A Rainbow Colored Heart

Chapter 1

Snow covered the ground creating a pure white blanket over the grass blades, the trees carrying small pockets between where the branches connected to the trees. Outside I could hear the wind as it blew the flakes, piling up around the edges as the glass fogged. Turning on the TV  I sat down just as the weatherman came into view, behind him; splotches could be seen from an upcoming storm, bigger than the days before, and with no sighs of stopping at least for another few days. Letting out a huge sigh through my nostrils I relaxed back in my leather recliner. “Another cold one” I stated.  I always hated the cold, it always felt you could never have enough layers of clothing to keep yourself warm, and that was only when you were inside.  As a kid I would go out and play in the snow making snow men in my parents yard, decorating it them with hats and scarf’s among the many things I used to keep myself warm now-a-days.

Slowly I rubbed both my eyes with my finger tips letting out a loud sigh as I got up from my chair walking over to the kitchen opening the door and taking a soda from one of the shelves and popping the lid. Taking my phone from my pocket I looked at the clock; it was mid afternoon.  Suddenly the phone rang sending creating the large electronic ringtone through the small living room. Rushing to the counter I looked at the small screen above the keys. Recognizing the number I quickly picked it up.

“Hello?” I asked

“Yo, what’s up?” The voice asked.

“Not much Main, what’s up with you?” I asked

“Bored, figured we could hang out, be bored together.” He said

I laughed at the obvious joke walking into the living room setting the soda down as I sat back down in my chair turning off the TV to drown out the noise it was making. “My schedules open, it’d be nice to get out for a while before the snow storm got too bad, but can I get a ride, I don’t think my car can handle the snow.” I stated.

“That should be fine; I need to gas it up anyway.” He stated “I’ll call you in an hour or two; I should be there by then”

“Alright, I’ll see you then” I stated.

“Later”

“Later” I said back

Hanging up the phone I placed it next to the can of mountain dew picking the can up in its place and taking a large gulp before I went into my bedroom grabbing a new shirt from the closet putting it on over the white beater I was wearing and headed back into the living room and peering out the window at the snow which seemed to be falling harder than when I had previously checked. I noticed two birds on a nearby branch close to each other as if to keep warm. I felt sorry for them in a way, I knew there was nothing I could do help something that didn’t want it.

An hour passed before the phone rang again and before I knew it I was out the door and riding in the passenger seat of Matthews black ford f150, the radio playing one of his many slayer CD’s he owned. Like many people, Matthew and I differed from each other, while I had always been open type who was generally more open with everyone; Matthew was only open with those he knew which made him difficult to unless you knew him already, and just by looking at us you might never know we were friends.

“You up to getting something to eat?” he asked suddenly.

“What’d you have in mind?” I asked.

“Burger joint?”

“I’m up for anything”

“Chinese it is then” he said with smile.

I chuckled with a slight smile; Matthew had always been the jokester. Ever since we meet in high school Matthew and I had grown closer to what we called a brotherhood, and when it came to something troubling you, he was always the one you could go to; true he wouldn’t always give you the wisest answer, but he always managed to put a smile on your face, even if it was at your own expense.

It wasn’t long before I found myself at a table in the small Chinese restaurant in the chair across from Matthew as we waited for our food to be delivered.

“It’s snowing pretty hard” Matthew stated.

“Uh-huh” I said turning to look out the large window at the entrance.

“How long is it supposed to last?”He asked

“All week if the weather man was right” I stated stretching my arms over my head hearing a distinct pop from the joints on my fingers.

“If this keeps up we just might have a white Christmas after all” He joked

  “No doubt” I said.

The two of us sat motionless for a while listening to the Christmas music that was playing over the intercom as well as the employees speaking Chinese in the back.

“So did the doctor call you back yet?” Matthew asked suddenly.

I shook my head “unfortunately not, I’m actually starting to worry he might never call, you know that transplant was their last option I heard?”

“No kidding… well then what happens now? Are you just going to wait?”

I shrugged just as the conversation fell dead again, knowing he had killed the mood I knew Matthew tried finding the words to change the topic his eyes seemed to search for the right words to say.

“Hey, don’t worry about it; I’m sure it’ll all work about for the better right?” I said faking a smile

“I guess… just don’t go dying on me before Christmas, that present would suck” he joked.

I rolled my eyes just as the store owner came up setting down the two trays in front of us and walking away soon after. Wasting no time Matthew split his chopsticks, one being shorter than the other and began digging into the food placed

before him.

I lost track of how long we stayed there in the restaurant, talking about our past and present but it seemed like hours, these were the best kind of days; the kind to spend with friends, and others close to your heart, as little as there was now a day’s . The day began to grow late as the sunlight began fade, Matthew and I had once again managed to waste another day with one another doing whatever we pleased. It was late in the afternoon by the time I had gotten home, the staircase up to my apartment carrying more snow layered on each step. I stepped up each step carefully breathing out and seeing my breath with each exhale. By the time I had reached my door my shoes were soaked through the vents that were on the tops and sides of my running shoes, obviously wearing them wasn’t one of my brightest ideas. Taking the key from my pocket I unlocked my door, giving a wave to Matthew as he drove off and walked into the dark apartment stepping in out of the cold wind. I removed my leather jacket and placed it on the back of my leather recliner which sat just to the right of the doorway flipping the light on the wall just behind it. Light flooded the room as I stepped further into the living room avoiding the clothes scattered all over the carpet floor sighing and running a hand through my short brown hair as I stepped into my room removing my shirt and putting it on a hanger and back into my closet leaving me with my white beater and jeans.

Yawning I walked over to my computer sitting down in the rolling chair turning to put my legs under the desk and pulling out the keyboard from the slider at the bottom.  Leaning in I typed in the familiar phrase “Life Through My Eyes” opening the desktop, the familiar background picture of a blue 2005 ford gt, the screen lighting up my dark room. “Let’s see what their trying to sell us today “I stated dragging my mouse over the Firefox emblem and pulling up the internet. I surfed the internet for an hour or two looking at my e-mail and other social network profiles, when suddenly the monitor shut off as well as the computer underneath the fan on the inside came to a halt, the sound from the vents also was non-existent; a power outage.

“Are you kidding me?!” I said aloud half expecting some someone to hear and turn the lights back on.

I pulled out my cell phone flipping up the screen and turning on the flashlight via the camera. It began to grow cold, grabbing a sweatshirt from my closet I went out to the living room, opening the cupboard and pulling out my blue magnalight flashlight and clicking it on and filling the room with light. Looking out the window I could see the lights off in all the other neighboring apartments as well. For the moment I was stuck in an apartment slowly making its way to becoming a refrigerator, no power, and no means of fixing the problem.

“Well shit” I stated coming into terms with my situation. Walking over I took the blanket from the sofa as well as some from the closet and placing them on my bed unfolding them and stacking them onto the blue comforter. Pulling back the many layers of sheets I maneuvered under them not bothering to take off my sweater or jeans, knowing all too well how cold I would be even with my preparations, and although I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours, I finally managed to close my eyes and drift slowly to sleep.