| General Fiction posted March 29, 2021 |
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a short story on choices
Joey
by judester
Streaks of black ink raked Joey's pants as he slouched on the thin cot. Beyond the window
cold early morning rain fell. He shivered with the chill and held his head.
Hungover, he recalled last night as regret washed over him in waves.
The farewell party with his best friends to wish him well on his African adventure started off great. Three months in Kenya at a renowned safari school.
His father, (Oh God, he muttered as he thought of his dad) his father had a college friend that had organized everything and so many extra activities.
Joey thought of his new luggage stacked up in his bedroom at home, packed and waiting.
The party was by the lake with a bonfire and food made by the girls. They took photos of themselves and told Joey how lucky he was. It was great fun until he drank those shots.
Now, a jerk of pain shot across his chest as he dimly recalled Tori reaching for his keys. Her eyes bright in the fire light as he jangled the keys just above her head. She was crying, he was chuckling as he got into his truck.
Suddenly, in a dizzy rush, it all came back to him.
The screaming of his brakes then the face of a old man looking at him quizzically, yet calm through the window.
The hiss of a cracked radiator echoed in the silence until the wail and flashing lights of the EMT.
Joey remained dazed in his crumpled truck. His lap sparkled with the crystals of his broken windshield.
Now in the gray jail cell, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a thin folded document.
It was his return ticket for this afternoon's flight.
On the front, the logo of an airline with a peaceful family of elephants, beyond Mt Kilimanjaro.
cold early morning rain fell. He shivered with the chill and held his head.
Hungover, he recalled last night as regret washed over him in waves.
The farewell party with his best friends to wish him well on his African adventure started off great. Three months in Kenya at a renowned safari school.
His father, (Oh God, he muttered as he thought of his dad) his father had a college friend that had organized everything and so many extra activities.
Joey thought of his new luggage stacked up in his bedroom at home, packed and waiting.
The party was by the lake with a bonfire and food made by the girls. They took photos of themselves and told Joey how lucky he was. It was great fun until he drank those shots.
Now, a jerk of pain shot across his chest as he dimly recalled Tori reaching for his keys. Her eyes bright in the fire light as he jangled the keys just above her head. She was crying, he was chuckling as he got into his truck.
Suddenly, in a dizzy rush, it all came back to him.
The screaming of his brakes then the face of a old man looking at him quizzically, yet calm through the window.
The hiss of a cracked radiator echoed in the silence until the wail and flashing lights of the EMT.
Joey remained dazed in his crumpled truck. His lap sparkled with the crystals of his broken windshield.
Now in the gray jail cell, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a thin folded document.
It was his return ticket for this afternoon's flight.
On the front, the logo of an airline with a peaceful family of elephants, beyond Mt Kilimanjaro.
Life's Choices writing prompt entry
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Writing Prompt Write a short story about how making a choice can impact your life. It can be a story about the past, present, or future. |
Thanks to supergold for the artwork. Every day we have choices.
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