Dear readers, I know that some of you have followed me because of my writing with The Cellist. I know that it's been a hot minute since I've written anything on it an, unfortunately, I don't think I ever will again due to lack of direction and inspiration. However, now that I've graduated with my bachelors last spring, moved across the country, and I've started a new job, I've been able to settle in and let my creative juices flow. This idea came to me the other day and wanted to write it down. This'll be a short story and I hope you all enjoy!
LH
Each day passes on innocently, without anyone suspecting the possibility of their timely demise. They take each breath, each sunrise and each smile for granted. The most guilty of this are those in their youth. They're just finding their footing in the world without realizing that death is just one step behind them, waiting ever so patiently. This is the story in which death caught up. This is the telling of the death of Sarah Williams.
It was late on a summer Saturday night, well past midnight, and it was starting to rain. Sarah Williams just finished with her closing shift at a local county bar. With the latest school semester coming to an end, she needed to keep herself occupied and find some source of income. Like most college students, bartending and waitressing gigs meet their summer needs.
The bar that Sarah worked at was tucked away into the woods on the outskirts of town, taking nearly 45 minutes to get back to her apartment. It was late and Sarah just wanted to get home, take off her shoes, and get some sleep.
"See you tomorrow." Jeff, her coworker, called out as Sarah closed the bar door on her way out.
She waved and smiled.
The now wet gravel crunched beneath her feet as Sarah walked out to her car.
Once inside her car and out of the rain, Sarah pulled the cash out her her apron and began to count the tips she'd earned through the night.
Death watched.
$66.59.
Sarah rubbed her eyes and sighed. The night could have gone better and she was worried about paying this month's rent. She started the engine and the windshield wipers. With the lights and brights on, Sarah pulled out of the gravel parking lot and began her way home.
Death's ears perked up.
With the rain and heavy cloud cover, the lonely, lightless road she was driving on seemed darker than usual. No other car was on the road and the friendly starlight that usually guided her home was absent tonight.
The rain began to pour harder and more violently so Sarah increased the speed of her wipers and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. It was getting more difficult to see farther ahead and she squinted.
Death eagerly crossed his arms.
It was hard to focus much farther on the road ahead and Sarah began to get tunnel vision, narrowing the area on which she could focus. The pelting rain on her windshield reminded her of Star Wars, when they'd go into warp speed. Sarah laughed internally, but kept her face stoic and eyes on the road.
From the corner of her eye, Sarah spotted some movement. A deer came running out from the covered woods alongside the road and Sarah instinctively slammed her weight into the brake pedal.
Death's eyes widened.
Instead of creating the desired effect, Sarah's car tires slid over the wet pavement and she began to swerve back and forth.
Sarah cranked the wheel round and round, desperately trying to straighten the car out. And then, everything she'd learned from her driving classes came back to her and she knew what she'd have to do. Instead of slamming the break, Sarah began to pump the pedal.
It was much easier to control her car and it began to slow down.
Once the car came to a stop, Sarah pulled over to the side of the road and put the car in park.
"Ohhhhhhhh." Sarah closed her eyes and rested her head against the car seat.
Sarah decided to take the rest of the drive home slower, almost excruciatingly so.
Death curled his lip, his spirits lowered.
An hour later, Sarah pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex, relieved to have made it home alive. It was a nerve wracking way to end an already long night.
Death was impatient.
With another sigh, Sarah grabbed her keys from the ignition and her purse from the passenger's seat. Locking car door behind her, Sarah began to walk towards her building when she heard a man call out. She spun on the heels of her sore feet.
"Give me the purse." His voice shaked and his eyes were wide, bloodshot and dilated. His hands were stuffed into the pocket of his sweatshirt.
Sarah's heart rose to her throat and she froze.
"Just give me the purse!" He rose his voice and shook his arms, still keeping his hands sheathed.
"I don't want trouble." Sarah barely found her voice.
"Just do it, Lady!"
Instead of throwing her entire purse towards the man, Sarah began to reach for the flap on her purse, wanting to throw the man her wallet. However, Sarah didn't get that far.
Seeing that Sarah was reaching for something, the man panicked and pulled his hands out of his pocket with a pistol attached at the end.
One shot was fired.
That's all that it took. Sarah fell to the ground, the hardness of the concrete resonating through her body. The man processed what he'd just done, and stood momentarily in disbelief. Then, coming to his senses, he grabbed her purse and ran.
Death laughed.