Tumblr Prompt Response 4

The original Tumblr prompt may be found here.

“GET UP ON YOUR FEET AND CHANGE THINGS WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS FOR ONCE!”

“Stop crying! Stop whining! Stop bitching! None of that is going to change anything! But you making a move and acting WILL! So…”

“GET UP ALREADY YOU IDIOT!”

Tabor stared at the liquid sloshing around while

Tabor stared at the liquid sloshing around while he gently swung the beer bottle back and forth. He shook the ice in the unused tumbler, creating a gentle clinking song. The cheap motel room reeked of expensive alcohol and cigarettes. His feet were propped on the table beside his overflowing ashtray. He ignored the banging on the door.

“Open the damn door, Tabor!” Jason commanded.

Tabor took another drink straight from the bottle. His gaze never left the newspaper spread out on his table. Staring from a black and white photo was him. Freshly shaved, short cropped hair that Tabor knew was a dusty brown,and a smirk across his thin lips beneath narrowed eyes that would be pale blue if they were in color. Tabor felt something in his stomach clawing its way up through his chest, along his throat, and out his mouth. His heart slammed against his ribs in time with the pounding on the door. His hand tightened on the glass with each thud. When the door crashed the glass shattered.

Tabor carefully unclenched his hand and stared down at the shards embedded in his slowly bleeding hand.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jason growled snatching the bottle from Tabor and smashing it against the wall.

“I was still drinking that.” Tabor’s voice only slurred slightly, he was proud of it.

“He’s not worth it!” Jason snapped, slapping his hand down on the picture.

“She was.” Tabor reached for a cigarette and lighter. He didn’t need to see the article to know what it said. He had it memorized. Mark had been released, something about there being a mistake in protocol that led to his conviction. The article quoted him as saying his wife’s death, Anna’s death, had just been a terrible accident.

“She didn’t want you dead.” Jason glared. When he didn’t receive a response he practically growled before grabbing Tabor’s shirt and jerking the taller man out of his chair. “Get up! Change it! Take the issue into your own damn hands!”

Tabor reached down and pinched Jason’s arm until he released him. “Change it? I can’t fucking do shit to change it! Anna’s dead you bastard! I can’t change shit!”

“You’re not listening.” Jason stepped into Tabor’s space. “Stop crying! Stop bitching! It isn’t going to help shit either! You know what will make you feel better. You know what will change things! So…”

***

“Tabor! Tabor come on! We have to move! Now!” Jason pulled at Tabor’s shirt. He could hear the sirens coming. They were professionals. They didn’t get caught. They would have to think fast to keep themselves out of trouble. Lots of favors would have to be called in too, there was simply too much evidence left behind, like the blood that would have his foot prints now. He knew that letting Tabor mix his emotions with anything close to work would be a problem.

Tabor was unresponsive. His normally expressive green eyes flat and lifeless. “It didn’t fix it, Jay.”

“Tabor, we don’t have time for this shit! Come on!” Jason slid his arms under Tabor and pulled him as harshly as he could to try and get him to move. Jason saw the lights, he had one more shot before he would have to leave Tabor to get away himself. “GET UP ALREADY YOU IDIOT!”

“It didn’t fix it.” Tabor repeated. “He’s dead but…Anna…I still…”