Shadow Circus

Here's my story from Writer's Digest's February prompt, which is the first sentence.  Out of 640 entries only five were chosen, alas, not mine. Tell me what you think of it . . .

It was on a bright, starry night that the traveling circus rolled into town.  They paraded down Main Street in grey silence, with neither the animals nor humans making a sound.  Spooky in the extreme, macabre even.

Sneaking out of the house every evening had become the norm, it was better than listening to Mom cry.  I knew I screwed up when I wrecked the car.  But, geez, give a guy a break. 

It was late, around ten o’clock, but like most small towns the sidewalks rolled-up around six and the one and only traffic light in town flashed yellow. I followed the silent entourage, not knowing exactly why, but something pulled me toward them.

Shoving my hands into my Levi’s, I stared at my feet as I walked along the cracked and weedy sidewalk. I didn’t expect to see anyone, which made it worse when I nearly plowed into the town’s certified nutjob.  I didn’t realize I hit her until I heard her gasp. I turned to steady her.  “I’m sorry, Miz Leticia, guess I should have been looking where I was headed.”

She turned, squinting through her glasses as she looked up at me.  “Is that you, Luke Mathews?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” I replied. “What brings you out this late?”

She nervously coughed and glanced at the circus walking down the street.  “Oh, I was working late and I heard the circus arrive.  I thought I’d watch.”

Miz Leticia Feral was considered the town kook because she ran a palm reading shop.  She made all sorts of psychic claims, but no one believed her.  Rumors had spread that sometimes she helped the big city cops when they were looking for a missing kid.  I never saw any cops consulting her, but that didn’t mean she didn’t help.  Most of the time, giggling girls frequented her establishment, because along with the palm reading she also made love potions.

“I wonder why no one else is out tonight.  You woulda thought the circus rolling through would be a sight to see.”

Miz Leticia looked up at me. Her eyes seemed glassy and sad as if she had tears ready to fall.  She laid her hand on my arm.  “Oh, Luke,” she said, her voice catching in her throat. “Let’s follow them.”

Town was only about two blocks long, so it didn’t take long before the circus had reached the old fairgrounds. As silently as they trod down Main Street, they pitched their tents.  Horses and elephants walked into the grassy paddocks and proceeded to eat the overgrown grass.

We stopped at the road turning into the fairgrounds.  I leaned against the broken gate. “Why do you think they’re here, Miz Leticia?  It don’t seem natural somehow.”

Leticia sniffed a little, pulled a tissue out from somewhere, and blew her nose. “Luke . . . honey, they’re here for you.”

I glanced at Miz Leticia, but she refused to look at me.  “Now, that’s just crazy talk, Miz Leticia.  I never wanted to join the circus. Why would they want me?”

“Luke, what do you remember about the accident?” she asked, changing the subject.

“Well, I know I dun wrong, Ma’am, but I survived.  I learned my lesson.  I’ll never text and drive again.” I thought for a minute, but my mind had grown foggy for some reason.  “The accident was real close to here, wasn’t it? I know my truck was totaled. It was messed up something awful.”

A breeze picked up, carrying the faint scent of fresh mown hay fields.  “Yes, Luke the accident was right where you’re standing.”

I looked at the broken gate, noticing for the first time the fresh streak of black paint along the whitewashed poles. On the ground, a white cross was planted in the dirt.  Dead flowers, candles and stuffed animals were piled around the cross.  “I-I don’t understand.”

“You didn’t make it, Luke,” said Leticia.  “You died.”

I frowned as I shook my head. “No . . . n-no—“

“I’m afraid so, Luke.  They’re waiting for you.  It’s time for you to go.”  Shadow figures walked out of the shadow tents and stood, waiting.

“But, Mom—“

“I’ll tell her you said good-bye.”

I felt a pull toward the shadow people.  Miz Leticia was right.  It was time for me to go. “Tell Momma that I love her.”

Again, not quite my normal style. :-)
Later, Peeps!

No, I'm not depressed--the opposite in fact.  This is the title of the story I wrote for Writer's Digest's January contest.  Out of a thousand entries, they chose five finalists.  And no, I wasn't one of the five.  The picture is the prompt, with a maximum of 750 words.  *adult language has been edited out* Tell me what you think (it's NOT my normal style).

Down in the Dregs

Fog rolled in, blotting out the watery sun.  Wispy tendrils of vapor reached out, entwining trees within its grasp before obliterating them from sight as they became mere shadows of their former selves.  A sudden chill of foreboding ripped through me.  For a second, I paused my rhythmic movements.  But with a shiver, I shook off the damp coldness as I continued rowing the small boat to the center of the lake.  I wouldn’t care about the temperature for much longer.

Death was the ultimate cold.    

Suicide wasn’t something to take lightly.  In fact, I wouldn’t have thought of it at all if only one or two bad things happened.  Heck, I bet I could have handled three disasters at one time.  But six?  It was too much. 

I couldn’t fake it any longer.

Last night had been my final hurrah.  None of my buddies suspected a thing.  They were all about getting high, drunk or a piece of xxx.  I played them like I’ve been playing everyone for the last month.   After I dropped them off, I drove my car as far as I could until I was running on fumes, ending up on the far end of a small lake.  A boat was all I needed, and it appeared that providence was on my side.

When I reached the middle of the lake, I tossed the oars inside the boat.  My fingers were numb as I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a bottle of pills.  Guys weren’t supposed to take the easy way out, but I’d rather my mom didn’t see my brains splatted on the interior of the car.  Pills won out over carbon monoxide, since there wasn’t any gas left in the tank.

I stared at the bottle for a second before I opened the lid and poured the pill cocktail into my hand.  As I stared at my palm full of drugs, I realized that I had forgotten one small thing. 

Water.

True, I was surrounded by the stuff, but it was lake water full of fish shit, dead creatures and pollution.  With the way my luck was running, I’d probably catch some weird xxx disease like hepatitis, AIDS or leprosy. 

Then I remembered I was trying to kill myself.  What the xxxx did I care?

The boat rode low as I cupped my hand and leaned over the side.   I filled it and tossed down four pills at a time.  At this rate, I wouldn’t be dead until next Christmas.  I tossed the last six pills into my mouth and leaned over the edge, shoving my face in the cold lake to swallow them. 

Something bumped the boat.  My eyes popped open as the theme from JAWS echoed in my mind.  Out of the corner of my eye, I could have sworn I saw a woman’s face with hair the color of moonlight.  I jerked my head out of the water.  The xxxx pills must be starting to take effect.  Hell if I knew what xxxx pills I swallowed.  All I asked for was something to kill the pain.  All the dealer wanted was crisp hundreds.  We both got what we needed.

The boat rocked again.  My xxx slipped off the bench seat and onto the bottom of the boat.  I giggled like a chick.  Focusing on anything was taking too much effort, so I closed my eyes.  The boat tilted wildly to the side.  I grabbed onto the bench seat afraid that it was going to capsize.

A pair of hands clenched the boat.  Focusing was difficult, even blinking hard to clear my eyes didn’t help.  A head rose over the boat’s side as the creature flung its head back.  Water and hair arced over her head as I was caught in the spray. 

I was losing it now.  Hallucinations were coming hard and fast.  A chick, mermaid, mer-chick . . . whatever . . . pulled herself into the boat.  I lay there, unable to move.  My chest heaved.  All I could do was watch.  She tried talking to me, but I couldn’t hear any longer. 

Darkness descended.

The sun warmed my face.  I felt like xxxx. Hurt like a couple of thugs had beaten me with a two-by-four.  Something wiggled by my side.

She was there.