Chapter 2

In the end, I guess I got drunk enough to listen to the now-worldly gnome in my basement. I decided against the yellow pages because, let's be real here, no one uses a phone book now-a-days for anything other than propping tables up. I created as serious a web page as I could manage, and left it up to fate. Oddly enough, I didn't get as many crazies as I'd thought, and we had what seemed like a genuine client by the end of the week.

“You're Noah Clifton?” my unusual client had grumbled, as if he were as surprised at my look as much as I was with his.

He held out a meaty hand for me to shake, which I did so carefully. I wasn't a people person, and this fellow set me on edge. His name was Chuck, and Chuck was a towering pillar of a man with stocky features and tattoos covering every discernible allotment of his body.

“That is correct,” I answered, trying not to imagine if all the non-visible parts of his body had tattoos as well. Bojangles the cat appeared out of nowhere, as he's apt to do, and gave our guest a disapproving snub before jumping on the couch beside me.

It was uneasy seeing such a large man scared stupid. I offered him a cigarette, and he took it with trembling hands. I lit it for him.

“What seems to be the problem?” I asked, apprehensive about what could possibly scare the intimidating man before me. He blew out a shaking breath of smoke, and began as if he'd rehearsed for weeks.

“It's a unicorn... y'know, those horse things with the horns on their forehead?”

“I know what a unicorn is,” I said, sighing almost immediately after when realizing I probably shouldn't admit this knowledge.

“Oh, sorry,” he apologized, then continued, “It's haunting me, Mr. Clifton. It looks at me with these eyes; like it's judgin' me and finding me unworthy. I die every night in my dream because of it.”

I stared and began to wonder if I had screened my emails well enough.

“Please believe me, Mr. Clifton. I can't stand it anymore. I can't sleep with those eyes creeping me out.”

“Chuck.. can I call you Chuck?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Chuck, I get rid of nightmares. Nightmares are demons..., ghosts..., manifestations of death..., even god-damned evil leprechauns. They are not fanciful horned horses that appear in little girls' dreams.”

Chuck's bottom lip wavered. I felt ashamed at his vulnerability and looked away.

“Can't you take a look, sir? Just see if you could get it to stop following me in my dreams?”

“It'll be expensive. I don't like wasting my time.”

“Oh, of course. I have the money.”

“Alright. Come back tonight and I'll take a look.”

I'd never seen a man so grateful. He bobbed his head at least ten times and thanked me at least twenty before stepping out the door.

I collapsed on the couch beside Bojangles and commenced his nightly back rub.

“That must be one scary horse.”

Reviews

[ATG]

Another good chapter. I did like the imagery of large man shaking with fear from a unicorn. That was interesting in a good way. In opinion though, you seem to rush this a bit. I think you should have slowed down the pacing by adding more detail. For example, I have no idea if the main character visited Chuck, the large man, or if chuck came to see him. I think this and Chapter 1 should be combined into one chapter. It would flow a little better in my opinion and the ending for this chapter would be a good end to the first chapter in this book. Overall, it was a good read and plan to read more.

[Angela Horst]

Yeah, I agree that it's all a little rushed (and only gets moreso in the later chapters, OOPS!). I blame it on NanoWrimo knocking on the door for most of this book. I will definitely take your advice and go back and flesh it out for a final edit. Thanks. :)