A Hollow Man

Hando spent the time in his room quietly thinking only going out for meals. The solicitor was picking up the tab he guessed because he had nothing except what few clothes he’d thrown in the trunk of his car and several other things that meant something to him. No job no money and his prospects looked dim. He wished he hadn’t promised Miss Peeg he’d stick until the charges were dropped. He longed to be away from this place.

He lay back on the bed staring at the ceiling the picture of Amanda helping Johnny up the stairs that afternoon stuck with him. Only it wasn’t Amanda he was seeing it was Marce. He missed her and the place she had occupied in his life was hollow…he felt hollow. It had grown dark in the room…he didn’t bother turning on a light he liked the darkness…he could get lost in it…it afforded some comfort to him for without the light the emptiness of his life was not visible.

He was twenty eight years old with nothing.

A knock on his door brought him out of his reverie he ignored it until it came again.

"Hando you didn’t come down for dinner so I took the liberty of bringing you something, I do hope it will be satisfactory," Miss Peeg stood in his doorway with a Styrofoam box.

"I wasn’t hungry," Hando answered not taking the box.

" You might want something later…its only a sandwich and salad." She said brushing past him and turning on a lamp. "You shouldn’t sit in the dark…its morbid Hando." Miss Peeg was worried about him and not quite sure what to do about it.

"It’s not morbid…I like it." He said moving from the door.

"I was wondering when you are going to finish the paint job?" She asked raising her brows.

Hando hadn’t thought about Richie’s office since the murder. He walked over to the bed and sat down that was the last thing he’d promised Marce he would do…he would finish it and then…

"I thought you might want to start again tomorrow…it would give you something to do besides sit in this room."

Hando looked up at her, "I’ll finish it don’t worry…and once that’s finished and everything is sorted out at the police station…I’m gone…don’t try to stop me just leave me alone."

Miss Peeg wasn’t sure she could leave him alone but she smiled, "I will do my best Hando."

Hando waited until she left and turned off the lamp settling back onto the bed he stared at the ceiling again however moonlight was now filtering in through the blinds and the room was not quite as dark as it was.