*HOW COME*

Kaces' green pair of eyes fluttered open. At first he could see nothing except darkness. Pitch black nothingness. Then a blinding light shone all over and yet again he saw nothing, except this time it was all white. A thick white void. It was as if he was floating in oblivion. After a few seconds the void started to metarmorphosize into solid structures. He was in his house. He could see that obviously but what was he doing sprawled on the floor like this? Did he pass out?

"Sccht" he pursed his lips at the same time using his left hand to rub the side of his head in an effort to at least dilute the painful ache in his head as he tried to stand up.

Did he get drunk or what? How come he didn't remember a thing? Then the headache came again, this time it almost sent him to the floor.

"Jesus Christ" he mumbled. What was this? He had to take a rest; but as he turned to enter his room, he suddenly froze on the spot, his green eyes glued on the two disgustingly dead bodies on the floor.

And then 'BOOM!' the ache came again, more serious than ever. His legs couldn't even support his own weight. He let his back rest on the nearest wall and then slid down to a sitting position as his two hands flanked the two sides of his head. As if that could help but he still tried. All of a sudden; he remembered, he remembered everything, going out to get some groceries, the deranged beggar at the store, him passing out while trying to fight off the two burglars who broke into his apartment but the big question still remained. What happened after he passed out? The two dead bodies lying on the floor were definitely the two thieves but

"How" he audibly asked himself.

All he knew is that they beat him into an unconscious state and then that was that. Any other thing that happened after that was unnarratable. He stole a glance at the recently deceased bodies and instantly regretted that single action of his. He didn't closely look at the bodies before but he did just now. They were virtually the torn apart limb from limb. With what? he didn't know. He didn't even care about anything else except to get out of there as he felt an instant urge to puke. He stood and ran for the restroom, his right palm holding his mouth shut as if to stop whatever rebellious thing from coming out of his mouth. He tried to avert his line of sight from the gruesome display before him. The sight of such was just too......disturbing. While he was still offloading, his cell phone rang but that wasn't among his worries now. It continued for a little longer before it ended. He was internally grateful that the person- whosoever he or she was- didn't decide to continue disturbing him. His plate was already full as it was. He was just headed for his room after finishing his business in the restroom in case the now dead burglars had decided to take something. After that he would now think of what to do with the corpses. He would definitely have to call the Police but before then how would he deal with the bodies. The thought still made him shiver. His cell shrieked again and this time it was way louder. He made a mental note to change his ringtone. If he didn't notice it before, he noticed it now. The goddamned sound was bone shattering. He half ran for the sitting room where he last left it, just in case it was his office and that was calling.

"Hello" he said after picking up the call.

"Hi Kace, what's up" an enthusiastic female voice answered from the other end.

"Who is this?" he asked unintentionally raising his eyebrow.

He didn't know who it was since it was an unknown number that called his phone but if he found out that he didn't know whosoever was calling; he would immediately hang up without a care in the world.

"It's Milagros you dummy" she giggled as if shocked by his response.

"Oh, I didn't know it was you" he half shouted.

Why didn't he notice the Spanish accent before? Mila was Lisa's best friend. Lisa often told him that their friendship dated back to even before he was born. Can you imagine?

"It's not ya fault Haney, I just called to let you know that I changed my cell's number" she informed.

"Oh, ok" Kace briefly answered.

He didn't want to elongate this conversation.

"So how's everything?" Milagros asked after sometime.

No response.

"Kace? Are you still there?" she asked worriedly after getting no reply from him.

"Yah, yah, everything's......normal" Kace stuttered his reply.

He was trying to act if he was okay but in reality everything single thing in his current life seemed to be downside up.

"Is everything alright? I could come over if you want me to....?"

"No no no no, everything's alright Mila, no need to come over?" he assured her.

"Ok, since you say so. Please call me if you need anything, will you" Milagros asked worriedly.

"Will do" Kace affirmed

"Ok then, bye for now"

"Bye....and send a kiss for me to Josh" he said grinning.

"Will do by all means" she answered him while laughing before hanging up.

He stood still for a long time there whilst holding his cell though his smile had faltered; he still wished that he and Lisa were still in together like how Milagros and Joshua were right now. 'Damn destiny' he muttered inwardly and then remembered.

"God, my food" he whispered to himself and ran for the shopping bag he left back at the front door.

He wasn't hungry again though owing to the tiring events of the day.'Please still be there' he silently prayed before opening the front door to take a look. And there it was, the evidence that he didn't just walk some blocks to the store, use his own hard earned money to buy the groceries; just staring back at him. Just a ruffled paper where the shameless thief scribbled what seemed to be a thank you.

"Shameless thieves" he snickered, squeezing the piece of trash in his hands he threw it out the closest window but then he recalled that the two dead thieves were still in his apartment.

'What is wrong with Manhattan this night' he thought as he locked the door securely behind him. On getting to the hallway where he last saw the bodies, he was frozen shocked. No sign of any dead person whatsoever was present within the room. 'How can this be possible' he was sure he didn't move their bodies. He didn't even imagine touching them. He ransacked the whole apartment but couldn't find a single clue to the bodies' new location before the headache hit him again.

"I can't take any more of this" he said while holding his head. What did life take him for? A ragdoll? No, he needed some rest. He stumbled into his room and slumped on his bed without even bothering to close the door behind him.

As he gave it sleep's irresistible temptation he wondered if today could have been any better if he didn't go out at all.