A Short Story : A Story?

Single golden leaf pirouetted down an invisible spiral of breeze, spinning through the air as it let itself be carried down. It blew past my face and landed lightly on the ground, the shiny, vibrant color standing out against the cold, emotionless cement. It was already dusk, I watched as the light drains away until there is barely enough even for shadows. Whether I like it or not, the darkness was arriving, and under it everything in this silent city is hidden.

“ No one can know that I killed her, got it john?” Okay lizzy, I understand. But what if- what do you mean what if john, there’s no what if’s there has to be no evidence that I killed her, so drive over here and bring plastic wrap. Do you think that’ll be good enough? John stuttered and then replied back to lizzy with a yes. While john is driving over to get lizzy and the dead girl, he sees a cop out of the corner of his eye, and starts to panic. Everything changed that night, the world and his friends aren’t what they use to be anymore, the girl he thought he knew, had some issues he or no one never knew.

“Well, now, let me think about it for a minute, I want to be reasonable. With all the money you make at the drug store, you can afford $800 a month to start. Remember, I know how much you go,” Nancy said and snickered.

“Why bother,” Penny huffed. “We already know it’ll be something crazy. They’ll probably tell us to jump off the building, to just trust them! What’ll you do then, Lennon?”

“You’re in danger. There are things I need to tell you but can’t” he said.

“We will be back at twelve. Don’t let any strangers in and let the dog out when you can,” said my mother. “Okay. I will, bye. love you.” I said quickly pushing them out the door. “Julia will be home around eleven to get her bag for Raelynn's house,”my mother said as she grabbed her purse. “yes I know. Bye!” I said once more.

The winter air of New York stung her face as she stepped off the train platform. After what felt like hours on the train from Pennsylvania, she welcomed the fresh air. She had a lovely time visiting her relatives; however, she was glad to be back home in the city. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, but it would still be some time before she could make it home to rest. She decided to wait until the crowd of passengers hailing taxis thinned out to claim her own.

There were days where she barely thought about what happened at that party. Days where she was just Bailey doing exactly what she had always done before that fateful night. Then there were days where sometimes the smallest discrete thing would happen that would bring flashes of it before her eyes. The way someone’s hand moved or the sound of a door locking. She truly wasn’t sure how others coped with such a thing. There had been written statements saying she dragged him off, that it was something she wanted. It had been said to her so many times now that sometimes she actually started to believe it, question herself.

She was scared, lost, and confused. Anyone could tell simply by looking in her eyes. As she stared out the window, Margaret could see it all. She saw every fear spelled out in the woman’s eyes. Margaret’s heart cried out in pain as it broke into several pieces.

“You ever wish you’d done something else?” Mac asked. “Gone out in the world a bit?”

Yuri stood outside the shop, watching his prey with an evil grin. He had waited long enough.

Nat pulled a stool forward and sat down, leaning forward put the cigarette up to the top of the flame, the flame lapped at the cigarette for a while until the end glowed red like the embers of the fire. Nat withdrew the cigarette from the flame, put it up to his mouth, hesitating then sighed and gently put the cigarette in between his lips. It hung downwards, as he drew in a deep breathe, allowing the smoke to fill his mouth, he gently blew out and watched the blue-grey smoke filled the air around him. “Tomorrow, during the next tide, I’ll have to go out and see if there are any survivors,” Nat sighed, “If we can find anyone maybe they’ll know of a safe place.”

Knowing by the tone of his voice something was wrong, Andrew said, “I’m never too busy to talk. Bill, what is going on? You sound as though you are about to lose it.”

I woke up half asleep the alarm blared and as the red numbers glimmered, 5:00 am time to start the day. Jeffrey was already awake starting the chores. I reached out to grab my crying little ball of warmth “Good morning Bessie” I said. The crying stopped and I wiped the tears from her face and she yawned. Groggily I walked to the kitchen just as Jeffrey was coming in the front door. I smiled at him but the expression on his face showed pure terror.

Moving around on the bench as if trying to get comfortable before she spoke, Marlene said, “What I’m going to say will probably make you laugh. Please don’t.”