His reply was immediate as his message lit the screen, Can’t pay right now. I just sigh in response.

ME: You can’t keep doing this, you’re seriously on thin ice right now.

TALONE: I know, but I swear Mr. Swani has is out for me.

ME: Dude, you haven’t paid rent in three months. You are lucky he’s let you live here that long.

TALONE: I know, I know.

ME: Where are you at?

TALONE: At the movies, did you know there’s a flick on about little creatures that save the world?

ME: FOCUS! You need to pay Mr. Swani back or he’s going to seriously kick you out.

TALONE: Ha! He’s been saying that for months.

ME: Talone, I think he means it this time. He came pounding on my door asking for you.

TALONE: … seriously?

ME: Seriously *sad face*

TALONE: I’ll figure something out. In the meantime, can you stall Mr. Swani?

ME: Absolutely not. This has to stop sometime Talone, and you know it.

TALONE: Come on, after all the help I gave you on your book mystery?

ME: Talone, stop. This is not about me. This is not about the book. This is about your living situation. You need to get this together. I can’t save you from this.

TALONE: …

ME: I’m sorry, Talone

TALONE: I got an idea, next time you see Mr. Swani, tell him an emergency situation came up and I had to leave as soon as I got home. I’ll be gone for a few days, but when I come back, I will have his money.

ME: Will you? You know he can tell when I tell a lie. And where in the world are you going?

TALONE: Just trust me on this, please?

ME: Fine

TALONE: I owe you one. Gotta go. TTYL.

ME: You owe be BIG TIME! Bye

I slump on my door and pray that he knows what he’s doing. His parents and him do not get along, and I know Mr. Swani would jack up my rent if Talone ended up staying with me. I’m at a loss of what to do, or how to prepare for what’s ahead. To get my mind off Talone I turn to the book and open its pages to see the panels still fresh with what I hope is ink. I look at the black and silver knight in awe as he was more amazing in real life than in my imagination.

“I’ll figure this out, Shadow.” I say to myself, almost absentmindedly to the book. I still wanted to hold true to my promise to Shadow, I have no freaking clue what I am doing or what I should be doing. It’s been a long day and staring at pages isn’t going to do me any good. I go through to get ready for bed and try to get some sleep.

As I prepare for bed, little did I know that outside my apartment window, stood a lone figure watching me. They take out their cell phone, the screen alit as they type and send a single message to an unknown contact: “She knows”.