30 Days of Fiction: 13

There are times in one's life where one decision creates a multiplicity of potential outcomes. Some outcomes are good and some are bad.

I pulled into the parking lot of the skating rink to pick up my sister, Sharon, around 10 o'clock at night and waited for her to finish her sock hop dance. When it was over she got in the car and we talked for a bit about the event and drove out of town. At the time we both lived about 5 miles out of town in a rural part of North Bend, Oregon. We traveled across the large green bridge that marks the small town and pulled onto the old highway road now covered in darkness. Ahead of me was a huge black truck that was so new that any light coming off it shone brightly.

I was driving a 1985 Honda Accord hatchback with a couple hundred thousand miles on it but I had driven that road so many times that I knew I could take the truck so I decided to pass it. I pulled into the oncoming traffic's lane and stomped on the gas but so did the truck. I stayed on the side of the truck for nearly a mile along a straight stretch where I could at least see the lights of any oncoming traffic but soon the road would turn into a winding snake of darkness and danger. As the visibility of the oncoming road began to dwindle I had to decide whether or not I would continue in the lane or admit defeat and slow down to get back into the right lane.

I decided to keep going. Staying in the oncoming lane we both rounded corner after corner. This was where my knowledge and commitment began to come in handy. I knew how fast I could take each turn and the truck began to slow. My little car could handle the turns better and my commitment to the endeavor was unwavering and eventually the truck allowed me to pass and in the rear view mirror I saw it turn off down a dark side road. My heart was racing and I looked over to see my terrified sister holding on for dear life. She looked over and immediately I realized what I had put her through and I was ashamed but part of me was happy. The part that only cared about my ego and pride and I felt as if I had accomplished something. I showed that brand new truck that I was better than it.

*I decided to keep going. I stayed in the oncoming lane around the first corner going near 60 miles an hour when it was hardly safe going 30 miles an hour. Tight turn after tight turn I continued until out of the left side of my vision a bright light appeared and grew brighter than the sun. I slammed on the brakes but it was too late. The truck to my right had also slammed on their brakes and I had no where to go. With a crash the oncoming lights collided with the front end of my small car as metal, glass and flesh were ripped apart at the seems.

I woke up with blood pouring out of my head and looked over to see nothing in the passenger seat. I looked up to see the windshield in shreds and a body lay on the street a few yards up. The sun had dimmed as the other car had fell into the ditch to the left. My seat belt was pressing into my chest but I struggled and broke it loose. I exited the car out of the mangled door and walked up toward the body lying lifeless on the road. Seeing the long dark hair and small stature I knew what I was seeing. My sister lay there bleeding and as the adrenaline began to subside my body began to shake. I ran to the nearest house to call an ambulance but it was too late. My ego and pride had done it's duty and my sister had paid the price.

*I decided to keep going. Still in the left lane as the first turn came I could see the truck slow down. My car was better at the sharp turns and I knew them so well I could push my speed to the max. Just as I thought that I would overtake the truck a bright light appeared from ahead. Without thinking I stomped on the brakes and jerked the wheel to the left launching the car into the forested ravine that lined the dark road. The car flipped onto it's back and tumbled over and over until it was stopped by a large fir tree with a crash. When the ambulance finally came they were unable to save the driver but the passenger wasn't so lucky. My sister was taken to the hospital where, after a brief coma, she was left with severe brain damage and would never speak again.

*I decided to slow down. I slowed to the consternation of my pride and pulled back into the right lane. I turned to my sister, who was relieved at my decision, and said, "I could've taken it." We talked and laughed about how my car was such a piece of shit and arrived home safely. I was never haunted by my decision that night.

30 Days of Fiction: 1

Jack sat facing Jill who was determined to convince Jack that he was wrong about the message of the play they had just watched. Jack was just wrong to think that the play should have ended differently. It had ended perfectly and tragically and Jill would not allow Jack his feeble understanding of the message. Jack was insisting that the end was needlessly shocking and left the viewer with a sense of pointless despair but obviously he just didn't get it.

"I'm just saying that I like stories with a little hope. I don't like when writers add some shock at the end of the story to end everything and prove that they are in control and teach the audience they can't predict things. It's like a 'look what I can do' to the audience. It seems like a cop out." Jack tried to explain.

"That's not it at all. You just don't get it." Jill continued as they drank their coffee, adding fiery energy to the conversation. "Real life is unpredictable and tragic and the author is trying to tell us that. Telling us to live without regret. I think it's beautiful and wonderful."

"I thought it was great until the end. The acting was good and they did a lot with that small stage. It had a fun, happy tone the whole time until the end when they just throw sadness into your face and say 'ha, ha, fuck you' for thinking this would end like most stories'."Jack said with a scowl of disgust at the emotional manipulation the playwright was attempting. "And," He tried but was interrupted by Jill.

"Your crazy, it wasn't about 'fuck you audience'", She said mockingly. "It was about love. Your just wrong. I don't understand where your getting this from." Jill was irritated to the point of anger.

"Whatever." Jack said tired of arguing. "Let's talk about something else."

"Fine. But you just don't understand that sometimes life is like that," Jill said, not talking about something else.

"I understand what life is like and how life is tragic but I don't want to watch a show that for 90% of it takes me on a path of normal happy and hope and then drops a random death and divorce bomb on me and then expects me to leave happy. I like stories with hope!" Jack was exasperated. What was the point of paying to watch something that tricks you into being sad at the last minute?

Jill responded angrily, "Your fucking stupid! No one is tricking you! Your just not open.."

Jack interrupted, "Why are you so passionate about forcing me to think like you do? Can't you just get that we have different takes on the play and that is fine? Jesus Christ."

"Whatever. Your wrong." Jill said slightly deflated at Jack's comment but still resolute. She looked down and they both sat in silence for a moment not looking at each other.

After a few tense but necessary moments they looked at each other and eventually produced labored smiles. Jack reached his hand out to Jill on the table and she took it quickly.

"Let's go home." He said.

When they got to their little apartment they immediately parted ways dispensing with belongings and ignoring each other. The ride home had been silent as neither one wanted to start another conflict and now that they were home they both hoped to find something to distract from the previous events. Jack was the first one to turn the TV on and Jill began to make soup for one.

"Are you hungry?" She asked expecting to make another bowl of soup.

"No. I'm fine. Thanks." Jack said with the excitement of a sloth.

Jill came an sat next to Jack and they watched comedies for about an hour with little to no laughter between them. Then someone spoke.

"Hey," Jill said looking at Jack. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Jack asked not looking over.

"You know what I'm talking about." Jill responded matter-of-factly.

"I don't know," Jack confessed in a sorrowful tone.

"Your not happy," Jill said finally broaching the subject she had dreaded for a while now.

"I don't know. I'm depressed and don't know what to do and I can't talk to my mom and I don't know why," Jack slumped over burying his face in the sofa armrest pillow. He began to cry.

"You need to do something." Jill tried to console him. "You should talk to your mom or something, or get a new job. You're not happy with your job either. You're stressed out and not doing anything."

Jack whimpered,"I know." Then he lifted his head slowly, turned to Jill and fell into her lap. She held him and rubbed his back as he laid there thinking about how useless and confused he was.


The next day he felt better and so did Jill. They slept in and had a nice lunch together and watched TV. This time laughing and making jokes and smiling. That night Jack made his plans and resolved to change things. He started researching exercise programs, diet books, books on self esteem and psychology. He would read more and stop eating such shitty food and start living as if he mattered.

"I'm going to start reading more and I'm going to stop eating fast food and work out all the time." Jack said to Jill with wide eyes full of excitement.

"Your going to read? OK, Sure." She said with incredulity. "Gluten, dairy. Those are the problem. You should start eating gluten and dairy free."

"What?" Jack said dismayed. "OK" he said undeterred and went back to the laptop making his plans. He would buy a kettle bell and go on walks. Maybe get a bike.

Later that month Jack and Jill broke up. They talked about having different expectations and desires. Jack felt like he had used Jill for companionship and sex and Jill felt that too. She had used him too and they both agreed to move on to something new. They cried and hugged and it was the end of their time together.