Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
Imitation of Life Chapter Thirteen
Shawn Zachary was much different than Eleanor had described him. Her description came from many years back when they were still in high school, though, so the fluctuations were permitted to exist. His once reddish-brown hair had a lot of grey in them too, and had already started thinning out. His thick, black eyebrows moved above his sharp, intelligent eyes, which seemed to scan everything that crossed his view. His lips were nearly covered by the bushy moustache that stretched across his upper lip to the side of his mouth. His chubby cheeks multiplied in size whenever he smiled, which was every time. On his hands were rings of immense quality and expense. With his brown Armani suit piece and designer shoes, he looked way too elaborate for the Cyclone Bar. But that was where he insisted they meet. And Joshua had no choice but to agree. Joshua felt completely underdressed sitting next to him at the counter. He had a simple plain blue shirt tucked into light brown trousers.
Imitation of Life Chapter Fourteen
Night time in Chesterfield Springs was probably the most quiet in the entire country. You could hear the humming of your neighbour's refrigerator from across the street. Or the snoring of your landlord from the upper floor of the apartment building. It was so quiet that you could simply go deaf from the deafening silence. Regardless, it was just the way Joshua wanted it to be. The park was deserted, of course. No one brings kids or walks dogs close to midnight. The strong gust of wind blowing around moved the rusted parts of the metallic rides and swing sets, creating an eerie melody that was sure enough to spook anyone. Joshua was sure the inhabitants at the other end of the town could hear the swing sets and see-saw squeaking loudly. Left to him, the park would've been the last place he would've picked. But, he didn't have much of a choice. It wasn't New York that had multiple deserted buildings littered all over the place. Where he could have picked one and planned t
Imitation of Life Chapter Fifteen
"I always knew that woman was bad news. The creep kept giving me bad energy." "Me too. But talking to John at that moment in time seemed futile. He was always so madly in love with her." "I don't think I want to remind you where that got him." "Sadly. It's a shame." "Indeed." Margaret Walters' house was the place for the occasion again. This time, with less strangers and more family. The Walters of all ages gathered in the living room, eating cranberry cupcakes and drinking orange juice from mugs on saucers. The entire family in one spot was as rare as the perfect alignment of all the planets in the solar system. Of course, none of them were kids anymore; everyone had a life of their own. Bills to pay, some had extra mouths to feed. But moments like these were ones to cherish. Even when the reason for such a gathering wasn't exactly merry. Fortunately, this one had a celebratory tune to it. So no one could afford to miss it. "Mmm . . . " M
Imitation of Life Chapter One
"You're late. But I'm not surprised." Joshua Mulligan smirked as he took the rubber gloves offered to him and put them on. "It wasn't my fault this time, Tracy. You wouldn't believe the traffic I had to scale through." "Well, you made it out alive. Right?" Tracy Morgan's sarcastic tone was really hard to miss. And it made Joshua grin all the more. "So, what's the gig?" He asked casually. Tracy glared at her partner for a couple of seconds, then she shook her head slightly and proceeded into the apartment. Joshua followed obediently, then paused at the doorway. It was absolute chaos in room 367. Joshua would've liked to believe that the apartment he stood in once looked like any other apartment he'd been into: a small, tidy space with a few artistic ornaments to spice up the appearance, perhaps a nice painting on the wall, a cute little kitchen probably facing the living room . . . and all that stuff. Or maybe that was just the standard look of a typical apartment
Imitation of Life Chapter Two
The news of Jonathan Walters' murder spread round Chesterfield Springs faster than wildfire in autumn. Being the small town that it was, nothing as grave as a murder could be kept as a secret for long without someone finding out about it somehow. And when they did, they made sure everyone else found out as well. It was soon the number one item in the local news channel, found it's way into the front pages of the newspapers, and was being broadcasted by radio stations. Before noon, a day after the incident, everyone in Chesterfield Springs knew about Jonathan Walters' sudden passing. Joshua turned off his car radio after hearing the name 'Johnathan Walters' for the 5th time in the past hour. He shook his head as he pulled up in the parking lot of the Chesterfield Springs police department. He had no idea how things were being run here, he only got transferred in a couple of weeks ago. The request for more 'seasoned' crime detectives had prompted his abrupt ar
Imitation of Life Chapter Three
Joshua stretched out, releasing a long, tiring yawn that depicted his exhaustion. He stepped out of the bathroom and made his way to his wardrobe, walking past the large mirror he'd hung on his wall, close to the entrance leading to the bedroom. Pausing suddenly, he backtracked and stood right in front of the reflective glass. He was almost taller than the mirror stood, with the top of his blonde head most definitely cropped out. He had a muscular kind of build that was difficult to hide in most outfits, even the large ones. He gazed at the bulging veins that roped around his forearms and into his biceps, flexing them a bit for the fun of it. His head bore solid jawlines, sparse facial hair on the chin and upper lip, a straight nose, and blue tired eyes. To any beholder, they'd say he was a perfect model. To him, he reckoned he didn't look too bad, but he wasn't a hottie either. Especially now that he knew he was stressed as hell. After putting on a sleeveles
Imitation of Life Chapter Four
“Richard laughed at the answer a student gave to his question. The class also roared in laughter, with students pounding the desks in amusement. The culprit, however, just sat there and flashed a big smile. Richard kept chuckling when he heard a tap on the classroom door. The Principal stood there, also wearing a smile. ‘I see you guys are having a good time,’ he remarked. He beckoned to Richard to come closer. ‘I'm just going to borrow Mr. Richard for a couple of minutes. Hope you guys don't mind?’ The Principal left without waiting for a reply from the students, with his palm on Richard's back. ‘They're really enjoying themselves,’ he observed, still wearing his smile. ‘That's the best way to get their attention,’ Richard replied. ‘Making them understand that learning shouldn't be a chore. It should be fun.’ ‘That's why we have you in this department, Richard.’ The voice came from behind both men in the large hallway. Richard turned to face the ori
Imitation of Life Chapter Five
“Richard fixed his stare on his hands, fiddling with them nervously. He sat alone in Philip's office with the loud voices of children reaching him from outside. Lunch break, he remembered with a smile. He could see some students walking past the window, engaging in the most interesting conversation to them. It made him remember what it was like when he was here, not as a teacher but a student. More than thirty years ago. He barely had friends, he recalled. Most of them labelled him as weird and uncomfortable to be with. He'd soon grown accustomed to it, and even enjoyed it most times, seeking to remain on his own at every given point. That was until he met Charles Vincent in the 9th grade. It still surprised him how the vitality of the most popular kid in class back then rubbed off him. Richard the loner, being friends with Charles the Popular. A very unlikely and awkward match up of personalities. But it was real, his best moments of high school.