Short Story Sunday-#25

I stand at the top of the fortieth floor of an office building, phone in hand. The wind blows my face until my cheek burns. I step towards the edge and glance down. People the size of ants walk on the grey sidewalk and tall green trees wave in the wind. A bird flutters by, making a dog bark and pull its owner along. A bunny hops unseen in the bushes to escape the dog. So much life. They're living the life I could never have. Nobody needs me.

   I loosen my black tie, and take off my suit jacket. Glancing down once more, I don't pay attention to the people or the dogs or the birds. I take a deep breath and lean forwards. Gravity takes over and I feel my feet leave the roof. I start to fall. 

   Everything moves in slow motion. It's as if the whole world has stopped for me. I watch the windows slowly race by. I count the floors and watch the people inside. At the 38th floor, a woman knocks down her large stack of papers. They go flying everywhere. When I reach the 31st floor, a man is watching out the window and takes a double take when I fly past. 

   30, 29, 28. My phone beeps. I realize it's still in my hand. I focus on the screen and read:

Carmen says: Where are you? Dinner's ready and we're eating without you. :)

   Carmen. No. I love her. She'll die without me. What am I doing? 20, 19, 18, 17. 

   I open my mouth to shout for help, but nothing comes out. Help me. Anyone. Help. It's at the tip of my tongue. Please.

   14, 13, 12. No, no. The wind rushes past, making my hair fly. I make contact with the tall trees and break every stick in my path. I somehow miss the branch strong enough to catch me and continue my fall. The world has resumed it's normal speed. People on the street stare at me. A woman screams. 9, 8, 7.

   I look at my phone and type to Carmen.

   I love yo

The ground comes closer and closer. I can imagine it now. My face on the concrete, blood everywhere. People standing around me. An ambulance parked at the curb, people racing from inside it. Sirens, lights. Carmen crying.

   I type the "u". The ground is and arm's length away. My thumb hovers over the send button. Then everything goes black.

There you go. I have this book that gives you things to write about and this was one of them. The book is called 642 Things to Write About. 

Short Story Sunday-#24

The automatic door swings open when I get close enough. With my arms full of packages wrapped in red and green, the automatic door was much needed. My cheeks burn with the dramatic change of temperature. I make my way to the first counter and step in the long line behind a man with a t-shirt saying "Got blood? Give some." I feel like it's kind of a weird thing to say on a shirt.
    My eyes wander to the colorful greeting cards displayed on the wall. I give out a little chuckle at the birthday card of a pug with a party hat and a noise maker.
   "Hank?" A feeble voice says from behind me.
   I look away from the cards and turn around to a woman with short red hair and an armful of Christmas packages.
   She smiles."Hank. It is you. It's so nice to see you. How have you been?"
   We haven't spoken or seen each other for almost 14 years.
   "I'm great. Busy with Christmas stuff and work. How have you been getting on?" I ask.
   "Oh, alright I guess. It's just not the same without you and your father. How has Jamie been?"
   "She's doing fine. She keeps the kids in check."
   "Your kids," she echos. "Marie and George, right?"
   "Yes." I stare out the window. Large fluffy snowflakes fall gracefully and land on the window sill. In the parking lot, people jog to their cars to escape the cold. Children pull their coats tighter while their parent wraps a scarf around their neck.
   "How old is Marie?" My mother asks.
   "She's 14."
   "Goodness. How did that happen so quickly? Last time I saw her she was a little burrito."
   I smile and turn away. The man with the blood shirt steps out of line and I set my packages on the counter with a thump. The woman on the other side sets each box in turn on the scale and sticks a stamp on the corner.
   I walk to the door, and they open for me. I'm about to step out when my mother calls for me.
   "Hank?"
   "Yes?"
   "It was nice to see you again."
   I tell her goodbye and trudge through the snow to my car. When I arrive at my home, I'll wrap another present with my mother's name on it.
 
 

Short Story Sunday-#23

Jessie shoved open the doors, letting the light bathe her. She calmly walked towards the ledge just a few yards from her doorstep. Her dog, Boomer, followed loyally behind her, as she sat on the edge, the water licking at her bare feet. Boomer nudged her hand as if to say, "love me". Jessie closed her eyes and took a minute to listen to the water lapping against the concrete wall and the sound of the wind blowing around her. Her fairy blond hair flew gently in the the air, tickling her pale skin.
   When she opened her eyes, she found Boomer with his head in her lap, his pleading eyes looking up at her. She eventually gave in and rubbed his smooth fur, making him relax and close his eyes. There they sat. The girl and her dog and their big house.
   As the sun rose higher in the sky and the day got warmer, Jessie stood up, rousing her dog from his rest. Together they walked into town, leaving wet footprints in their path. She walked through the market and tried her best to ignore the merchants shouting out their prices and trying to beat the stand next to them. Jessie walked through streets of houses and shops and stopped at none.
   They reached the edge of town and stopped. The concrete ledge was in front of her again. Here, Jessie found a ladder, and rung by rung, she climbed down--still in her clothes--until the water reached her neck. The water felt nice on her skin that has been bearing the weight of the sun for most of the day. The coolness of it chased the heat away. She let go of the ladder and enticed Boomer into the water. He jumped in beside her with a splash.
    Jessie sucked in a breath and dove under the water, kicking her feet in the air, then pulling them under as well. With graceful movements of her arms, she propelled herself forward. To her left, Boomer paddled along with her, keeping his eyes on her. A school of tiny silver fish float by, oblivious of Jessie's presence. Boomer watched the rays of light, piercing the through the water, waver as the water rippled.
   Jessie popped up to the surface with one strong kick, and Boomer surfaces next to her. She gave out a laugh and lay on her back. She swiveled her arms like a windmill and glided across the water.
   When her lungs were filled again, she plunged back down into the refreshing water for another swim.
   At the end of the day, when the sky flared up at the sun's leaving, Jessie and Boomer sat on the concrete ledge. With Boomer's head in her lap again, she watched the sun retreat under the ground. She watched the color of the sky change from yellow to pink, to red and orange, then to dark blue. She watched the sun's reflection shimmer in the water and the birds flying past the orange sky, making the scene picture perfect.
   After the stars had taken over, Jessie turned and strolled back the way she came, her loyal dog prancing at her side.

   Hooray! I wrote a story! I feel awesome to actually be posting a story again. Thanks to my friend (I'm not saying names) for sending pictures and giving me the kick to write this. I honestly needed that. I haven't written anything worthy of posting for a while.