Daniel E. Richards Apt 1009E

Today Angela was supposed to come and meet with Daniel, but it was already 8:45am and Daniel was beginning to lose hope. The snowstorm blocked all the roads Mr. Richards couldn't even see Larry's from his window. Ring, Ring, Ring! It was from Angela. "Hi Daniel, I'm so sorry but we are going to have to reschedule for another week because the weather is horrendous," she said. "That's fine I needed to catch up on some work anyways. Thank you for calling and letting me know." Mr. Richards responded. After hanging up he began to make breakfast and decided to pull his canvas into the living room. The book Mr. Richards was illustrating for this time was named The Boy and The Balloon. The book was about a boy who was given a balloon and if he popped the balloon it could magically take him anywhere he wanted to go. All he had to do was concentrate on where he wanted to go and then pop the balloon. However, there was a curse to this balloon, the boy cou...

Mr. Richards slept in unusually long on this day. it was 11:30 am when he finally pulled himself from the king-sized bed in the center of his bedroom. After completing his morning routine he went to the front door to grab the newspaper. Immediately as he reaches down to pick it up he noticed something was off. after examining the entire paper Daniel noticed, the newspaper was dated January 11, 2013. It was the exact newspaper from six years prior. Mr. Richards life was almost unrecognizable six years ago. Vivian was still alive and their lives were consumed with planning the wedding. The books on the shelves of Mr. Richard's study were crusted  with dust. Vivian used to collect all of the books Daniel had ever illustrated. As he flipped through the dated books he noticed pages were missing. A chuckle emerged from his lips, Vivian used to tear out her favorite images and put them in scrapbooks. Mr. Richards had almost forgotten. "Danny, I'm home!" Vivian yelled. ...

"Wow a shooting star," Daniel thought to himself. "I guess that means I need to make a wish. Hmm lets see." Mr. Richards sighed and gazed into the window deeply. "I wish I could go to the cemetery to put flowers on my wife's grave." He looked around suspiciously as if he had said something forbidden. Daniel wondered if the whole complex saw that star. Suddenly Mr. Richards had a burst of creativity. He walked swiftly to the study. Daniel began to paint not for a client or for a particular children's book, but for himself.  This painting was unlike anything Mr. Richards had ever painted before, more detailed, bolder colors, and intense darkness. It was a fountain in the middle of a square with people all around. the fountain was round had three tiers with water falling off of each tier. The whole square revolved around the the fountain, the brick sidewalk was organized to circle the fountain and large storefront buildings were all facing toward it...

Knock knock knock. Mr. Richards weekly delivery of groceries. "You can just leave it at the door," he said. "Okay sounds good." As Daniel was organizing his food in the refrigerator he forgot he needed to ask someone an important question. Daniel put his last bag of lettuce in the vegetable labeled compartment and headed to the living room dial a number. It was Clarajean. She and Mr. Richards have been friends for years. Her husband was Mr. Richards roommate in college. Clarajean and Daniel frequently video chat to talk and bond over their departed loved ones. "Hello," he answered. "Hello how are you," she responded. "I'm good, thank you for asking. I was actually calling to see if you had heard the news about Lamar's meeting tonight," he said. Lamar had sent him an email about the meeting earlier in the day and urged Mr. Richards to be there. "I don't know, I don't really know anyone that is going....

while checking his email Mr. Richards noticed an unread email from Lamar. In the letter Lamar asked for Daniels would help in his investigation into Mr. Evans death. Mr. Richards pushed his readers farther into his nose intently and squinted his eyes to make sure he was reading the letter correctly. Lamar wanted Daniel to follow him door to door throughout the Maitland asking questions about the murder. Daniel could feel the sweat starting to squeeze out of the pores on his long thin back. he pushed his dark hair away from his eyes and began to type a response. So many questions ran through Mr. Richards mind as his hands stay paralyzed over the keyboard. His eyes glide across the keyboard before settling on his ring finger where he still wore his wedding ring. Daniel stared at it for a minute before shaking out of his haze and rolling up the cuffs of his finely ironed button-up shirt. he lathered his hands in hand sanitizer once more before finally beginning to type. Mr Richards ...

The day started with hand sanitizer. As all days start for Mr. Daniel E. Richards in apartment 1009E. He douses his hands in hand sanitizer, from fingertip to wrist. It is 7:30 and his doctor Angela will be at the apartment in an hour. She started helping Daniel with his agoraphobia for two years but has only managed to coax him to the lobby of the Maitland East building and no further. Mr. Richards hasn't left his building in four years, he works out of his home as an illustrator for children's books. In the hour before Angela would arrive Daniel showered and got dressed, that takes him 15 minutes. Mr. Richards has cinnamon apple oatmeal and freshly squeezed orange juice every day while checking his email.  He is no stranger to routine, but whenever he has an appointment with Angela there is always some uncertainty about what is going to happen next. She comes by every other Sunday. Angela is an abnormal psychologist, who helps Daniel function and get over his panic disord...