It's a Small World After All

My first short story (June 5, 2011)

Two gunshots fire.

 

No one seems to hear it.

 

Everyone else is asleep in the house. My dream cloud has dissipated and I look into the direction of where it faded, trying to recollect my thoughts.

 

Thinking that the echo of a bullet was part of my dream, I turn my body to my window and open the blinds to try and count the stars or see the moon as an attempt to try and let myself be engulfed by the imminent darkness.

 

I open the blinds and there it is.

A dark shadowy figure lying on the pavement, with a black pool beneath him, gradually expanding.

Almost immediately, my heart jumps at the sight of it. My soul starts to choke. My eyes open wide. Speechless, stunned, mortified. But in the midst of my internal panic, I just lay there too, motionless. I wanted to cry for help but what could I do? My body would not move and my mouth would not speak.

 

I wanted to scream or at least forget that I ever saw a thing. With all my strength, I calmed my silent panic just enough to turn over and close my eyes again to try and force myself to fall asleep.

Just before my eye lids shut, I caught a glimpse of the red glow from my alarm clock.

Sunday June 5, 2011; 1:43AM.