Free Fallin'

Word Count: 615

         After Mary died, my life fell apart. I made it through her funeral, through the whispers and furtive looks. Through the murmurs of, “He killed her” as I passed. I made it home before I collapsed, before the terrible weight of my guilt and pain came crashing down.

         For the next two weeks, I was like a zombie, dragging myself from bed only to stare into space, dwelling on what I had done, the voices haunting my every moment.

         “Shall I order another bottle of wine, Mary?” We sat in the restaurant, tuxedoed waiters ready to get whatever our hearts desired.

         “Yes, do. This one’s almost empty.”

         My family long gone, I had no one to comfort me, no one to hold me as I cried. The tears kept coming, so many that I thought I would dry up, but it didn’t help, nothing helped. I hardly ate, I couldn’t sleep.

         “Why don’t we go to the beach? It’s only a few hours drive, we can be there in time to see the sunrise.”

         She sighed, looking up at me with her blue eyes. “Oh, that would be wonderful! I’ve never seen a sunrise at the beach.”

         Nothing could drown out the voices, but I tried, oh how I tried. Music didn’t work, nothing worked. I was desperate, I had to stop the voices. Then it came to me. I could stop the voices, forever. I got dressed and left the house, walking down the sidewalk. I knew what I was going to do now.

         I slipped in a cd, and we sang along with Tom Petty. “Last dance with Mary Jane/one more time to kill the pain.” ‘Mary Jane’s Last Dance’, then ‘Into the Great Wide Open’. “Into the great wide open/under them skies of blue. Out in the great wide open/a rebel without a clue.” The last was ‘Learning to Fly’. “I’m learing to fly/but I ain’t got wings. Coming down/is the hardest thing.” We laughed at our attempts to imitate Tom, leaning together in the close confines of the car.

         “Mary, let’s roll down the windows, and feel the night air.”

         “Alright, it’s warm enou- Oh, God, look out!”

         I woke up and noticed something sticky gumming my eyes together. I cracked them open, and the first thing I saw was Mary, lying beside me, perfectly still.

         There was only one voice now, my own, screaming at Mary to wake up, pleading with her and God, but it was no use. My voice faded away, leaving me alone with my thoughts for the first time since her death. I pushed through the door of the pawn-shop and walked up to the counter.

         Ten minutes later, I walked out, carrying my purchase in a plastic bag. I knew exactly where I was going. I walked home, and called the hotel in Miami where we had spent the night on our honeymoon. I asked for room 212.

         I took the bus to Miami, since my license had been revoked after the crash. I got off as close to the hotel as possible, then walked the rest of the way. Entering through the lobby, I went to the counter and got the key, then took the elevator. As I entered, the man already in it brushed against me, pulling my jacket away and revealing the pistol strapped to my waist. He stared at it, before pulling his eyes away. I smiled. I would have to be quick.

         I entered room 212, and the memories came pouring back. The balcony, everything. I shut the door and locked it, and tossed the key out the balcony. I wouldn’t be needing it anymore.


If you want, you can read the follow-up piece,

ID: 1111400   (Rated: ASR) Falling for home  Daily FF Challenge 5/27/06 Won First Place! by Dareng is....Dareng!