouth as he took the other arm out of the sleeve. It was dropped in the hamper and soon his socks were added to the top. He finished his slice of pizza and barefoot and wearing only his boxers he went back into the kitchen.
The pizza still called to him but while still hungry, it’s lure was easier to resist this time. He went upstairs, gathered clean clothes and moved to the shower. Clean and dressed in clothes that wouldn’t leave a dust trail he returned to the kitchen, swept the floor clean of debris and moved back to the pizza. He devoured another two slices standing up and listened for the sounds of the others arriving home.
The house remained quiet. He frowned and looked at the clock. He was running late today, which was why he opted for the pizza. Even though they had ready to go pies, he still added time to his journey home just by stopping, going in and paying. ‘Plus it adds time to the drive.’
To get to the pizza place he had to drive a little out of his way and then double back to get to the house. ‘Someone should be home by now,’ he thought. Alex frowned. ‘Several someones.’ He wondered what was going on and if he should check in with someone.
Ten til Midnight 