Albert's Angst

By Sean Burton

 In the region north of Manchester, in a town riddled with scars, resides a quiet couple in an apartment located in the center of town. This quiet couple’s life is about to take a rapid turn for, what many couldn't even imagine, the worse. In the living room of this small apartment building stands an average sized man named Albert. His hands begin shaking tremendously as a text is read from his phone,

It's too late.

His breathe escapes his lungs and his heart beings to beat rapidly. As sweat forms along his brow, his voice mutters,

Jannice......

Jannice, Albert’s long term girlfriend and now fiancé sits on the couch    looking at Albert in concern as she notices his hands.

 "Albert?  .. Albert?  What's wrong? Why are you shaking?"

No sooner does Jannice stand up does the door knock. Each knock sends a shock through Albert’s body and his crying becomes audible. His mind is racing as he tries to speak.

"Oh Albert. It's me. Open the door"

Albert is frozen in fear. Shaking as tears roll down his cheeks. Jannice look soon turns from concern to fear.

"Albert. Who's at the door? What's going on?" Albert, still silent and frozen, shakes his head. Trying to speak, he is interrupted as the door knocking sends more chills down his body.

"Albert ... is that Jannice? Open this door. Now."

Jannice covers her mouth in shock. Soon her own tears begin to flow and drop to her black blouse. Again, a knock. They begin to get louder and louder as they go on. After three knocks, the room is silent. Neither Albert nor Jannice knew what to expect. 

"Awkward Albert .... Awkward Albert..... Awkward Albert. "  

                  

The melodic voice pierces Albert’s heart and he falls to his knees in a hysterical crying. Jannice begins to move towards him when suddenly the door swings open violently as the intruders boot hits the ground after kicking it in. 

Albert begins to close his eyes and cover his ears in terror. Crying and praying this is all just a dream. Jannice screams once before she is struck in the face and gagged with a sock and tape. Albert can't watch. How can he watch his own doing of his choices be reaped upon the woman he loves with every fiber of his being?

Muffled screams and laughter sneaks into his ears. Taunting him as he knows what is happening. His haunted past begins to engulf him with fear as he hears a name that he hasn't heard since primary school.

"Awkward Albert  ... Awkward Albert  ..."

He falls into a fetal position. Muttering, "Please stop  ... stop. Please God make them stop."     

As the sounds dissipate, he lays on the ground unable to move. It seems to have taken hours for him to turn and look at Jannice who lay on the floor, limp and frail.

"Jannice? Jannice? "

Soon after she begins to move. Slowly turning over and looks at Albert. He eyes, empty of hope, are filled with anger and fear. Her eyes tear as she begins to make her way to their bedroom. Albert remained on the ground. Trying to muster the courage to look at her. Jannice stands alone; disgusted and ashamed of what had just happened to her. Jannice fell to the bed in tears. Crying hysterically with a thousand thoughts streaming through her mind. Trying to remind herself how it came to this and why.

I can't do this anymore. I can't.  I can't.  I can't!  I fucking can't take take this anymore!

Jannice screams out in pain. A soul crushing cry for help and answers. Albert stands in the doorway and stares in awe. He can't say anything; his mind is fixated on her pain. Her pain becomes his inspiration. He turns to his cell phone and quickly begins to write,

“Tears of my lover’s pain do fill my starving heart. Sweet sorrow will be my salvation. "

Jannice holds her head and hides her eyes away from a man, who at one point, held her so gently and sweet. How can someone who says he loves her do such a cruel thing to her? Albert stood in the doorway looking at Jannice as a scientist would a lab rat. Her crying has fallen to a whisper in comparison to his inner thoughts racing. Albert was a painter and inspiration has just struck him.

"Jannice ..... I'm leaving." He said shamefully.

Overcome with guilt but so full of happiness for his newly acquired inspirations, he turned and left to do what he felt needed to be done. Jannice continued to cry and hold her eyes away from the man she once pondered the thought of marriage with. The man who would do anything for her. Now, the man who is now a stranger to her.

"Who are you? I don't even know you." She says under her cries. Disgusted and exhausted, she laid her head down and began contemplating her options as she heard Albert drive off in his car.

Albert arrived at his studio in Manchester. An aged brick building that set on the corner of the street. As he walked in, a sudden sense of purpose fulfilled him. His hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as his stomach filled with butterflies. He soon grabbed a newly built canvas and went right to work. After hours of painting, Albert stepped away from the canvas in amazement to his own capabilities. 

"Oh my god, this is the best thing I've ever painted! Oh my god."

Albert drew tears of happiness for this piece. Although it came with a price, he had never seen his art so profound and robust. He soon called his gallery manager.

“Dennis? Hi, it's Albert. You have got to see this painting I just finished! I'll take a picture with my phone and email it to you. Okay? Awesome. Thank you! Goodbye."   

As Albert took his cell phone out to take a picture, he realizes he has been gone for hours and hadn't heard from Jannice either.

Jannice, I love you.                    

After texting her, his excitement quickly returns to his art. Taking several pictures to make sure he covered ad much as the painting as possible and emailed them to Dennis. As Albert drove home his anxiety would increase the closer he drove back to his apartment. Thinking of things he should say and how he is going to make this better. His heart raced as he parked  along the street of his apartment and turned the car off. It seemed hours had passed during the walk from his car to his apartment door. Full of anticipation, he exhaled and opened the door to find nothing.  Jannice was gone but her car was still on the street and her things were in the apt as well.

"Jannice? Are you here?"

No response. No sounds accept the nightly sounds of a busy street and thousand thoughts racing through Albert’s head.

Where is she? Where'd she go? Is she okay?

Albert called Jannice's cell, but no answer. Full of confusion and numb of emotion, he quickly went through the pictures of his new art. His butterflies came back as he slowly went through each picture. Abruptly a call from Dennis interrupts Albert’s admiration and he answers,

"Dennis! Did you see them?! What did you think? Be honest!" He says. Dennis's silence in response to the questions sends an awful pain in the pit of Albert's stomach.

"Albert, this is your best work yet. I see so much progress but I have to be honest with you. It's never going to go to a gallery. You don't have any sort of profile to speak of and your reputation as an artist is nowhere close to being recognized by the art community here."

Albert’s numbness quickly elevates as tears form in his eyes and his stomach turns drastically. Covering his mouth in embarrassment of audibly crying, he continues to listen.

"Albert, I will do everything that I can. You know I will. I have to ask, what brought this out of you?"

His emotions quickly turn to the concern of Jannice. He knows what he did was wrong. He also knows that no one can ever know what happened.

"Nothing ... it  ... it just came to me. I had to paint it"

His anxiety rises with tension as he knows he cannot hide his own voice shaking.

"Look, I'll make a few calls and send these around. I'll do everything I can and whatever happened to bring this out of you, I hope it keeps happening."

Albert's smile returns from hiding after hearing Dennis's encouragement.

"Yes, I agree. I have to go now but let me know if anything comes up please. Thanks again and goodnight."

Tossing his cell phone on the bed and whipping his tears away, Albert soon heads to sleep in hopes that Jannice will have returned his calls by tomorrow morning. (8) days have passed since Albert has seen Jannice. No calls, no text messages and no one had seen here in so long. His confusion would quickly be followed by guilt and blame.

"How could I do that?"

His appetite gone, his art suffering and his confusion turning into paranoia. Paranoia quickly began to turn into anger.  
                                                             
Why isn't she answering her fucking phone? Why? Where the fuck is she?!

Jannice has been missing for over a week now. Albert, who was driving back to his apartment from his studio, kept thinking about how things would be that night a few weeks ago didn't happen. 

He walks in his building and is greeted by two police officers waiting outside if his door. Both blonde, tall and share the same discriminating look on their face.

 "Let me guess. You're Albert Carmicks and you live here in this apt. don’t you?"

Albert is nervous and he knows they can see it. Attempting to control his voice from shaking, he says.

“Ha  ... you figure that all out by looking at me? You must be some sort of ... of super cop huh?"

The office smirked but retained his discriminating gaze. As if he knew the whole story behind Albert without even talking to him.

"Yes, I did figure that out just by looking at you and just by looking at you; I bet you know why we are here waiting for you."

Albert freezes as sweat builds over his brow. His mind lost in void since he had never done anything wrong before. He knows they know. "My name is Constable Burke and this is Constable Pierce. Does the name Jannice Edith Reyland mean anything to you, Albert?"

Frozen, cold and scared. Albert nods his head in fear and silently says,

"Yeah. She's my girlfriend. I haven't seen her for over a week. We got into a bad argument and she left."

Albert tries his best to be convincing as possible but the officers don't buy it. He knows there is nothing he can do at this point.

Do I run? Where can I go? How can I get off the 3rd floor without killing myself? Maybe death would be a better option.

"Albert, Jannice is at headquarters. We found her walking the street along the countryside about 5 km out of the city limits. She is in pretty bad shape. All she has been constantly saying is "Albert McAurthur" over and over again. Hence why we are here at apartment 3013 were an Albert McAurthur resides. Thankfully for us your full name is not so common."

Hope fills Albert’s heart as he realizes Jannice is alive. His eyes bright up as he quickly asks,

"Is she okay?! Is she okay?" 

Constable Burke looks to his partner and then to Albert.

"We need you to come with us."

Eager and nervous, Albert follows the officers to their car and got in to go to headquarters. He remained silent through the trip. Lost in all the thoughts of what possibly happened to Jannice during these last two weeks. The two officers escort Albert through the police station. An older building recently renovated, yet its history is still visible. It's once great reputation of being the symbol of justice has been tarnished by a crooked police chief and a staff of incompetents looking for an easy paycheck. Albert had history with this police station, and none of it is good.Constable Burke turns towards Albert after leading him to an interrogation room and says,”Come in here. We want you to see her before you talk to her. She is pretty unstable and the doctor hasn't been in to check on her yet. Plus we want to ask you a few questions.

Albert rolls his eyes and says,

 "I'm not surprised your staff is lacking. There hasn't been a decent member of this police service in centuries it seems."         
                        
"Let's go" constable Pierce intersects. Both men walk into the office near the interrogation room. Looking through the window inside a room where a woman sat. A thin, weathered and emaciated corpse rocks back and forth with her hair over her face. She's shivering and muttering under her breath. Albert stares in shock. His once beautiful fiancé, now a mere shadow of herself. A once beautiful full figured woman sits, half of what she was not even a month ago.

"Albert, Jannice hasn't spoken much of anything. We were lucky she had been processed in our system before for burglary and an assault charge. We identified her by her fingerprints. So, tell us what happened. You mentioned a fight. What happened?  She cheats on you? Sex wasn't good enough for her?"

Albert stood silent. His mind racing with thoughts of anger, hate and fear. How could he do this to her? How? Constable Pierce and Burke look at each other and back to Albert as he stood in silence.

"Albert? Did you not hear me? I asked what happened. Why was your girlfriend found on the side of the road? Your best bet is to cooperate with us and tell your side of the story."

Again, silent and detached, Albert stares. His stomach turns as he keeps looking at Jannices' demeanor. Unable to accept this as his reality. 

“O weather soul, O poorest fate. 
Grant me your pain, fill my hate.
For I can see your life has passed. 
Gaze upon me, your lifeless cast. 
Does your torture reap mine sorrow?
Grant me your pain, for I live tomorrow"

Constable Burke, frustrated and persistent, screams out, “Albert!  You sick fuck! Answer me! “ I can't tell them. I can't. 

"Jannice and I had a fight about money. I'm a painter and I'm not exactly doing very well right now. She said she was going to leave me so I kicked her out. I just figured she was going to her mom's house."

Constable Pierce remains quiet as Burke looks towards Albert in disgust.

"You honestly think I'm going to believe that? You just kicked her out and she ends up naked on the side of a country road!? You're lying!" 

Albert remains detached and disgusted. His stomach turns in knots, yet inspiration still strikes.

"No, I swear. I didn't think this was going to happen! You think I wanted this!?" Albert screams. 

Constable Pierce quickly interjects again. "Calm down! The both of you! Albert, if Jannice has been missing this whole time, why didn't you file a missing persons case? "

Burke leaves the room in a frantic burst of anger. Opening the door and slamming it behind him before Albert can respond. Albert turns his gaze from the door towards Pierce and responds,"I told you. I assumed she went to her moms’ house. She was pissed at me. She didn't answer any of my texts or calls. What was I supposed to do?"   

      
Pierce shook his head. "Yes, we saw the phone records and saw that you called. Look, I know this is hard for you. Would you like to talk to her?"

Albert leans back against the wall and crosses his arms. Unable to believe this is even happening. Before he could answer, a door opens next door. In walks what Albert expects to be the long overdue doctor. His well reserved appearance, three piece suit and briefcase assures his assumption is likely correct.

Pierce and Albert look in to see the doctor place his briefcase on the table and begins talking to Jannice.  Inaudible to the both of them inside.

"Why can't we hear them? Is there a microphone or something in there?" Says Albert. Pierce looks to the right of the window and clicks over the rooms’ speaker. They stand and listen. 
             
"Now Jannice, I want you to try to relax. I am here to help you. We are very concerned with what has happened to you." Jannice sits unresponsive and still. Slightly shaking with her head tilted off to the left.                                                   
                                                        
"Jannice, can you hear me?" Jannice remains unresponsive and still. She turns her head towards the doctor looking at him through her hair. Starring at him through her broken and withering stands of black hair with her cold eyes void of any feeling, he is struck with a fear he has never felt before. He clears his throat and begins writing notes.

"He did this to me." She whispers.

Constable Pierce and Albert step closer to the window when Jannice spoke. The doctor, leaning closer in response to her statement, says, "Jannice .... Who did this to you?" The room remains silent, but tense. Fear overruns Albert’s soul as he fears what's to come next. Pierce's gaze sharpens as the doctor eagerly waits for a response. Jannice begins to rock back and forth, muttering in song.                                              

                                                          
"Awkward Albert.... Awkward Albert." 

while puzzled, the doctor continues his questioning. Albert’s heart sank into a deep pit of despair while he can feel Pierce turn his gaze to him. Albert turns away from Jannice and looks to Constable Pierce.

"Awkward Albert huh?  Does that ring any bells for you?"

Albert desperately tries to shake his fright from his facade, in hopes to make it out of this station and to his studio to paint. He shakes his head and says, "It’s this stupid inside joke Jannice and I had. She used to say that to get on my nerves."

Pierces stares at Albert, but notices something out of the corner of his eye. Jannice is starring right at Albert as the doctor is writing. As if she could see through the mirror on the other side. His intuition screams Albert is guilty of something terrible, but the law has a procedure that requires more than that.

"Albert, I don't know what's going on but trust me; I'm going to find out. If you have anything to tell me, now is the time."

Albert looks at the floor then back to Pierce. Full of relief, he shakes his head and says, "I didn't do anything."

Albert is set free. Free from the gaze of his former lover and free from what could have been, he proceeded to his studio in hopes this would provide him with something to put on his canvas.

Albert’s cell phone rings as soon as he makes it outside of the police station. It was Dennis. Excited and anxious, he answers.

"Dennis! How are you? Did you find anything out for me?"

The silence was drawn out as Albert can only imagine the response. Finally, Dennis lets out an exhale and says, 

"Albert look. Everyone I contacted said the painting was good but wasn't good enough. I'm sorry, but if you can't bring me something better, I can't do anything for you."

Albert’s chest collapses as his then broken spirit shatters to pieces. After everything that has happened, nothing changed. Constable Burke and Pierce walk outside to take Albert back to his apartment.  Both men pause and Albert looks to them.

"I'll call you back Dennis."

 He hangs up. Looking at the constables while trying to keep his voice from cracking, he says, "I plan on walking. My studio isn't far from here. Thanks."Burke shakes his head in aggravation and walks back in the station. Pierce nods and says, "Take care of yourself. We will let you know if anything changes."

Albert walks alone. His heart broken and his spirit crushed. So much invested. So much pain beard and this. He slums his way to his now irrelevant sanctuary for his passion.

What next? What can I do now?

He continues down the block until he hears something familiar.  The sound of a voice that had once plagued him. He turns toward an open window in an old one story brick building. Inside sat four men, all the more familiar to Albert. He knows who they are. His realization brings a chill down his spine, but quickly turns into anger. An anger that burns deep within. His teeth gnash as his fist tightens. As he makes his way towards the door, it opens quickly and a man steps outside.

"Well well well. Look who it is lads; if it isn’t Awkward Albert himself.”

 Albert began rushing towards the man with his fist in the air, but was met with a bottle across his head and fell abruptly to the floor. Dazed and in pain, he tries to work his way back up to his feet. His body fell limp and his head kept spinning, slowly into darkness and quiet. Voices begin echoing through his subconscious as his mind roams free in the dark.

“I can’t pay that. You know I can’t!”

“If you don’t pay... we will come after you.”

“Okay okay, I will find a way.”

“Good boy Albert. Don’t try to take us lightly, we know who Jannice is and we won’t mind taking a payment from her.”

“Albert? ALBERT!” a hand whips across Albert’s face and his mind comes back to reality. He’s in his art studio surrounded by the men in the brick building. All four of them stand around him, laughing and smiling with a malicious intent. Albert’s tied to a chair in the center of his studio; he remains anxious as beads of sweat mix with his tears of what’s to come now.

“You know Albert; it’s a shame it has to come to this. You came to us for a loan and we help you, all we asked was to be paid back in full with a little interest. Look around, you have your studio. You have what I think is art, but we haven’t received our money.” Albert remains quiet; trying to hold back his tears and tightens his lips to muffle his crying.

“You raped Jannice! Isn’t that enough you fucking bastard!?” he shouts. His voice broken as his throat tightens.

“Oh Albert, are we going to start blaming now? Jannice is where she is because of you.” The leader steps closer and kneels down to look into Albert’s sorrowful eyes. He sees anger, but he also sees fear.

“I heard Jannice isn’t doing too well is she Albert? I heard she’s going to end up in a loony bin. All because her fiancé decided to take on a debt he couldn’t handle. You know what’s even better than that Albert? Is we made her look at you curled up in that pathetic ball of yours and cry while we took her.”

Albert’s tears begin to flow more as he shakes his head in denial. “No… No… NO! It’s not my fault!”

“Oh Albert … it is. Now here we are, in the building you spent so much time and money on. Our money … and we intend to collect.” He soon stands up and begins to look around. His sharp eyes catch every detail as he devises his plan to make things even in his mind.

“Boys … burn it down. Albert stays. If he wants to live … he’ll find a way.”

Albert screams in terror as the men start tearing his studio to pieces. His art and canvases being torn and cut to shreds, windows breaking and tables smashed. All he can think of is how he got here in the first place. How can this happen?

The men walk towards the door as one brings in a canister of gasoline. He covers the room all around Albert and leaves him untouched. They clear the area and the leader pulls out his book of matches.

“Now Albert … it’s been a ride, but unfortunately, your ride ends here. Cheers.” He strikes the matches and tosses it in the building. Flames erupt immediately as Albert continues to scream. Flames lick his skin and burns form around his body. Clothing slowly catches a blaze as the chair is wrapped in flames. Soon his screams fell to silence.

Albert’s death came as a shock to his peers, but very few attended to his memorial. As for his last painting, Dennis had donated it to the art gallery in Albert’s name, but it was soon sold off to a retirement home for décor. Not too long after it was hung, people started complaining about noises in the middle of the night; almost as if someone was crying near the painting. Of course the staff ignores the complaints as the elderly patients tend to say things that aren't normal on a daily occurrence. However, one night a guard on duty was patrolling the halls and turned a corner to meet the same painting head on. He stopped to look at the piece when he heard a faint whisper in his left ear.

Awkward Albert … Awkward Albert … Awkward Albert…