“That poor wretch right there, he hates his job at the bank. Every so often he brings a new magazine in with details on the world beyond Paris. I’ve heard his room is quite the escape, the walls are littered with newspaper articles and images of strange far off places. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear he enjoyed working for Madam more so than the bank!” -Pascal Hurteau

Julien Resides on the Fifth Floor. Room: E4.

The Vignettes

The worn leather bag slips over Julien’s shoulder as he takes in the sort of breath a child would after heavy sobbing, shuddered, uneasy, abated. He grabs the handle flinging his apartment door wide open staring into the quiet hall. The only sound that could be heard apart from his heavy breaths were light foot falls coming nearer. It was Monsieur DeMarciano, with his brimmed hat and black overcoat on. His Bow and Violin in hand. The oddest thing that struck Julien was the silly grin under his mustache, immune to the worlds twisted briers. “How do you do that!?” Monsieur DeMarciano jumped startled from the sudden shouting understanding little French. Garelli only assumed he was too loud and began to walk more quieter down the hall, tipping his hat as politely as possible. The grin remained, burned into the darkness of pressed eyes while Julien slammed his door shut.

“Scusate Monsieur Gobeil...!” A loud whisper followed.

Julian Gobeil breathed a sigh of relief, finishing up the monthly bookkeeping for Henrietta. Between the personal favors she received, and the hanging debts balanced on said favors made it difficult to keep track of everything. Currency was but a fraction of the game she played with the tenants.

Resting back in the chair at his desk he looks to the world map and furrows his brows gently. The single red thumb tack rested over Paris, and nothing else, taunting the young man’s ambitions. In spite of being at the heart of modern civilization he wanted for more.

The sunset over Asia's glorious rice fields tumbling over green hills, the silk road marked by many an adventurer centuries before, through the Mediterranean's fabled waters, to the dunes of the Seharia, and eventually the Alps on France's doorstep where Hannibal defied the Roman Empire.

Julian's heart wanted for the world, and it serenaded for him. However, the Siren that was all too familiar and more real than his imagination cried out. "Julie Baby! I'm ready for the rent!"

The events that had transpired for Julien Gobeil had happened fast, too fast for him to control. His manager at the bank had asked him for a personal favor, the personal favor involved him taking an unspecified amount of money to a location. The direction from his manager was to above all things act with the utmost discretion in the matter at hand.

Was his manager being bribed? He thought. If that is the case, then he would lose his job too for conspiring in performing some crime or another.

His eyes raised from the sidewalk to take note of two police officers casually conversing about the day.

He then wondered how far things might be taken out of proportion if he was wrong, but simply giving the money to the police and explaining the situation that was out of his hands. Julian even questioned the exact orders his manager had given him as it was in quick haste.

Did he hear him wrong? Was he wrong about anything?

He smiled and tipped his hat to the officers before crossing the street.

In his mind the best he could do was assure himself that everything was ok, and that he was in fact suffering an attack of the mind and nothing seemed quite right. It wasn't like him to worry so much, and so he reasoned his nerves weren't simply used to such an affair.

Hearing someone running not far behind him, he gave a hard turn.

Perhaps the police were onto him, perhaps they knew something he did not?

All at once Julian felt someone collide with him, bringing him down to the pavement. Through clouded vision he could see in his upside down world view a man sprinting far from him, then two policemen in pursuit.

Reaching around his body he felt his heart sink, then sat up seeing the man in the distance turn the corner with his bag in hand.

"Oh no!"