Absinthe Vines

A little money to fill his pockets was all the companionship Travis needed. No drugs, hookers, or other bonuses could ever get him through the night. Just pure green enjoyment. Life on the streets gave hard-edged Travis this kind of love for the economy. Nothing obscene, mind you, it was just the feeling of his pockets, fat with dollar bills, that let him sleep like a baby on pills. Unfortunate for him, they never saw …

…shared for two years, and saw nothing but the vines that had dominated the apartment for so long. Ben had become them, become the dark, leafy branches that Travis intertwined with his fingers at night. He knelt next to his friend's final resting-place, and threw his wallet away. His last drifting thoughts disappeared into the night, dark and syrupy like the cold, inviting grip of death. Here's something that'll really get you through the night.