Albert Peterson: The Hibernia Strain

Now I just need to concentrate and go to work with all my A-game foreplay moves.

Several minutes have gone by, and I’ve obviously being doing a good job pleasing her as she whispers to me to get a condom from her bedside locker.

I don’t hesitate and root through the drawer until I unearth a well hidden box of Durex. To my dismay however, I open it to find it empty. I hold it up to show her and she curses. Inside I’m cursing too. So close yet so far.

“What a pain,” Emma states, giving voice to both our disappointment, as she stands up.

Now that she’s standing I can get a clear view of the fantastic body she has. This of course does nothing to stem the frustration I’m feeling right now.

She walks up to me, and while kissing my chest she begins undoing my belt buckle.

“Well I guess if we can’t have sex I’ll just have to repay the favour then wont I.”

As she kisses lower and lower down my body all I can do is mumble in agreement, like a moron. A lucky moron!

We’re both lying here in silence, resting ourselves after our energetic activity. I still can’t believe that actually happened.

I’m lying on top of the duvet with my boxers on. Emma slid under the sheets still naked. She’s drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face. This of course makes me smile too.

I decide to take the opportunity to wander back to the sitting room and check for any updates on the riot.

The room is dark now so my hand fumbles about the top of the bedside locker trying to switch on the lamp. I find the switch and flick it on, but nothing happens.

My eyes have adjusted enough to the gloominess to make my way to the door. I flick the light switch on the wall. Nothing happens again. Is the power out?

I try the TV; it’s dead too. There’s no electricity at all. Is it a power outage or has Emma’s circuit breaker tripped?

I go to the window and look out. Everywhere is in darkness. Something is definitely wrong.

I grab my phone. Still there’s no reception and on top of that the battery is now dangerously low. Perfect .

I need to get back to my place. My pet cat needs feeding and I need a change of clothes.

I already know Emma doesn’t have a car, and I left mine near the takeaway last night. I hadn’t realised that I’d be getting in the taxi too. Speaking of which, I have no intention of getting another taxi or venturing outside on foot again in the dark after the creepy attack.

What a pain in the ass. What to do? Then it hits me. My friend Shawn, I’ll ring him to come and collect me.

Shawn is a graphic designer by day and a freelance artist by night. If ever there were a poster boy for insomnia then he’s the guy.

He works for a big, high profile company in the city, but it’s in his own time that his talent really shines through. Creating amazing works of art that often keep him up all night and see him go bleary eyed to work the next day.

Coffee isn’t his only drug of choice, but he consumes so much of the stuff that it seems to keep him powered like a liquid battery.

He can be loud, sarcastic and likes to shoot his mouth off, but he’s a good laugh. He’s also been my closest friend for years. He’s someone whom I can always depend on and trust.

I borrow Emma’s phone from the couch and dial his number. I’m sure she won’t mind me using it.

It rings several times. Shit, he’s not going to answer . I’m about to give up when I hear, “Hey what’s up man?” echo down the line.

I can hear Pink Floyd playing loud in the background. He still has power anyway.

“You’re ringing late. Or is it early? What time is it?” “Time for you to payback one of the many favours you owe me,” I laugh.

I slowly and meticulously explain the situation, and he agrees to come right over. He lives at least twenty or so minutes from here, but he won’t have to pass near the danger areas. I can hear he’s already grabbing his keys as I hang up the phone.

I quietly steal back into the bedroom and grab my clothes, then just as quietly leave again. I get dressed in the sitting room, then sit and wait alone in the dark for Shawn’s arrival.

My mind starts thinking back on the happenings of last night. The taxi driver must surely have been found soon after we fled the scene. There’s no way of knowing if there were any witnesses. What exactly was the deal with the Toma girl?

The day with Emma was a good distraction, but I already had so many questions and no answers. And with the power outage and riots on the streets I now have even more.

The entire night has passed allowing dawn to sneak up on me. Just like yesterday morning, I once again find myself watching as the sunlight slowly creeps along the powder blue apartment walls.

Emma slept through the whole night without waking. I, on the other hand, didn’t sleep a wink waiting for Shawn to get here.

I tried ringing from Emma’s phone several times but all I got was the service provider message stating, “The customer you are calling may be out of coverage or have their mobile powered off.” This unnerves me as Shawn is always punctual and always has his phone charged and good to go.

I try one more time. Again no luck except this time it’s because this phone has now lost coverage too. I wonder what is happening in the world outside.

The TV is still dead so I can’t check the news and of course the internet on this phone has ceased working now too.

With daylight now broken and there still being no sign of Shawn, the logical and cheapest thing to do is make my way to the bus station and get a ride home.

I rouse Emma from her drowsy state, explain to her that I need to go and that if she’d like we should meet up again sometime. I also tell her if a random friend of mine turns up to tell him he’s too late.

I’ve just given Emma a kiss goodbye when she sits up in bed with the sheet wrapped around her to spare her modesty. She pipes up, “Breakfast. I’m going with you and you’re buying me breakfast.”

I’m somewhat taken aback by this. I knew she was forward, but didn’t think she was so demanding. I don’t answer for a second and just stand there gawking at her.

No, now that I look at her she’s not being bossy. I think she just wants the company. She’s lonely maybe, or possibly is interested enough in me to want to spend another morning with me. Whatever the reason is I’m not going to argue, after all I do have condoms at home.

I make a quick bite to eat to tide us over while Emma has a quick shower and gets dressed. We eat our small pre breakfast meal, hmm preakfast , of toast and fruit. I have juice and Emma has coffee.

With our stomachs filled a bit, we ready ourselves to go. We plan on heading to the bus stop nearest to the college. This means we can walk by the location of the other night’s debacle and check it out.

We’re just about to leave the apartment when I spot a portable radio on a table by the door. If it has working batteries in it, then we might catch a news report.

I pick it up and flip the switch on. Emma must have been listening to it while she was getting ready to go out last night as the volume knob is turned way up and I get hit with a blast of white noise.

I change to another station. It’s the same story, more static. I try a couple more but no luck.

“Emma your radio’s broken or something.”

I look at the time. It’s now ten past seven, and there’ll be no news until half past anyhow. I turn the radio off again and decide it’s best to make a move for the bus as we’ll miss it if we wait around.

Out the door we go. Emma locks it and double checks that it’s secure. I stick a note to the door knocker for Shawn in case he arrives and wonders where we’ve gone.