Short Story

spic-ole · Posted: 06 Nov 2003 01:38 PM Post subject:

He sees a shadow on a boulder in the form of a man and quickly turns to see who it is, but he sees no one. He quickly turns back to see if the shadow is still there, and it is.

His curiosity overpowers his fear as he decides to get out of the car to investigate. As he steps out, he looks around to see if anyone is there, but there isn't, except for the shadow. He walks towards it, wondering who or what is causing it.

As he steps closer to it, he keeps expecting it to disappear, but it remains. When he is close enough to touch it, he looks around once more to see if anyone is there. He sees no one. He extends his arm, and then his fingers as he gets closer to it, and right when he is about to touch it, it runs off.

bemisnorris · Posted: 06 Nov 2003 02:19 PM Post subject:

"Need a light", a man's voice asked.

"Huh?" Andy turned around. There was a man holding a lighter in his outstretched hand.

"Do you need a light", the man repeated holding the lighter up to Andy's face, the flame shooting out brightly.

"Oh, yeah", Andy answered. He was so nervous he had forgotten he still had the bent cigarette in his mouth. He leaned towards the flame emitting from the lighter, lit his cigarette, and sucked in the sweet nicotine he had been craving for hours.

elchrist · Posted: 06 Nov 2003 03:02 PM Post subject:

"What are you doing out here alone?", asked the man, his face concealed by the darkness. He takes a drag from his cigarette and the glow from the burning tip reveals a portion of his face, but it looks completely distorted.

"I was on my way to visit my b... a friend, but I had to stop for a piss. My car caught on fire while I was outside. I must've not pushed in the cigarette lighter all the way back in.", explained Andy. "I thought I noticed a light from a house, so I started walking towards it.", he continued.

"There's no homes out here for over a 100 miles.", replied the man.

"Oh... I've been walking for hours and I ended up seeing this police cruiser stop, but no one was in it when I got up close to it. Did you see him?", said Andy.

"No I didn't.", says the man.

Andy knew something was very wrong. How could this man not seen the police officer get out of the car? Was he the one driving? What was he doing out here as well?

revramrod · Posted: 06 Nov 2003 06:09 PM Post subject:

"I'm tired of this shit, Andy," the voice boomed on the other end of the telephone, "It's over between us."

"How can you say that?" Andy responded, "I love you."

"No, Andy. You love your job. That's why you chose your career over me. Now it's my turn to be selfish."

"I'll change. I promise," Andy lamented.

"Look me in the eyes and say that," the voice responded.

"But I'm a thousand miles away," replied Andy, "I can't drop everything to come be with you."

"You once promised me you'd go to Hell and back for me," replied the voice on the other end of the telephone.

Click.

Andy held the telephone to his ear for a few more seconds. Nothing. The line was dead.

Andy slammed the telephone on the couch and reached for the car keys and cigarettes laying on the dining table.

Unbeknown to Andy, he would soon fulfill his promise.

spic-ole · Posted: 06 Nov 2003 09:58 PM Post subject:

Suddenly, Andy felt a splash of water.

"What the fuck?" said Andy.

"I thought I'd lost you for a second," said the man.

"What happened?" said Andy as he stood up.

"I don't know. You were just staring. Then, all of a sudden, you just collapsed. I wasn't too sure what was going on myself, it seemed like you were having a conversation with someone."

"What did I say?"

"Something about it's over, and that you'd change, the rest just sounded like mumbles."

"Do you have a cigarette?" asked Andy.

elchrist · Posted: 07 Nov 2003 11:43 AM Post subject:

Reaching for the cigarrette pack inside his long black trench coat, Andy notices something reflect against the moonlight. Quickly looking back up at the man, he pulls out a cigarrette from the pack and lights it up, all while trying to get a better look at the man's face.

"So what's your name, sir?", Andy asked.

"Derek.", replied the man.

Immediately after Derek spoke, Andy hears a rustling coming from the distance.

"What was that!?", Andy asked startingly.

bemisnorris · Posted: 07 Nov 2003 12:04 PM Post subject:

"It's nothing", Derek answered. "You're a jumpy fella, aren't you?"

Andy took a nervous drag from his cigarette. "There's something about this desert...it seems like there's more to it, than...than meets the eye."

"Oh, that there is my friend", Derek said as he took another puff from his cigarette, his distorted face dimly lit by the bright glow of the cigarette, "That there is."

spic-ole · Posted: 07 Nov 2003 04:50 PM Post subject:

"So what would you to hell and back for anyways?" asked Derek.

"What?" replied Andy.

"That's one of the things you were mumbling. That you'd go to hell and back. What for?"

"Oh," said Andy as he began to scratch his head. "I had an argument with my fiancee a few months ago. Those were the last words she ever said to me. I had once promised her that I'd go to hell and back for her if I ever needed to."

"She leave you?" asked Derek.

"Yeah, you could say that." said Andy as he began to tear up.

"So were you on your way to get her back?"

"No. She's dead."

"Did you kill her?" asked Derek calmly.

"No. After the argument I went to her apartment to apologize to her. When I got there, I found her sitting at the kitchen table. As I walked towards her, I called her name. She wouldn't reply. The closer I got, the more I new something was wrong. I tapped her shoulder and she fell off the chair. She had slit her wrists. Her blood was everywhere." Andy threw his cigarette to the ground. "Can I have another cigarrette?"

bemisnorris · Posted: 08 Nov 2003 12:14 PM Post subject:

Derek handed Andy a cigarette. "So, what do you say we take this car and get out of here", Derek pointed at the police cruiser.

"But what about the cop, or whoever it was that drove in on it?"

"Don't worry about it", Derek answered. "Let's go."

"But the keys are missing. I couldn't find them in the car", Andy said.

"I have them right here", Derek said, dangling the keys from his long, bony fingers.

Andy was now sure that Derek had been the one driving the car. But why had Derek acted as though he didn't know who had driven the car? Was Derek a cop?

missy · Gots My GED Joined: 22 Nov 2002 Posts: 113

Andy was puzzled for a moment, not knowing what was happening, instinctively he mumbled, "Sure, let's get out of here". As Derek walked quietly in front, Andy reached and yanked the back of his arm.
"Who are you?” he asked him with a firm, demanding voice.
"That is none of your concern,” replied the stranger. "All you need to worry about is getting out of this mess."
Andy detected an unfamiliar accent in his voice.
"I almost got killed out there, so don't tell me this is none of my concern." Andy replied.

A moment of silence brought a cold Stare between them; Andy felt threatened and instinctively wrapped his hands around Derek’s neck as the hood of the stranger's robe revealed his scare across his face. With a firm grip against the stranger's throat, he whispered in a menacing tone, "Give me one good reason, why I shouldn't kill you right here and now,”
Derek’s black eyes pointed back were the fire was still burning and gaspingly muttered, "There is your reason".