Every Rose Has It's Thorn

[Jalen August]

This is a piece I'm in the process of writing, it has nothing to do with Hammel, just something original by yours truly.
-Bre

Excerpt One

A female with dark brown eyes and equally dark brown hair glanced up at me as I spoke her name. A moment passed and before I could say another work, she looked back at the book she was reading. I knew approaching such a woman in the public library was a rash thing to do on my part, but I had no other choice. She had been avoiding my calls and I didn’t really blame her, I was beginning to sound desperate over the phone.

Hi, Charlie Becketh? It’s Bradley again. I really need you, could you please call me back at...

Watching her eyes scan the upturned book, I knew she could ignore me no longer. I invited myself to sit down at the small table and she glared at me when my chair squeaked across the linoleum floor.

“Look,” I began to say, “I know this is inappropriate, but you’ve left me no other choice.” Charlie hadn’t taken her eyes off me. She had the eyes of a hawk; even her nose was slightly pointed. I could swear she hadn’t blinked an eye since I’d sat down, but it was probably just my nerves acting up again.

“I know Bradley, most people don’t.”

Finally, had caught her attention, and my smile matched hers. I folded my hands in front of me. Could she tell I was nervous?

She set her book down, a quick glance at the title told me it was about World War II. Typical, it was the only thing anyone seemed to be interested in nowadays. The whole world was bracing themselves for World War III, which could arise any day now. It was all about the oil. It was also about getting things done before it was too late.

“So, can we work something out?” I asked hopefully, holding her eyes with mine. I didn’t know what the next day would bring, I needed to see to everything in my life, including love.

She looked me up and down with suspicion. It wouldn’t be the first time I received such a look. Running my hands through my hair, I set them back down on the table. Now was not the time to lose control, not matter how badly she had hurt me. I was going to set things right.

I broke. “Are you going to answer me?” Charlie only smiled.

“You really are desperate,” she said, sitting up a little straighter, crossing her arms in front of her as she pushed away from the table, scraping the floor again. If she stood, she would be taller than me, a full grown man.

“You have no idea...” I said, looking at the floor, waiting to see what she would say. Hopefully whatever would become of this wouldn’t end me before the uprising did. The public library was already strangely empty. People were afraid to be out in the open. Not Charlie.

“Can you help me?” I asked, looking at her intently. Maybe if I brought on the waterworks she would sympathize with me. I had one thing on my mind, and hopefully she would be willing to help. Her reputation said that she would, at a price.

Charlie leaned forward in her chair, a sly grin on her face. “Must be strange, asking for help from an assassin.”