Control

It was that late at night.  It was so obvious.  The last straw had been had.  It was over.  Done.  Screw it.  He was ready now, for the last thing, the last time.  It was no longer needed.

So the frost covered the road.  He kept driving.  He kept leaving behind him trails of bread crumbs in the form of skid marks.  But he didn't care.  Not this time.  Not again.  Never again.  Never.

So he drove, faster and faster.  Spinning the steering wheel this way and that.  He took turns too fast, almost flipping the car.  But he always kept hold.  He always managed control.

It was that late at night.  The stars and moon were bright and lit the way.  Headlights off.  No reason to have them on.  Driving in darkness.  The snow began to fall.  He was being followed.

Hours had gone by, his tank was nearing empty.  They would catch him soon.  The moon had gone.  Stars were fading.  Light was creeping into the sky.  Everything around him began to take shape.

He stepped on the gas peddle.  He moved fast.  Faster and faster.  He was running on fumes.  They were going to catch him.  One last turn.  He spun the wheel.  He lost control.

If I Could

If I could, I would give her the stars.  Each one shining brilliantly in the night sky.  The stars would glow brightly and her eyes would sparkle as they reflected them.  She would laugh and dance among them, happier than ever before.  She is like the stars, because she shines brightly, brilliantly, beautifully.

If I could, I would give her he moon.  Her eyes are sometimes like the moon, mysterious and dark, yet full of beauty ad passion.  She would hold the moon in her arms like a child, cradle it and keep it safe.  Yes, because she is like the moon, every bit as mystical and lovely.

If I could I would give her the sun.  She would walk among it's flames and the flames would part ways our of respect for her.  She would smile at the sun and call out to it and love it just as much as the stars and the moon.  She is also like the sun, because she shines brightly like it, and lights up the world like it.  She is like the sun, in all it's beauty and magnificence.

If I could I would give her the clouds.  She would lay on them in tranquility and peace, not a care in the world, only happiness.  She would live in the sky, like an angel, which she is also like.  She is also like the clouds, gentle and soft, quite and wonderful.

If I could, I would say that she is very much the like the sky and all it has to offer.  She is very much like the magnificent heavens.  Why?  Because the sky is beautiful and full of wonder, just like her.

But I can not give her the stars, moon, sun, or clouds.  But I can say she is as beautiful as the heavens.  Because she is very much like them.

Day Old Warm Coffee, A Bag of Frosted Wheat Squares and Blood

The alarm is calling out.
Not that I can understand what it is saying.
But it wakes me up, it's job is done.
What a jerk.
Climbing out of bed I shake myself awake.
It's dark outside.
Gray clouds are massing in the sky.
I grab my day old cup of coffee.
In the microwave it goes.
I fill a bag with cereal.
I get my coffee, go out to my car.
The drive is fine, typical, uneventful.
The usual grumble.
The standard complaint.
A cup of coffee spilled.
The bland taste of the cereal.
Chaos across the country.
Blood. Injury.  Death.
So why am I complaining?
I'm alive.  I've got all my blood in my body.
All I can do is ask.
Why them?
Why not me?

Everything Matters

Jim looked across the lake and saw a man beating his girlfriend.  Her screams and his yells echoed across the  water, but Jim just stood there.  Nothing mattered.

The girlfriend broke free of her boyfriend's grasp and began running from him.  He chased after her.  Jim wasn't really paying attention though.  Nothing really mattered.

The girlfriend tripped and fell, the boyfriend picked up a rock and raised it over her head.  She screamed one last time before he brought it down hard on her.  Jim was startled suddenly and seemed to notice the chaos for the first time, or at least really register it.  He stared.  Nothing mattered did it?

The boyfriend had murdered his girlfriend, smashing her face in with the rock.  Jim had stood there and watched.  Nothing mattered.

Two men had come running and subdued the boyfriend, holding him down until police arrived.  Jim still stood on he edge of the lake, watching but not registering, not caring. Because Nothing mattered.

"Excuse me mister," said a small voice behind him.  Jim jumped and turned around.  A young girl of about six or sever years of age stood in front of him.  "Can you please help me get my kitty out of that tree?"  Jim looked and saw a small black kitten watching them from high up in a tree.  Jim wondered if the little girl had seen the boyfriend murder the girlfriend only moments before. That mattered to him. But why?

"You shouldn't be around here," said Jim walking to the tree.

"Please, I just want my kitty back," said the girl shyly.  "Please?"

Jim looked up at the cat and back to the girl.  He noticed the girl wearing a bracelet.  It looked exactly like the one she had worn before the accident.

"Where did you get your bracelet?  It's very pretty."

"I made it." said the little girl proudly showing it to Jim.

"My wife had a bracelet just like it, she had made it too, at her school with her class."

"That's where I made mine," said the little girl.  "But my mommy says my teacher isn't coming back."

"No..." said Jim, "No she isn't..."

Jim climbed up the tree and pulled the cat into his arms and then climbed back down. The cat meowed and purred softly.  He handed the cat to the girl who thanked him and ran away giggling.  Jim looked back at the crime scene across the lake.  Police tape was being set up, and a tarp had been placed over the woman's body. He hoped the girl had not seen. That mattered. She was just a kid. She was so innocent.  The boyfriend had bee taken away.  Jim just stood and watched.  He had nothing else to do.  Did nothing actually matter?

As he drove home it hit him. As he passed a little girl drawing with chalk on the sidewalk, her little black cat frolicking around her, he understood. Everything mattered. Because everything was all he had left.