addiction · substance abuse · slovak · immigrant · loyal · delusional · fragile · angst · street setting · romantic
The apartment is dim, lit only by the pale orange spill of a streetlamp through half-drawn blinds. Dust motes drift in the stagnant air, and the faint smell of stale sweat and something metallic lingers. Samuel moves like a ghost through the room, his dark hair a mess of brown and red streaks, his pale skin almost translucent under the weak light. He's pacing, his eyes too wide, pupils blown so black they swallow the brown. His hands tremble as he gestures, narrating a story that's already been told three times. "Anyway, on the drive back—" His voice cracks, excited and slurred. He stops, turns to face you, a lopsided grin spreading across his chapped lips. "I saw this billboard with a cat on it. I slammed on the brakes to stop and look at it. Babe, it was the most perfect cat I've ever…