Reality Check

The following is a

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The Writer's Cramp  (13+) Write the best story or poem in 24 hours or less and win 10K GPs! #333655 by Sophy

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{The Prompt was::
in "A Christmas Carol" there was a character named Ebeneezer Scrooge and after four apparition showed him the errors of his "Bah Hunbug" ways he tried to redeem himself by spending a small fortune. The year is now 2004 but Ebeneezer is still around and he has a Platinum Credit Card... Write a Short Story about how the man reacts to the inevitable credit card bill.

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Reality Check

It was wonderful to change the lives of Tiny Tim and my employee. I never realized how different life could be if I broke out of this shell of chill and warmed the world.

A week has gone by. I am new. I am free. I am happy. The world is a place of wonder and love. Never will I wallow in the dust of money chambers again, counting dry, hard cash. Money is for spending. Money is for spreading around, giving pleasure, doing good.

This morning, I dined exquisitely on grapefruit imported from Chili. I tasted the staff of life from the Whole Foods store down on the corner. I spread rich, creamy butter onto my whole wheat toast with Flax seeds, Then I added a layer of raspberry jam. The price of such delight had only been twenty dollars. I'd given the clerk a fifty and told her to keep the change.

Such is the beginning of the rest of my life - a new start, a marmalade sunrise of existence...

Ah, the postman comes. I shall run down the stairs and see what wonderful thank you cards are lying within my mailbox.

"Good day to you, Mr. Postman. The sun is shining. How are your little children this fair morning?"

"Your child is ill and needs treatment in Hawaii? Of course, let me help. Here, take a hundred, take two, no three is better . . ."

But what is this? I ask myself, opening up one of numerous bills. My American Express card -- platinum, of course. So, I owe a few dollars. Dollars are for spreading here and there, for bringing sunshine, and good will to all . . .

$26,357.97! I owe $26,357.97? How is that possible? Let me see the records. Hospital bill for Tiny Tim, catered dinner, toys for seven children, presents for the neighbors. . .

What is happening? I feel ill. This can't be.

"Postman, give me back that money. I owe American Express. I owe! Do you realize what that means? My retirement, my savings, my sock full of coins. All gone. And now I owe."

"Second mortgage, Mr. Postman? I can't pay my first mortgage. I can't even pay my employees this month. Don't you understand? I owe, I owe, I owe, and the interest rate is 35%. which means . . . Oh, my, that means each month my bill keeps growing. Why, next month I'll owe $32,000, and the following month it will be $39,000, and then . . . "

My heart begins to race. My throat closes. I reach out to the ghost of the future and clasp his hand. Coldness. Ice. Debt!

*****

A single, long-edged scream knifes the air. Dogs stop their scratching to peer about. Cats yowl; their fur stands on end. A flock of pigeons rises up to flap their way across the sky searching for a quieter abode, but even after landing the birds do not resume their pecking. Nervously they bob their heads and chatter.

In the mansion across the way, no sounds of cheer and good tidings ring forth -- only silence, a silence that dampens, a silence of death. And then, although none can hear it -- none that live --a moan, a groan, a sniffled wail of grief, a growl of torment -- Scrooge, the ghost of Scrooge is formulating -- a wisp of essence, no more than a fog-like shroud of white begins its transformation.

The Ghost of Christmas past watches and takes the hand of the neophyte. "Welcome," the spirit says. "The world has need of you."

And thus is born the Ghost of Debt, wrapped in paper chains of bills and overdue notices, its head -- what appears to be its head, for it is only partially formed for a bit -- sighs and cries.

Finally it sets forth on its new career -- to haunt those who fail to budget.

Before one's eyes can blink, before another check is written, before the plastic that is still hot in one's hand can be laid upon the department store counter, Scrooge appears.

Warning! Warning! He is NOT happy with you!

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