Things in the Dark
My
breathing echoes in the darkness. I’m sure that someone can hear it. If there’s
anyone in the dark besides me, which I doubt. No one else is that stupid. Just
me. I reach my hands into the blackness, searching for the wall. Nothing. Then,
my fingers find something. It’s slick with goo. I shudder, yanking them back.
For a moment I stand in the dark. Blind. Shaking. Then I
reach my hands out again, needing to feel something besides the dark pressing
in on me. But I can’t find anything. Whatever I had felt is gone. Something
else’s here.
Miss Adams
“Miss Adams, have you been
taking your pills?” asked the doctor. The sticker on her shirt said her name
was Ashley Philips. The old woman looked up, suddenly furious,
“Of course I haven’t! Those things’ll kill me before the
pneumonia does!”
The doctor pursed her lips, “We’re only trying to help you Miss Adams-” she began.
“Then help me by minding your own business and leaving me
alone!” shouted the woman heaving herself up from the couch and making for the
door.
“Wait! Miss Adams! Your pills!” shouted the doctor behind
her.
“To hell with them!”
The appointment was over.
The Sixtieth
The old man drove his car along the road. It was full of
potholes and bumps. Pebbles kept flying up around him. He pulled his car into a
small, unpaved parking lot and climbed unsteadily out. He took a bouquet from
the passenger’s seat and walked into a small cemetery. He placed the bouquet on
a grave that had wilted flowers already on it.
“Look Dolores,” said the man, “I brought you something
special for our anniversary. It’s our sixtieth today. I was tellin’ Sam
yesterday not everyone makes it to their sixtieth.” He turned to leave,
smiling,
“Happy anniversary”
Summoned
The hall seemed to have
stretched itself out impossibly long. Marco could’ve sworn that it hadn’t
always been this long. Faces glanced at him as he walked by. Then they ducked
back behind computer screens. They all knew why he was walking down the
impossibly long hall. His breathing was heavy and his heart pounded. Finally,
he reached the end of the hall. He stopped before his boss’s office, his arm
raised to knock. Black smoke poured out from beneath the door. He dropped his
fist against the wood. The sound echoed against the moans and screams. The door
opened.
Thank You
She found him squeezed into a
nook behind the boathouse. The note that had told her to meet him there was
crumbled in her pocket. He grinned when he saw her and moved over to make more
room.
“Do you have it?” he asked excitedly.
By way of answer she held out the book she’d stolen from the
library. His attention immediately turned from her to it as he flipped through
the dusty pages. He’d forgotten to say thank you. He always did. She watched
his quick, eager eyes scan the words and smiled slightly. She knew what he
meant.
Echoes
“General”
The
man didn’t turn to face the owner of the shaky young voice. Too young.
“Yes
Private.”
“The
backup just called. They won’t here in time, sir.”
The
words seemed to echo around the room.
When
the man said nothing the young voice spoke again.
“Sir,
we’re almost out of ammunition. We won’t last the night without backup.”
“Yes.”
The man finally turned.
“What
should I tell the men sir?”
The
man looked down at the pictures he’d received yesterday. The pictures of a baby
that had just been born.
“Tell
them to write letters.”
More
echoes.
“Yes
sir.”
These are great! For me, "Echoes" leaves the biggest impression.
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