Through Red Haze

Hudson sits alone outside, an empty place setting across from him. Phone in hand, he flips through all his go to apps, sifting through dozens of posts, barely paying attention to any of them. After each post that he reads, he hurriedly switches back to his messages, checking for any new messages under Jason. An image of a fairly young man with platinum hair smiles warmly next to the name, the only message there was the same one that had been for the past forty-five minutes, Sorry! Running late, b there soon!

Hudson sighs and leans back in his chair. He’s the only patron sitting on the patio, it’s warm, his suit jacket is already off and draped over his chair. He watches the street life go by around him, golden light from a nearly setting sun gives a last minute brightness to everything around him.

“Still waiting on your friend, sir?” A woman with a blonde ponytail pulled taught behind her asks while filling his water glass.

He shrugs. “Well. I’m not sure. It was supposed to be a first date. But, I’m starting to feel a little silly sitting here.”

“Aww. I’m sorry.” She briefly rests her hand on his shoulder. “Umm, here, I’ve done this trick before.” She gently lifts his jacket off from his chair and places on the empty chair across from him, she gestures questioningly his way.

He laughs lightly. “Well, that should help for at least a few minutes.”

“Hey, they could still be coming, give them a little more time...But, if they don’t, is there any drink you’d like? Sometimes we...pour too much.” She winks at him.

“Ohh no, I’m, I’m, uhh...I’m...Merlot please.”

She nods and heads back inside.

Hudson waits for a full hour to pass from Jason’s last message and sends a lone ? out into the message ethereal. Annoyed, he tosses his phone onto the table, letting the clatter it makes speak for him. He gets up to use the restroom, upon his return a dark red glass of wine is waiting for him. With a small smile he begins to work on the drink, a pleasant, dark burning flavor reaches deep inside him, relaxing his body.

The sun is setting just behind buildings in front of him, the sky turns pink, a row of clouds swallow the last glow of daylight overhead. Hudson’s mind wanders backwards in time, a catalogue of failed romances, things said that he’s convinced ruined the relationship, faces of guys he broke up with and wondering if he should have. But the past month had felt different, he and Jason hadn’t met in person yet but they had been messaging each other. It was fun, felt natural, he’d thought there was a spark but was doubting that now.

Soon, a few empty wine glasses surround him, another is being filled. Twilight has taken the sky and Hudson reluctantly checks his phone again. Only the lonely ? greets him. Sighing deeply, he takes a large gulp from his newest glass of Merlot. He closes his eyes and breathes in, attempting to enjoy some part of this evening.

A cool wind blows in, like a cold front arriving it erases the warm mugginess from the afternoon. He can hear a creak from the patio gate swinging in the breeze. He opens his eyes and warm smile and platinum hair greets him from across the table.

“Jason!” Hudson exclaims, fumbling forward and reaching for his phone, knocking over an empty wine glass, suddenly wishing he had eaten more of the free bread.

“Hey! I’m uhh...I’m sorry.” Jason’s smile turns sheepish. He leans forward onto the table with his arms crossed.

Hudson shakes his head and can’t help but smile. “I...I thought you were ghosting me. Are you alright? What happened?”

“There was an accident on the road.” He rubs his arms a little. “This for me?” Pointing to Hudson’s jacket behind him.

Hudson laughs. “Sure. Well, I’m sorry to hear that but glad you’re okay.” He looks around him at all the empty wine glasses and gestures towards them. “They’re out of Merlot, so I hope you like white wine.”

Jason smiles again and leans forward, putting his hand on Hudson’s. He looks directly into his eyes. “I just wanted you to know, this past month has been really nice. I looked forward to your messages more than anything. I was so hopeful about tonight, about us.”

Hudson can barely feel Jason’s hand. He tries to shake off the drunken lush his mind is swimming in but it continues to weigh him down.

Jason continues, “I’m glad I got to see you. At least once. I think...It would’ve been great with you.”

“Wh-what?” Alarm running through his system, Hudson manages to sober a little. He searches his face for some kind of joke but then notices a blot of bright red on Jason’s shirt, just below his chest, and it seems to be growing. “Jason! You’re bleeding!” Panicked, he turns to grab an unused napkin from another table. “Were you in that car accident?” Standing over the table, he turns back to apply it to Jason’s body, but the chair is empty again, his suit jacket lays limply on the seat. “Jason? Jason!” Panic sets in as he rushes out of the patio, looking down an empty nearby alleyway and then back to the street facing the patio, no sign of anyone under the lamplights. He looks back to the restaurant, through the large illuminated patio windows, inside he sees his server and the bartender looking up and behind the bar at the television. Hudson walks back into the restaurant and approaches bar.

“Hey, ex-excuse me.” Hudson taps his server on the shoulder. “Did, did you happen to see my friend come through here? He was just sitting with me and now he’s left and I-I don’t know…”

She looks back at him, flustered. “Oh, I’m sorry, sir. I was distracted. Horrible tragedy,” she says pointing back towards the television. “But, no, I’m sorry I haven’t seen them, did your date show up?” She asks hopefully.

Hudson glances at the television set, hearing it now clearly in the mostly empty restaurant.

...four dead and one in critical condition. The pileup today stopped traffic in both directions and is still being cleared. Police say an eighteen wheeler lost control and ran into several other vehicles. Three of the victims have been identified…

Across the screen flashes an image of three people, one of them, a warm smile and platinum hair. Hudson’s heart freezes and blood turns cold. He leans against the bar and sits down on one of the barstools.

Twilight is gone and a cold night has settled in. The empty streets wrapped in a howling wind. From outside the restaurant looking in, through large illuminated patio windows, Hudson sits at the bar, almost unmoving. After some time, his server speaks to him. With a hand on his back, she listens and a questioning look crosses her face. She nods and walks around to the back of the bar. Pulling out a black trash can, she digs through it for a moment, eventually removing an empty wine bottle. She hands it to him and he gives her a quick hug, pays for what he drank, and leaves out the patio. He pauses briefly looking at his suit jacket and then picks it up from the chair, pulling it closely to his chest. With one hand resting on his jacket and chest and the other clutching an empty bottle of Merlot, Hudson walks out the patio gate as the howling wind encircles him, accompanying him into the lonely night.