Be Careful What You Wish For
Second Chance

- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2004 -

A bitter, cold night it was, and the rain made it worse. Ward felt it pelting him like so many needles penetrating his skin to the bone. The darkness enveloped him, a loving mother’s arms caressing him against her breast. He had cried until his eyes dried and rain took the place of his tears running down his cheeks to his chin. Ward’s distinguished graying-brown hair was now matted to his head; his tattered suit was equally sodden.

Ward was a well-traveled man, once full of pride and vigor. He was a handsome man, which had only been diminished a little over the past year full of depression. His normally clean-shaven broad chin was now a forest of gray hair that ran all the way to his temples. When he was a young man he was a nuclear engineer on a Navy sub, he finished college and eventually owned a furniture store with his wife. His wife…oh how he missed her. Sue was her name. Ward fiercely held an image of her in his mind, it was all he had left of her. He did not want to let that image fade into nothingness, just like his life had. He shivered, damn it was cold. The streets of Philadelphia were an unforgiving place in the winter, especially without a home or hearth.

“You bitch; you won’t take me that easy.” He cursed the darkness that continued to consume him. Struggling to his feet Ward collected himself and trudged to a nearby bar. Having none of his own money left to him, Ward resorted to collecting money from generous strangers during the day. Pushing the door open to a small bar, the Liberty Bell, he sighed. The Bell had been open for years, and Ward knew the owner well before his tragedy.

Cold unwelcoming stares followed Ward’s every movement, like the stares of wolves following their prey. He knew that their stares shouldn’t affect him but they did. They penetrated him almost as much as the freezing rain outside. Ward shivered uncontrollably as he walked to the counter.

“My god Ward, you’ve been out all night again?” The bartender, Mickey had known Ward for years, he was a good friend, one of the few Ward had left. “I told you Rita and I would love to have you stay with us, as long as you need.”

“Jesus Mickey, you’d take that…that rag into your home? What’s a’matta with you?” The man that spoke was a little scrap of a fellow, and obviously drunk. Strands of brown hair covered hazy eyes, and a little spittle actually hung at the corner of his mouth. Mickey just stared at the man until he lowered his gaze. Mickey was in his forties, but still bigger and more strapped with muscle than anyone Ward knew. Ward picked a stool and sat.

“What’cha want? It’s on the house.”

“Scotch. Rocks. Make it a double.” Ward pulled out a few dollars and set it on the counter.

“Ward I told you it’s on the hou-“

“I’d rather pay. Please, it makes me feel…substantial.” Mickey ignored the interruption and gazed at Ward, into his tired blue-green eyes and nodded.

“Hey, tell you what, let me buy this round, you get the next.” A man with shaggy brown hair and almost ghastly pale skin sat down next to Ward. “I’ll have a Captain and Coke, double for me as well.”

“Alright Don, you got it.” Mickey turned his back to his two patrons and set about making their drinks.

“Name’s Don, how ‘bout you stranger?”

“Ward Walker, thanks for the drink.” Ward turned to the newcomer and smiled despite himself. The man’s eyes were yellow. And not a little yellow around the pupil, no they were fucking yellow, full blown. “What brings you to the Bell this late?”

This time the fellow smiled. “Let’s just say I have a few despairs of my own that I’d like to drown out.” Ward simply grunted in response.

A silence ensued that was only occasionally broken by someone asking for another drink or a well-deserved belch. The television in the corner whispered secrets that the media felt so inclined to divulge to the public. Ward sighed and averted his eyes. He was reluctant to hear more depressing stories of violence and sorrow, he had his fill of that in his life. Again the pale stranger spoke up to him.