Justin sat on the edge of his bed with a dingy sheet wrapped around his waist. An old stick propped open the window and the once white curtains were blowing in the wind. It was 2 am and he could hear the first rumblings of thunder in the distance. He had been laying in the bed and watching as the faraway flashes of lightning picked up in intensity.

Sleep was a fleeting specter now. He finished his cigarette and made his way through the intermittently illuminated darkness to the kitchen. His eyes squinted, and he rubbed them with his fingers as he turned the light on.  Inside the cabinet he opened was a half-used plastic can of coffee and a few coffee filters.  He put the coffee on and sat at the kitchen table. A rip from the old, thick, vinyl chair dug into his bare legs.

As the coffee pot brewed, the rich aroma filled the air. Outside the storm picked up in intensity. Justin stared at his hands and twiddled his thumbs while the coffee finished brewing. He tried not to think about anything. It was no use though; his mind always went back to her. A roach broke his concentration as it ran across the table.

He watched as it scurried around searching for a place to hide. The coffee pot slurped up the last of the water from its reservoir and completed its brewing. He grabbed his favorite mug and rinsed it out and filled it full. He turned the light out and walked back to his bedroom. Once again, the flashes of lightning helped him make his way.

The warm wind blowing through the window brought back memories of his childhood. He’d stay up late on summer nights with his window open, so he could hear the sounds. Often, he could hear canoes being launched into the water from the rocky river shore. His favorite thing to do though was lay in bed and feel the breeze while he dreamed of what life would be like for him one day. None of those dreams ever included him pining away for his wife who had left him for another man.

His feelings of self pity were put on hold as lightning struck nearby. The crack of thunder that followed jolted him and he almost dropped his cup. He sat it down next to the bed and bent down to look out the window. He didn’t know what he expected to see as he peered into the darkness, but he did it anyway.