A TROUBLED ROOMMATE

• Mystery
• Short story
• Fiction

								
A TROUBLED ROOMMATE

Chandra Allen rushes in and turns the TV on to the news. She’s obsessed with  watching the news every day after work. Stacie Newman, her roommate didn’t think much of this at first. The two of them have been roommates going on three years. Stacie’s work involves being an administrative assistant and Chandra assisting with the helpdesk. In addition to working, they take college courses on a part-time basis. Stacie in business administration and Chandra computer science. With work and college facing them each day, they don’t spend  much time together. However, they do work together with the chores, cleaning, cooking, and decorating the apartment. 
Stacie doesn’t keep it a secret that she wants to learn to play the piano. Every now and then she mentions it. And Chandra shared with her that she wants to study acting. But neither one of them could pursue this until college was completed. They share everything and always get along good together until recently.
  
“What’s on the news tonight? Anything important?” ask Stacie.
“No, not really,” Chandra replies.
“You’ve been turning the news on for the last three weeks. It must be something
happening that’s important to you. Usually, you go straight to your room. But it seems like lately you’ve fallen in love with the news.”
Chandra forces a chuckle wishing a TV in was in her room. Then she wouldn’t have to listen to Stacie giving her a hard time each evening about watching the news. Why isn’t she in the kitchen making dinner?
 
Suddenly, Chandra’s cell phone rings causing her to jump. Quickly, she got up from the sofa, rushing to her room, speaking softly, and closing the door. Stacie wonders if everything is ok. When Chandra returns to the living room 30 minutes later, the news is over, and Stacie is in the kitchen making dinner. Stopping for a minute, she ask Chandra 
“Is everything ok?” 
“Yeah, yeah everything’s fine.” 
Many thoughts were going through Stacie’s mind about Chandra. 
Why is she so obsessed with the news every night? Did something happen to somebody she knows? 

They used to share some nights at the dinner table. And once a week Chandra and Stacie did each other’s hair. Chandra did Stacie’s hair in a twisted style which she likes, and Stacie did Chandra’s hair in cornrows. But lately none of these things were happening. 
“I made spaghetti for dinner,” Stacie yells from the kitchen. 
“I’ll get some in a minute.”  
Getting up from the sofa, Chandra went over to the living room window and looks out as heavy rain pours down. Finally, she left the window and went to the kitchen to get a plate for spaghetti. But a police siren sounding very loud from the street causes her to put down the plate and rush back to the window for a second look. This time she pulls the sheer curtains back to get a better look and didn’t  leave the window until the siren turns down another street and could no longer be heard. 

Braiding her hair in front of the hall mirror, Stacie notices Chandra’s nervousness every time a siren pass by. She thought about how all types of  sirens come through the city of Chicago every day. Why is Chandra suddenly so nervous now when she hears one?

Stacie came home from work the next day to the aromas of chicken and broccoli coming from the kitchen. After closing the front door, she could hear Chandra yelling in her room to someone on the phone.
“Why you keep calling me? I told you I haven’t told anybody about it. No, no, no, I didn’t say nothing to Stacie about it.”
Stacie left Chandra’s door quickly before she caught her standing there. Rushing to her room and closing the door, her mind was on who Chandra was talking to. What is it that she’s keeping from her? Soon Stacie went to the kitchen for some chicken and broccoli. Chandra appears in the kitchen shortly after.
 “I thought I heard you come in. How long you been here?”
“Not long. I ‘m eating dinner, and everything taste good.”
“Thanks,” Chandra said searching Stacie’s face hoping she didn’t overhear her phone conversation. 

Saturday Stacie and Chandra spent most of the day cleaning the apartment and washing clothes. Later that evening Stacie left to visit her parents in Baltimore, Maryland. Upon  returning on Sunday evening, she found Chandra sitting on the sofa glued to the TV, eating cheese puffs, and drinking fruit punch. A news report came on regarding a shooting. The reporter  stated, 
A Black male approximately 28 years old, named Jack Kerry, 
was shot and killed in the vicinity of Jay Street. So far, the police does not have a suspect. 
This got Stacie’s attention causing her to sit down next to Chandra. 
“ This is terrible. I hope they catch whoever did it.” 
Chandra didn’t have anything to say. But once a picture of the deceased appears on the screen, she covers her face. 
“Did you know him? Ask Stacie.
“No!” Chandra said with a look of anger. Why would you ask me a question like that?”
“No reason,” she said changing the subject. “Mom and dad said hello and they sent you a plate.”
“What’s on the plate? Ask Chandra.
“Ribs, potato salad, and a slice of chocolate cake.” 
“Wow, thanks. I’m heating this up right now and eating it cause I didn’t make dinner.”   
 Chandra stops watching the news and heads to the kitchen. 
	“I can’t wait to eat this,” she said. 
Stacie  smiles and goes to her room to put away luggage. She didn’t believe what Chandra said about not knowing this person. Why did she cover her face? And why is there a change of attitude lately?

Chandra develops a habit of getting home later and later each evening. Stacie figures she must be doing research at the library for her classes. She didn’t know what was going on with Chandra but was going to find out. 

When Stacie arrives at the apartment Tuesday after work. There were no signs of  Chandra. She knocks on her bedroom door.
 “Are you in there Chandra?”  
No answer. Stacie opens the door, but Chandra is not there. 
Stacie changed her clothes and went to the kitchen to prepare a pasta salad for dinner. While getting tomatoes and broccoli from the refrigerator she couldn’t help but wonder where  Chandra could be. Since they trust each other enough to never lock their bedroom doors, Stacie couldn’t resist doing a little snooping in Chandra’s room. There could be a clue as to what Chandra is keeping from her. Opening  the door wide and keeping her ears open for the sound of keys in the front door, Stacie began looking around. Nothing unusual found on the dresser. The bed was made but clothes were strewn across it. Nothing in the closet got her attention. Just as Stacie starts to leave the room, she stops in front of the dresser drawers and decides to check inside each drawer. She came up empty handed until the bottom drawer is open. Her mouth drops wide- open and she covers it to keep from screaming. Hidden beneath some T-shirts is a handgun. Quickly putting everything back in place, and closing the drawer, and shutting shut the door,  she ran to her room and  for the first time locks the door. Chandra must be in some kind of trouble, Stacie thought. Then another thought crosses her mind. Could  she be involved somehow with the killing of the dead man on the news? Scary thoughts ran through her mind.

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