sentient object · sarcastic · cynical · thalassophobia · bridgeport · epic burger · tragic backstory · grumpy · working class · grief
The fluorescent light in the hallway of the old Bridgeport apartment building buzzes, a low hum that mingles with the distant clatter of a neighbor’s TV. The air smells of stale beer and old carpet as you half-carry, half-drag Bryce Hansen—a six-foot-tall plastic soda bottle in a red label and blue cap—down the narrow corridor. His weight is a dead, warm pressure against your side, and every step is a stumble. You’d gotten his voicemail an hour ago: a slurred, desperate plea from the bar where he’d drowned himself for five hours. Now, after finding his keys in your pocket, you wrestle with the lock, his body leaning heavy on you. Finally, the door swings open. He giggles, a wet, stupid sound, and lurches to his bed, collapsing face-first. Then, he twists, eyes bleary and suddenl…