28881, as the renovated home was known, had been built in 1913 and the faded wood proved it. Though a new coat of red paint coveted the planks, chips and splitting wrinkles in the muted  wood could not be hidden. Still, the friend group admired the elderly foundation, the rickety  second level balcony above the porch, and the bay windows in the living room. One by one they  hoisted boxes and furniture through the storm door. The first to pass through the doorway was  Brian Cores. He scanned the foyer, setting his sight on fertile ground. Dusty, brown floorboards were yet to be furnished. At least I’m out of my parents’ house… All of this… It’s like a dream come true, he mused. He’d moved back home after graduating college and for three months his  wheels spun with no job opportunities on the horizon. Then, he discovered this house and rang  up his friend Jonathan. They and four other friends agreed to split a three-thousand dollar lease. The landlord was kind enough to oblige, glad to help recent, local college grads; it was an  atypical lease, not requiring a guarantor.  

     As the afternoon droned on, cars emptied. The couch was placed in the living room with  a love seat and a tv. An open box of beer sat on the coffee table beside loose bottle caps. On the first floor there were Jonathan and Isaac. They had roomed together back in freshman year of college and volunteered to take the first level. Jonathan, a guy with a brunette man-bun, helped Isaac place his mattress in the bedframe. “Thanks!” Isaac huffed. “How long do you think we’ll all be here?”  

     “Probably for a bit,” Jonathan replied. He stared out of the single window in Isaac’s room. An untamed forest grew in the backyard. “To be honest, I was talking to Brian a month ago and  he was really complaining about his parent’s place, feeling restricted, alone. Plus, the market isn’t too great for his field right now.” He took a seat on the windowsill and continued staring out. “Cherry and Sherri basically said the same thing” 

     “So, you found somewhere they could at least be happy while looking for jobs,” Isaac put together. He pushed his glasses up his bridge. “Well, let’s see if they can find jobs to pay rent soon.” 

     “At least Andre’s and Brian’s parents will cover for them these next few months,” Jonathan smirked. “And I didn’t find the place. Brian did. He had driven by on the way home, pulled over, and the landlord was conveniently already there for a tour. He felt drawn to the place. Quite hon–” Suddenly a thump pounded on the ceiling above.  

     On the second floor, Andre set his nightstand down. He had just finished moving all of  his furniture and sat down on the bed. Slowly, he brought a beer bottle to his lips and let the wheat-tinted liquid sift down his throat. He was a rowdy one, yet the most laid back. When it  came to choosing rooms, he didn’t quite care where his bed landed. “Hey! Turn the music up!” He hollered down the hall. 

     Cherry – a blond-haired former track and field athlete – turned up the volume on her  speaker. She sat at her desk in a white blouse perusing online job boards. She clicked away on her laptop. “Next page… next page… not $18 per hour… $20 and up… $20 and up,” she groaned.  

     “Don’t listen to Andre, he’s an idiot. Turn the music down, we can’t have neighbors complain on our first day,” Sherri remarked from the bedroom doorway. A lanky, red-haired girl  glared. “You still looking for jobs? You should be unpacking.” 

     “That can wait.” 

     “No, that can wait,” Sherri retorted. She scurried over to Cherry’s desk and slammed the  laptop closed. “Enjoy the moment.” She stared into Cherry’s aquamarine irises. “Remember  college? Remember the nights the six of us had? We have that for a little bit longer. Don’t be in too much of a rush.” Cherry’s shoulders drooped. She sunk into the computer chair, seemingly  drowning in the leather.  

     “That’s great and all, but we still need to find jobs, Sher. We can’t all be Jonathan and  Isaac and have any easy path like engineering. We have to put some effort into this. Like what am I going to do with a degree in graphic design!” she erupted.  

     “I understand, let’s take a breath. Just don’t be too hard on yourself, love. Stay open to all  opportunities,” Sherri attempted to persuade, clanking a freshly opened beer on the desk. “Drink!” Then, she smiled and ventured down the hall. Her flip flops smacked the hardwood floor loudly. As she reached her own room filled with unpacked boxes, she passed the ladder to the attic where Brian resided. The ladder was fragile and shaky. No one else desired to climb such a death  trap every day and squeeze through a narrow passage to enter their bedroom. Leaving was  another test of confidence to worry about. But Brian chose to be there. He called dibs on the attic  quickly, before anyone else could speak.  

     The cobweb infested attic was surprisingly spacious. Brian was almost done unpacking; a stack of books, a gaming system, and several journals littering the floor. He sat down on his bed, observing the isolated room. His brown skin blended in with the boards. Home base…, he sighed. His lips shifted into a smile and he sipped his beer. 

     At around eight o’clock in the evening, the six convened in the living room. Self-made paintings hung on the walls, and small cat-like trinkets populated the coffee table. Cherry and Sherri sat on the couch beside Brian. Isaac occupied the love seat. Meanwhile, Jonathan scavenged the empty kitchen cupboards for a snack. Andre stood in front of the tv in faded blue jeans, a tank top, and a button up shirt. "Alright, where are we going out tonight?” He clapped.  

     “Going out?” Brian complained. Cherry took notice, stealing a glance and a giggle. “Not  that I have anything against it.” 

     “Yes! We gotta christen the house, start our new journey in life out right!” Andre  clamored. He sat down on the tv stand, wobbling the flat screen.  

     “How many beers have you had,” Cherry interrupted. 

     “Enough,” Sherri joked beside her. She raised her hand, causing the strap of her shirt to  slide down her arm. “I actually agree though. There’s no point in staying in the house all night.”

Isaac leaned forward in the loveseat. “Go out with what mon-,” He started. “Let’s go, I’m hungry!” Jonathan boomed, emerging from the kitchen empty-handed. “What are we thinking?” 

     “Fries from Larry’s?” Andre proposed. 

     “Fries?” Cherry questioned. 

     “Fries.” Isaac added, nodding. 

     “Fries,” Brian injected. 

     “Yeah, fries would hit right now,” Jonathan agreed.  

      Andre clapped his sandy palms. “So, we’re going out?” 

     “We’re going out, stupid,” Sherri confirmed. The six of them ventured into the moonlit night packing into Jonathan and Isaac’s cars to a bar named Larry’s – as they would every  Saturday night onward. For three-hundred and sixty-five days the friends lived in 28881. Rent  was paid when it could be. Harmony didn’t always have a bed, yet time went on. ------- 

     During the first month, Brian holed up in the attic. A hazy, yellow lamp illuminated the murky abode. The blue screen of his laptop painted his face most of the day. At night, he would  join his roommates in the living room for movie sessions and conversations. Jonathan and Isaac  returned from work around six in the afternoon typically; the rest continued their searches. 

     One day, Brian rose from his desk and stretched. “There’s nothing bitin’ today,” he  groaned. He ventured below, searching for a roommate. He knocked on a door and no one  answered. Opening it, he discovered a bedroom covered in K-Pop group posters. “Sherri’s not  here,” he noted. His foot squeaked down the hall to the next. He peeked into Andre’s room,  finding a messy bed and piles of clothes. Andre is gone too, he observed. 

     “Looking for something?” A voice emanated from the hall behind him. He about-faced, locking eyes with Cherry. His pupils dilated, shrieking from surprise. “Didn’t expect to see me?” Cherry giggled. 

     “Not really…Sherri was gone so I thought you’d be with her.” 

Cherry started downstairs. She placed her hand on the wooden railing, the first board creaking. “Sher went to a coffee shop with Andre. They’ve made a habit of it lately,” she sighed. Her fingers danced along the railing melancholy.  

     “And you? What are your plans?” Brian inquired with a smile, his chest tightening. “I can’t look at my laptop anymore. The posts just blur together.” Cherry shrugged, her blue jean jacket rustling.  

     “How about we go for a walk, get some sun?” Brian offered. 

     The two of them moved to the porch, the warmth of the sunlight bathing them. Cherry stood under the doorway, watching Brian attentively. “Not many writing jobs here, are there?” she inquired. 

     “Not really,” Brian sighed. “You know, I still remember when you read that short story I wrote.”

     “‘Endless’? I remember it pretty well.” They strolled down the sidewalk side by side. The wind was weak, dancing through the thin gap between their hands. “‘Despite the canyon between  it and I, the abyss of feeling urging me to bridge the gap, I stay resolute in my station. Forever, I toil with the idea but lack action. In this space, the feelings I hold become cyclical, an endless  experience to relive’,” Cherry recited, the shallow breath leaving her pink lips.  

     Brian smirked. His hand inching toward hers. “That’s the part you remember the most?” “It’s the sentences that stuck out the most to me. I always wondered what you meant by  them. Do you remember?” She looked up at him. She was a couple inches shorter than he. To her,  he was a skyscraper and she a mid-rise.  

     “The meaning? I’m looking at her right now,” Brian replied. He stared back, the two  pausing on the sidewalk. They couldn’t even make it down the street. The wind seemed to stop  blowing entirely. The atmosphere stilled and the sun beamed. 

     “Then bridge the gap,” Cherry said, her lips curling. Brian’s fingers moved to clasp hers, holding as tightly as a ring. The lack of employment and anxiety of disappointment caused his  palms to sweat.  

------- 

     By the fourth month, Cherry and Brian had gone on numerous dates. Living together made spending time easy but added complications – not that any of the other roommates hadn’t  foreseen the relationship. Common areas became not so common – not just because of Brian and  Cherry. Still, everyone endured.  

     Andre found himself in a call center Monday through Friday, while Sherri cinched an entry role at an advertising agency. Their first night home from work, they dragged themselves through 28881’s front door. Sherri slumped onto the couch, putting her legs up on the coffee table. Her pencil skirt rose up slightly. Andre, on the other hand, went straight into the kitchen and cracked open a bottle of beer. He plopped onto the couch beside Sherri and took a sip. “How  was your first day,” he croaked. 

     Sherri angrily glared at her skirt, then went upstairs to change. “I hate pencils skirts!” she  yelled on her way up. 

     “Okay. Mine was fine, thanks for asking,” he sighed. He rested the cold bottle on his khakis. 

     Moments later, Brian walked down to the first floor. “You’re back. How was the call  center?” He drowsily asked. 

     “It was chill. What were you up to?” Andre noticed his eye boogers. 

     “Cherry and I just woke up from a nap. Didn’t get too much done,” he yawned. He hadn’t  spent much time in the attic. Cherry’s room had become a second home of sorts. “Yeah, that makes sense,” Isaac huffed as he walked through the front door with Jonathan.  The two of them were dressed business casual attire; button-ups and dress shoes. “Are your  parents paying rent again?” Isaac chuckled. Standing behind him, Jonathan awkwardly smiled.  He nudged Isaac in the back. At the same time, Cherry and Sherri walked down the stairs,  appearing behind Brian. 

     “You guys want to try a restaurant tonight?” Jonathan proposed. Everyone nodded. However, Brian said, “I think I’m going to hang back tonight.” His laptop’s purple screen  illuminated the room until two a.m. 

------- 

     During their sixth month at 28881, Cherry finally received an offer letter for a small  graphic designer position. She had gone into a small clothing business for an interview two weeks prior. “It’s only a couple hours a week and the pay isn’t great, but it’s a start. I’ll be able to  cover rent at least. We might not be able to spend so much time together though,” she rattled off,  telling Brian for the first time.  

     “Don’t worry about it. That’s amazing, it’ll be good experience,” he encouraged. They sat around the wood table in the kitchen. Chilling tile cooled their feet. “When do you start?” Brian  asked. 

     “Monday.” 

     So, Monday came. Cherry walked out of 28881’s doors to her first day on the job. “Don’t  stop looking, I know it’ll all work out for you,” she imparted. Brian waved her off, placing a kiss on her forehead before she left out into the hazy early morning. The door closed behind her and, for the first time, the home was completely silent. Nothing could be heard but Brian’s breathing.  Much had changed in six months. Jonathan and Isaac remained consistent in their jobs but found one another over the months. Andre and Sherri had jobs. They were making rent each month. Plus, they both had found partners at the coffee shop they loved to sneak off to together. Yet one  thing remained consistent, Brian spent his nine to five at 28881 scanning job boards.  

     After Cherry had left for her first day of work, Brian sat at the kitchen table, eating  leftover pizza. The slice hung out of his motionless hand. “Find yourself lost in thought, young  man?” A voice inquired. He looked up, discovering a man with olive skin and long gray hair wearing a pair of jean overalls. “You’re trespassing onto my property,” the man croaked. 

     “Trespassing?” Brian squawked. “Aren’t I at 28881 Grand River Avenue? I live here with my friends.” 

     “Son, this is my property, and I’m still renovating it. I haven’t rented it to anyone.” Brian’s face contorted, stupefied. I’ve lived here for six months. Am I crazy? He ruminated. He  looked around. The kitchen no longer had cabinets on its walls. The tile floor was incomplete.  The table he sat at was old and rickety, not like the pristine wood Jonathan had brought with him. I was daydreaming? I never called Jonathan and suggested we all live together. It hasn’t been six  months? His smartphone read July 12th, the same day he thought he had told Jonathan about the  house.  

     “Look, some neighbors called me when they saw you pull over and enter the house. I’m  not going to call the police or anything,” the old man explained. “Let me show you something.” Brian rose from the table and followed. The old man guided him up to the second floor. They stopped in front of the attic ladder. They climbed the shaky tool and squeezed through the narrow  space. On the dusty floorboards, the old man walked over to a pile covered by a dirty, crème tarp. He pulled it back, revealing a jagged, purple stone with a misty reflection on its surface. “Exotic looking rock, right? It might fetch a pretty price. You’re the fifth to come here all hypnotized. I was walking by this place one day when I saw this stone lying in that overgrown back yard. Something told me to buy the place,” the old man croaked. 

     “I drive pass this place kind of often,” Brian muttered. This little rock showed me six  months of a false life, he mused. 

     “I think the stone spoke to you. Whatever it showed you, I hope it wasn’t horrible.” “It wasn’t too bad. That stone was just doing me a favor, I guess. Thank you,” Brian smiled. He started down the ladder and to the front door. He exited the house, stepping out onto the evening porch with his shoulders broad. His silver sedan was parked along the street, waiting. Brian found the keys in his pocket and unlocked the driver’s side door. On the mesh cushions, he looked back at the two-level home. It wasn’t too bad…, he thought. But it wasn’t real. He revved the engine and drove off, leaving behind the wishing stone of 28881. 

     He texted in the group chat: 

 

[Brian] 

Miss you guys :)

​​

     [Sher] 

     MISS YOU TOO! 

​​

     [Jonathan] 

     You too! Everything alright? 

​​

     [Isaac] 

     You too. 

​​

     [Cherry] 

     OMG we need to meet up soon, there’s too much to catch up on! 

​​

     [Andre] 

     Are you guys free this weekend?