Chapter 1:
It is as if I am staring into an empty void in space. Left to my own thoughts. Left to wonder and explore my own existence. How did I end up here? I can’t feel, I haven’t been able to feel in god knows how long. My arms, legs, fingers, you name it. I don’t remember how I came to this point. All I know is that one day I appeared like this.
Time passes by in this god forsaken void, but I haven’t been keeping track. With nothing around there is no need for clocks. Minutes, Hours, Days, Months; I don’t need any of it here. All I have is me. All I have are my thoughts.
Maybe I am dead. Is this hell? It can’t be. Certainly not heaven. A Purgatory of some sorts? I definitely feel stuck somewhere in-between. I was never really a religious guy so I wouldn’t know what this is supposed to be.
Based on who I was. If I were died. I would’ve assumed hell is where I would have ended up. Being a thief is definitely not a saint’s lifestyle. But who goes to purgatory? Was this suicide?
It would be great if I remembered how I got here! Damn it! It’s hard to put all of this together. I need to think back to the beginning, if I can muster the energy.
Come on… think man, think!!
—
My stomach starts gurgling as I am walking down this long road. In search for food since my parents haven’t bought any in a few days. All I’ve had to eat was some moldy bread and a few crackers, nothing to satisfy any stomach let alone a 10 year olds.
There hasn’t been much on this road, maybe a few cars have driven by. All I can see for miles is farmland, and the lush green hills in the distance. A sunny day and a light breeze. Perfect for walking, but terrible to be stuck in while starving.
I know up the road there is a vineyard and if I could sneak into it without any of the farmers finding me then I can steal some grapes and eat, maybe bring a few grapes to my family.
I’ve done this plenty of times, but usually not by myself. My younger brother Billy and I would team up and grab as many grapes as we could. He would be on lookout and I would grab them.
But I have to do it alone this trip, my brother has the flu and couldn’t join me. My parents don’t know what we do, I guess they choose to ignore it. I don’t understand why, maybe I never will. It provides food and at that moment, when everyone is starving, you choose to look the other way and eat.
Finally, I am approaching the vineyard, I squeeze under the fence with my bucket. These trees are huge, with rows and rows of grapes. I grab one of the grapes and take a bite. They are juicy and crunchy; just the way I like them. With a smile on my face I start grabbing more to fill up my basket.
As I pick the grapes I hear twigs snapping. I look around and I see a man running down from the other end of the vineyard. “Hey kid!” Yells the farmer. I turn around and start running as fast as I can. “Stop running! We called the cops!” yells the farmer.
I’m running as fast as I can, when I finally approach the fence. I start crawling under the fence but my pants get stuck in the wire. I’m yanking at my pants trying to unhook them but it’s too late. The farmer caught up and grabs my leg.
Panicked, I start yelling, “Let me go! Let me go!”, the farmer pulls me up from under the fence. “This will be the last time you steal grapes from me” the Farmer says.
With tears streaming down my face I cry out, “I’m just trying to help my family!”. The farmer looks down, barely able to see me over his stomach; “If you really wanted to help them you wouldn’t be stealing.”
“What would you do? Wouldn’t you do anything for your family!” I asked. “I would do anything, but stealing is wrong” replied the farmer.
I sniffed a little and looked into the farmers eyes; “Even if your family is starving?”
“Not my problem kid, by the way, what’s your name?” the farmer said.
“Joseph” I respond as the police show up.
Chapter 2:
HELP!! I can hear voices in the darkness. Getting louder and louder. I’ve been able to make out a few words, “Doctor”, “Coma”. Is that what this is? Am I in a coma?
All of a sudden, I feel a shock, and another, and another. Then a bright light emerges and a room appears.
“He’s awake doctor!” yells someone. I see a group of people standing around me. “Hello” says a man wearing white scrubs on my left; “My name is Doctor Lister, you have been in a medically induced coma for 2 months.”
I try to speak but I begin to struggle at first, “Wha..what…happened?”. Dr. Lister grabbed my hand, “It’s alright, don’t waste your energy right now; you’ve been under a few surgeries and you need to heal. You were in an accident sir. You’re a hero.”
—
There she was, Ms. Annie Turner, the prettiest girl at King City High School. Sitting right in front of me. With her long hair and beautiful eyes. Of course, no one would think she would be into me. I was one of the bad boys of the school, and she was the club president of the “King City Bible Study Club”.
Alas opposites attract, because tonight will be our fifth date. The best part is, tonight, I am going to ask her to prom. I’ve got a plan, and a reservation at the best taco joint in town!
As I am lost in my daydream the bell rings. I quickly grab my stuff and head out into the hall to catch up with Annie. I tap her on the shoulder, “Hey!”. “Hello Joseph, you are just the person I’ve been meaning to talk to” says Annie. “Cool, what’s up?”
Annie sighs and looks down at the ground. “What’s wrong” I ask. Annie grabs her right arm with her left and avoids eye contact, “Look” whispers Annie. “I know we went on a few dates, and they were nice…but, my family wants me to stay within our church.”
I take a step back in astonishment, “Wait a minute” I respond, clutching my fists I say with some frustration, “You seemed so happy on our dates, I’ve never hurt you, I don’t understand…”
“It’s not you, I swear!” Annie said with a tone of sadness in her voice, “It’s my parents…and my church.” “Does your church tell you to choose them over love?” I respond angrily. Annie begins to cry and she wipes her eyes, “No, but my parents don’t want outside influences to take me away from Jesus.”
I squeeze my backpack and start walking backwards, “Maybe I’m not taking you away from Jesus, maybe Jesus is leaving me behind.” I turn around and walk away.
At that moment, something snapped. That would be the last day I attend classes at King City High School. I drive home and run into the house heading straight toward my step parent’s stash of beer and began drinking.
That combination of anger, raging hormones, and alcohol was causing pressure that I had to release. I get back in the car and storm off, just driving, I have nowhere to go.
I then see Annie’s pastor standing at a blood drive in his churches parking lot. I pull into the parking lot and run at full speed toward the pastor, he turns around and I punch him square in the face. “It’s your fault!” I yell at the pastor. Other people standing around start pulling me back. I lose all control and begin to cry; “It’s all your fault!”.
Chapter 3:
I wake up to a nurse bringing me a letter. I reach over and open it:
Dear Joseph,
Thank you for saving our daughter. We are indebted to you. Please accept our gift of flowers, which should be on their way if you haven’t gotten them already.
If you need anything don’t be afraid to call us at the number below. We would love to meet you.
Sincerely,
William Wittenmyer
The memory is slowly starting to return. The picture is beginning to form, I remember wearing a torn-up shirt and dirty jeans, I was in San Francisco…walking on the golden gate bridge… about to jump…
—
It was a cold March morning in San Francisco. I was homeless and I had given up on everything. No one would hire me after prison, especially after my second time. My step parents disowned me and it’s been years since I’ve talked to my real parents.
I was walking the golden gate bridge ready to end it all. There was no clear path in life, no reason to be around and be a waste of flesh.
I stood there looking at the ocean. The endless waves that will lead to my demise. The ocean is a beautiful place I thought, maybe in the next life I could be a fish.
I grab the bar and close my eyes. I took a deep breath and begin to count down from 10.
All of sudden I hear a car crash into the bridge and my eyes open. I look back on the road and a car is upside down and on fire. I look closer and I see an arm laying banging on the window.
I jump off of the ledge and start running unto the road and toward the fire. The heat is intense, I can feel it a 100 feet away. I rip up my shirt and put it over my mouth.
I get on my hands and knees and crawl to the car. I can see the person in the car through the window. She is covered in blood and is panicking. I can see the fear in her eyes.
I punch the window out and grab her but the seat belt has her. I pull a switchblade from my pocket and cut the seat belt. She falls down and passes out. I drag her away from the car and begin CPR.
The flame is getting bigger, right as I reach over her the car explodes.
Chapter 4:
“Doctor” I asked while in physical therapy. “Yes?” Replied Dr. Lister. “Do you know I’m a criminal?” I asked. “Yes, I read your background report.” Answered Dr. Lister.
I took a moment to ponder and asked another question; “Then why treat me so nice, why call me a hero?” Dr. Lister took a second to respond, “Because you saved that women, there is no denying that. You are a hero. Also, it is my job to care for everyone criminal or not…but… if you asked my opinion. You have a second chance Joseph.”
“A second chance at what” I asked. “A second chance to life. I don’t know your story, I don’t know what had been done to you to shape you, but you have some good in you. We all do. I think saving that women showed us the kind of character you are capable of. You are a selfless person Joseph. You care, maybe a little too much, but you care.”
I took a moment to soak that in. I looked down at the floor and after a few seconds in a monotone voice I said, “When I read that letter I felt as though the letter was meant for someone else…not for me. I was labeled as a criminal from a young age, a sinner incapable of being saved.” My voice began to get sadder, my eyes began to water. “I had this image that people put into my head about who I was so I had to be tougher and meaner. But that wasn’t who I was…I guess what I really needed was to be myself.”
The doctor grinned and nodded. “How about we get your feet moving again so you can start on that new life?” said Dr. Lister. I smiled and started to lift my left foot.
Short Stories
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