FLAT

They were on the balcony of the dead man's flat. The flat of the man said when they were trying to evict him that they'd have to carry him out in a box: turns out that's what they did. He died in his sleep his girlfriend finding him cold and still next to her when she woke one morning.
The two on the balcony, a man and a woman are devotees of self-medicating, their faces gray like the others who worship in the stairwells and dark corners...This is the body, This is the blood, Do this and keep doing it in remembrance of me...
I've seen the man on Stokes Croft, walking the walk gets walked by walkers round here. I've seen him coming in the top entrance of the block but I've not seen the woman he's wrapping his arms around, leaning on, who seems at best indifferent to this attention.
'Wonder how long they'll last?' I said, thinking about the previous occupant, his habits, smile, eyes bright saying, 'Come along and see what you think,' as we waited for the lift. 'They've been practicing in my flat, you might've heard them.'