Short Story : ' Goodnight Kids '

I saw my father, young and determined, working at the crack of dawn in the brickyard, while my mother stayed home to childproof their small apartment. Using the potent mixture of caffeine and chemicals contained in Mountain Dew, he was able to resist the urge to doze off during his daily classes. I saw myself running around the large oak tree that dwarfed our first house, and couldn’t help but smile as I thought about my mom, pregnant with my sister, walking me to the library to play with the puppets and pick up books about my favorite dinosaurs. I saw the terrifying night that the oak tree was stuck by lightning, and heard my mothers voice over the phone at school, eagerly telling me about my new baby brother. My stream of consciousness was broken as we entered the scorching area where they bake the bricks, but I quickly zoned out again as my grandpa began to explain the technical aspects of brickmaking. This time, the memories took place in a new house, as our cozy home had turned claustrophobic with the addition of a fifth member. Quiet walks to the library were replaced with chaotic days at the pool. The cards began to pick up speed, as I got deeper into my life. The dark years of middle school, when my hair covered my eyes and I

She held her Daisies and looked me in the eyes. Her cheeks were red like roses and her eyes were bright under the moonlight and stars above. It was the happiest I had ever seen her. This made me happy because I only took a day and a half to plan this and I only had to buy flowers and poster board. I walked her to her car and hugged her and kissed her goodbye. It’s amazing how simple things can make someone’s day an amazing one. As she looked at me through the window I could tell what she was thinking. She didn’t have to be upset. She knows that

I wanted to be there, even though it was quite a trip. The traffic was dreadful especially on this holiday weekend. The minute I got your letter, I had the courage to risk it all. What matters now is you’re back and my heart starts beating again. I’ve reached the hill finally. There was a chill in the air. The only sounds were bugs thrumming in the grasses above and birds chirping even higher up. And there you were, looking as if we didn’t part. There was no hesitation, we linked arms with each other. No urging needed, we kissed and

Beep Beep Beep!!! Goes my alarm. It was time for school. Stuck in my bed not wanting to move from this warm comfortable spot, I started digging at the crust in the corners of my eyes. The smell of bacon filled the air in my room pushing me out of the bed and leading me to the hallway. I head to the kitchen where I find my mother

With that letter it’s noon and I’m most likely to find her at Sammy’s. I see her a little ways up the street, and I start to run towards her. She turns around because someone starts to talk to her. Once I reach her I spin her around, and kiss her. Her reaction feels shocked at first, then she kisses me back once she realizes who it is. After the kiss was over I notice her crying I ask “Why are you crying beautiful?” She says to me “It’s been so long I thought you would have forgotten about me.” I look at her with tears welling up in my eyes and reply “I could never forget about the girl of my dreams, the girl that I love, and the girl I can’t live without.” I then decide that this moment is the perfect moment. I then with no second thought got down on one knee. With no words in my mouth to say she still understood what my gesture meant. She then with no words in her mouth to say nodded yes. I then stood upright, and tilted her back a little bit. I kissed her yet again, but this time more passionately with more meaning. I knew deep down inside of me that this is my girl, my everything, and here shortly she will be my wife and the mother to my

I've seen the pictures of us, taken in a life I do not remember, when we both carried the smooth faces of youth and looked so happy together. The original me fell in love with you, a young god carved of heartwood and polished smooth by diamond sand, with skin sheened brown as shellac by the fire of a dying sun. But I do not have the memory of ever loving you, so looking at the pictures is like looking at a stranger’s life. With my incomplete memory sequence, I knew you were my husband, knew I should love you, tried to, but my heart held nothing.

“Oh, baby. I’m so glad your home,” Miles whispered, his voice hitching mid sentence. “I missed you so much. I just can’t believe you’re really here. We never stopped looking, never,” he murmured against her

You’re present, here always, with me With your charming smile as sweet as it can be. Let the cool breeze of dawn caress your head, Open your eyes, see I’m there by your bed. I see you not with my eyes but mind, I feel a strong bond deeply entwined. I treat you with awe and veneration, I hold for you a sincere admiration.

“Uh huh. Well, it’s…” I yawn cutting her off, “Ok honey I think it is time for bed, it is 2:19, you need to sleep or your mom will never let you come over again.” I nod sleep dousing over me. She picks up the cards, guides me to my bed, tucks me in, kisses my forehead, and whispers I love you. She turns out the lights, heading for her own peaceful

I woke up in the middle of the night to get a drink of water. Something awoke me. Since I didn’t know what it was, I brushed it off and went back to get my glass of water. I somehow fell asleep. In the morning I find my door wide open. The weird thing is, I keep my door closed. “I must have accidentally left it open,” I said to myself quietly. I stood up and got dressed, but then I heard a noise. “What the heck?” I said to myself, but then the window flew wide open. “What was that?” I said, “I should go for a ride, it will take my mind off things.” I got onto my Yamaha R6 and headed to LA. “Wow, this place is packed,” I said to myself quietly under my visor. I headed towards Starbucks. I wanted to get coffee

The following morning when I had to go to work, it was so hard to look at your sweet little face; you seemed okay with it even though it was ripping my heart out to leave you. I would have liked nothing better than to take you with me, or better yet stayed at home.

And I was there, too, hoping to find you and say to you, Come back, come back, there's only one street, one door, we didn't mean it, we didn't know, whatever was wrong will be different. Several times I decided you were dead, even wished you were dead, but then another postcard would come, with another message to ponder. And I've always read them, even when my husband said not to, even if they've driven me to tears or rage or a blankness when I've no longer cared if you were dead or anyone were dead, including myself. I've been faithful, too, you see. I've always looked up where you were in the atlas, and put your postcards in the box. Sixtythree postcards, four hundred—odd lines of scrawl: our life together. Why are you standing there like that? my daughter asks me. I must have been away somewhere, I say. But I'm back. Yes. You see, Mother, I always come back. That's the distance that separates us. But on summer evenings, when the windows are open to the dusk, I sometimes smell cities … wheat fields … oceans—strange smells from far away—all the places you've been to that I never will. I smell them as if they weren't pictures on a postcard, but real, as close as my outstretched hand. And sometimes in the middle of the night, I'll sit bolt upright, my husband instantly awake and frightened, asking, What is it? What is it?

As many beautiful memories are waiting for me there I cannot get over the single most horrible experience of my entire life. I can see the man running at us, hand glued to the pocket of his black hoodie. I should have stepped in front of you when I got that weird feeling. The shining blade of the knife that pierced your delicate skin etched never healing slashes into my brain. I can feel the warm blood escaping you as I hold your shivering body in my arms. The flow of tears streaming down my face landed in the crook of your neck as I buried my head in your shoulder. I can feel the weak grasp of your hand pulling me away to look you in the eyes. Oh, those beautiful eyes. I stared into those pools of blue as you said “I love you” for the final time, afterwards closing them to slip into your eternal sleep. Sobs wracked through my body as the paramedics pulled me off of you, but they were too late. Their apologies and condolences are ignored as I stared into the sky hoping that I’ll find one of those shooting stars that you always talked about and make a wish to get you back. I was never good at finding

The day was so beautiful everything was going so perfectly, but the minute he wasn 't with me i was shook. Jealous of little kids, I think not. I was there physically, but mentally my mind was wandering. I Was stuck in a daze.

As I walk up the flight of the stained wooden stairs to our hand built porch I see the front door come into view. As my hand firmly grasps the handle and pushes open the door the welcoming scent envelops me in an earnest hug. While I review the room I see all the memories and flashbacks flood my eyes. The wooden coffee table I used to dance on in the center of the room. The couches against the wall where we would sit and watch movies and play games together. The door to my