A Broken Heart (Part 1)

Prickling voice emerges from the cartwheel. In front, a horse is tied and a jockey hits the horse with a belt. The horse moans. The floor is made crooked. Lights are dim as some men drank alcohol, chatting. One of them wears a long hat. Nearby, a bartender opens a xo bottle of beer. The man in front of him is holding a glass, with half - full liquor fluid. His face holds a squary shape. As he put his index and thumb on his both temple, he starts massaging. He close his eyes. The bartender asks him to choose his mixture of drink. In a quiet whisper, his choice are vodka mixed with gin. The bartender obeyed and start mixing. He placed the liquid into a shaker and shook. He then pours. While the yellow light shines down, the man notices the bartender's nametag. It wrote: BILLBARD. The man sips his drink. After sipping, he starts the conversation between him and Bill.

"Give me a mixture of triple sec and lemonade." he said.

"Sure." Bill said.

Bill returns to his job and squint from exhaustion. The man took another sip and wander in his inspirational thought.

"Mark, stay brave. If she is not gonna return and go with that damn man, let her go. She is just stupid." Mike thought.

"If she still loves me, she would not just abandon me." he thought once again.

Mark starts to let tears drip from his eyes and moaned. His voice at first was strange but it changed as he revealed it. Bill pours after shaking the liquor. He peeks at Marks expression. Mark did not notice. With a slight fear in the bartender, he finds courage to question Mark after offering the drink.

"Your drink, sir." Bill said.

"Sheila, why?" Mark blurted out the words.

"Am i not enough for you or it is just that I...I..." Mark said but his final thoughts are not spoken.

"Are you fine, sir?" Bill tried to find Mark's eyes.

"Why, Shelia, why choose a man that abandons you?!" Mark utters.

Bill tried to calm Mark but his courage had drain right after he asked if he is fine. As Bill turned away to serve other clients, Mark moaned. The client glanced at him and looked at the group of women performing at stage near the left. Bill peeks at Mark to prevent him from wrecking havoc. At the same time, Bill sympathise Mark for his marital failure. He, also felt the pain of losing someone he loves a lot. Bill insisted that he should care about his condition right now.

"Losing someone you love can be very hard sometimes. So do not be too sad about it." says Bill while filling up Mark's glass with another shake of cocktail.

"Who are you, talking to me about my life?"
said Mark, sounding drunk.

"I think she leaves you because she had her own circumstances to consider. All women leaves because they did it for the good." Bill explained as to calm Mark from his misery.

"You, you must be laughing right? I lost my wife, yes. But that does not mean that I am a piece of jest." Mark raised his voice.

"I am not trying to deceit you. It is just that she might want you to find a better woman." Bill said.

Mark took a sip and burped. Bill tried to advice him but he seems to be defensive. The stage starts to invite people on to sing songs. Mark cried and wiped his tears. Bill went washing his face and cleaned using a towel. Mark stands and stumbled, staggers while forcing his feet to stabilise. He asked for the bill and Bill calculated the cost. Mark's cheeks are red and drowsy eyes. Bill puts the bill on a small wooden tray. Mark finds for his wallet in his back pocket and fall on the table. Everyone there stares at Mark.

"Are you okay?" said Bill.

"Don't bother me. Leave me alone. I just cannot get Shelia back. Leave me... alone."
Mark mutters in sobs.

"Be careful!" a shriek from behind as Mark almost topple over a chair.

"Life changes. People change their decisions. You should understand this by now." Bill explains.

"She slapped me yesterday and left with that man. We swore that we will be together forever." said Mark

"She must have her own reasons behind all this."a woman behind tells.

"Shut up! If she loves me, she will stay with my side. That man means nothing!" Mark yells

"That man can take her from you because you are not compassionate to her." said Bill

"What? How do you know?" Mark stares at him, puzzled.

"Shelia told me about you. The reason she left you is because...." Bill said halfway while Mark interrupts.

"Damn you! Who are you here talking about me?! Who do you think you are?" Mark said.

"I am Billbard. Shelia had decided that she wanted to marry with me." Bill said

Mark stands and charges towards Bill. Bill blocks his punch by holding with his palms. Mark pushes his arm harder to hit him in the face. But the situation does not stand on Mark's side. Bill avoids the punch and jabbed Mark on the right cheek. Mark fell and dropped two chairs, clanking cacophony. The crowd grew silencer. Mark scowls at Bill. He struggled to stand and spoke.

"How can Shelia fall in love with you? You little brat." Mark said while massaging his wound.

"I hold a power more than you have. It is normal for her to love me." said Bill.

"Just because I am penniless, I am not a fool. Richmen are sinisters! You have no heart. I am married, how can you do that?!"said Mark while sobbing.

"What she wants is money. But unfortunately, you cannot fill her desires. I am the only man that could make her happy. She loves me!" said Bill.

Mark took an empty bottle and throw at Bill. Bill got hit and did not receive much damage. Mark got enraged and grapple Bill. He elbowed Mark in the nose and Mark loosens his grip as Bill took the opportunity to smack Mark at the ribs. He moaned. Mark spits and Bill slams his spine. Mark fell and laid wide. In his mind is blurry and fancy. His consiousness began to subside and the last view of his opponent is that Bill showed a middle finger. He aches and swallowed pain. Mark went on this miserable moment while gaining strength from his anger. Slowly he will rise. In time.