FicWad

It was late when I pulled into the parking lot of the condo. These were really nice housings, only ones with money could live here. Lola lived here? I thought it was out of place for a failed writer to be living here. I slid the pistol into my waistband and pulled my shirt over it to conceal it.

I went up to the front door, found the buzzer for B-11 and buzzed. No answer. I buzzed again, still no answer. Fuck! Did I come all the way here for nothing?! I buzzed again and again, frustrated and panicked. An old man came out of his house and opened the front door for me.

"What is going on buddy?! You know what time it is?! Just who are you trying to talk to?"

The man smelled of cheap whiskey and lime scented cologne. I stepped back a few feet to avoid the stench.

"I'm looking for a miss Lola Chloe."

He gave me a squinty eyed stare, "Who?! Lola? What do you want her for? I've never seen you around these parts before! You'd best leave her alone, she's a good young woman you hear?!"

So she did live here, and was protected by geriatric bull dog. Great. I cleared my throat and took a few reluctant steps towards him.

"I'm an old friend of hers, I thought I'd stop by and say hello and all."

"Bullshit you little scallywag! She has no visitors, or friends at that! All that she does is spend most of her time at work! I hardly ever see her come home! I hear her, but never really see her!" the old man said, his voice throaty and dry.

"Where does she work?"

The old man shot me a look of stupidity, "Why the fuck would I tell you?! Now get out of here before I call the police for you trespassing on private property!"

And with that the old man sauntered back into the condo building. I heard him trudge back into his flat, and slam the door. Great, now what? I looked around the front stoop, and saw a newspaper rolled up. It was tomorrows edition, I picked it up and tucked it under my arm.
This time around, I rang a different buzzer, in hopes of getting someone to open the door for me. A scratchy womans voice answered.

"Hello? Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm here to see Lola Chloe, but she's not answering. I wanted to drop off her newspaper and possibly check to see if she's home." I said into the speaker system.

"Who are you? That woman hardly ever gets visitors around here!"

I sighed impatiently, "I'm a friend of hers from college, I was in the area, and wanted to stop by and say hi to her. Could you buzz me in so I can go up and check on her? Please?"

I heard the woman grumble on her end, then the intercome click off. I waited, but nothing happened. I kicked at the ground angrily and started to walk away, when the door buzzed, and I was let in.

"My, you're a handsome one aren't you?" said a skinny middle-aged woman in curlers and a bathrobe who was standing in her doorway.

"Uh, thanks...for letting me in. I won't be too long. Sorry for disturbing you at this hour, " i said as politely as possible, trying to hide my embarassment.

"Oh it's no problem at all, believe me. When you're done seeing your friend, come on by and see me. I'm sure we can find something to uh..talk about."

I gulped, "Haha, you're funny! Well, I better go and get this over with, the sooner I finish, the sooner I can leave right?"

The woman stepped out of her doorway and into the dim hallway light, "Mmm..honey, if you get lonely, come in and I'll keep you company.."

Oh God! I thanked her and quickly made my way up the winding stairs, my footsteps echoing off of the ceiling and walls. I had to climb two stories to her condo. Ugh, it was tiring! I finally reacher her floor, excitedly going from door to door, looking at the numbers displayed. I found hers at the end of the hall on the left.

I knocked on the door. Nothing. I knocked again, harder. Still nothing.
What was going on here?! Why was all of my luck as of late all bad?! I debated sitting and waiting or just leaving and trying later. I mean, here I was, finally at my goal! And all that held me back was a locked door that...

The door creaked open, my knocking must have unlocked the door? No, the door wasn't even locked. I cautiously stepped into the dwelling, the place smelled of incense and scented candles. I closed the door behind me, uncertain if I should say something or just walk around aimlessly through the place. The fair sized condo was dimly lit.

"Lola? Lola Chloe?" I said calmly as I moved from the front doorway to the dining room. From there I moved to the small kitchen, where teas, coffees, and spices were stacked neatly. The living room was next, a well decorated and furnished establishment. Framed pictures of ships at sea, antiquated posters and banners from the olden days were hung. I went to the bedroom, the last place in the house. I slowly opened the door, not wanting to scare her if she was here. The room was empty, save a bed, closet, and drawers. A desk sat in the corner, covered with papers, post-it notes, pens, and a laptop computer.

Curiosity got the best of me, I went up to the laptop and clicked on the mouse to bring up the screen. Displayed was a typed up short passage.

"I leave this world for another, as birds fly to keep warm from the cold. My life has been cold, and colder still it shall be. Shall I fly to my own perfect weather paradise? Or quietly fall to the icy abyss below? All that I am, all that I was..."

A short poem? I didn't understand at first, but as I reread it, my eyes widened with the realization of it. A death letter, or rather, a suicide note. I frantically rechecked the place, going from room to room, searching for a body or something! Not even the bathroom showed signs of death or struggle. After a fruitless search I began to think maybe what I had read was just a simple poem. If she was to kill hersself, why not do it in the comfort of her own home? But then I thought, "Just how high up does this building go?".

I dashed out the front door towards the stairwell, heading up to the roof, five stories above. I ran as fast as I could up those winding stairs, not daring to stop. I was out of breath when I reached the rooftop, pushing open the door and stepping out into the chilly night scene.
The lights of the city sparkled around me, the view was magnificent to behold. As I caught my breath, I looked around. A stern breeze gusted through, the smell of that incense tinged the air. I looked to my left, my right, nothing.

"Hello."

I turned to find a thin bleach blonde young woman standing above me on the roof of the stairwell. Her white sundress waving in the breeze. Her azure blue eyes met mine, as she looked me up and down with curious eyes.

"Who are you? Do you live here?" she asked, not taking her eyes off of me.

"No, I don't live here. My name is Tyler, and I came here to see you. You're Lola Chloe right?" I asked, panting between words.

She smiled slightly, "Some call me by that name, but my name is Piper Reynolds. Lola Chloe is my pen name, a name I don't hardly ever hear or use anymore. What do you want?"

She stood there, the city lights painting her face a soft orange and yellow tint. Her dress billowed slightly from a soft gust of wind, I turned away so as not to look up her skirt.
I heard her giggle at my gesture.

"It's okay Tyler, I don't care. I don't care about anything anymore really. This life was pointless from the start, with writing, creating, making, and failing," she said softly as she turned away and began to approach the edge of the rooftop.

"Hey! What do you plan on doing?!" I shouted, moving in her direction.

"Isn't it obvious? I am going to end what should have ended along time ago. This existance is overdue, I have nothing to give or take from this world anymore." her voice was sad yet strong, a sense of purpose.

"No look, I didn't come all this way to watch you die! I had to drive a long fucking way to find you! I had to deal with a crabby old man, and a crazy nympho who let me in! All I want is to talk to you, I have alot of questions that I need answering!" I shouted, her back still turned towards me.

She laughed, "Oh, Mr. Geralds and Ms. Hutchins.."

She was silent now, the sound of the city droning in and out, as the lights danced with the wind.
I started to move towards her, but she quickly turned to face me.

"Stop! Stay away, you can't make me come down! You can't keep me from this!" she cried, taking a few steps away from me and closer to the edge.

"You don't understand, I'm not here to stop you from anything! All I want are some answers before you jump! That's all I want!"

She gave me a shocked look, as if someone had slapped her, "What do you mean?"

"I've read your work! I love it! I'm a writer too, well, I want to be a writer someday. But someone I knew died, and then another person I knew died as well. All of this was because of some poetry you had sent them! I don't know if you remember a certain Ethan and Hunter do you?"

She gawked, then narrowed her eyes, "What about them? Friends of yours I suppose? What, you want me to suck you off too?!"

I stepped back in alarm, what in the hell made her say that?!

"Hell no! They used to be friends of mine until they stole and sold some of my orignal writing! I know your story Lola! Ethan told me before he killed himself only a few weeks ago! I'm not here for anything else other than to just talk to you before you go! I know what you've been through, and I am sorry that such a talented writer as yourself had to experience it. I just want to talk, that's all!" I shouted, the wind making it harder to hear.

She kept a stern look on her face, but it soon melted into a half smile and smirk.

"You come up here, and talk to me. You only have five minutes to talk before I jump, so make it quick!"

I quickly made my way up to her, scrambling and climbing as fast as possible.
When I was standing next to her, she moved in close so we could hear each other talking.

"Hurry up with this! I don't want to be here all night! And don't even try to talk me out of suicide!" she said bitterly.

I nodded, "Okay, I won't. Just a few questions is all. I want to know, why you stopped writing."

She rolled her blue eyes at me, "Is that important to you? Really?"

I nodded, "Yes, you were a brilliant writer who never should have stopped writing. I wanted to read more of your work, but there really isn't much out there. This might sound stupid but, I'm your biggest fan."

She laughed, covering her face with her hands. She laughed for a good minute before she regained her composure, "No no really, go on!" she said, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I mean it. I've never met or read anything like your work before. It amazes me, it..makes me feel a certain way I haven't felt in ages.."

She stopped laughing, "Really? You are serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious. I've gotten together all of your work, well, at least the stuff that I could find. I wish there was more, but there isn't is there?"

She shook her head, the wind blowing her blonde hair in her face, a few stray strands grazed my cheek.

"I have only orignal work kept in a private journal. The last entry dates back to a few weeks ago. None of it will ever get published though, because I'm considered too taboo in this life."

"But I don't understand, I mean, you're amazing! I'd swear you could move worlds with your work. I mean, i have two dead people because of it...it's powerful. Maybe too powerful.." I said, my last words fading off.

"Exactly. No one wanted it, it was too dark, to controversial for them. I had to sell my body, my pride and dignity to even make one page worth of writing! They ruined me, one page at a time, digging me deeper to bury me!" she screamed, her hands balled into tight fists.

"I'm so sorry for-"

"No!" she interrupted, "You don't understand how it feels! To give your heart, body, mind, and spirit to something, regardless of the cost! And it all dies in front of you!"

She was pounding her balled up fists into my chest, knocking me back. I tried to calm her down, but she only got more frustrated. I grabbed ahold of her wrists, urging her to calm down. She slipped and fell into me, knocking us both off of our perch and onto the dusty rooftop floor.

She landed hard on me before rolling a few feet away, my pistol was knocked loose and clattered loudly. It sat between me and her, both of us regaining our composure..and eyeing the weapon that sat cold and quiet between us.....

She moved for it....