Tough Lesson (660 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.96 on 15 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Dalai Queso (View user info) at 2007-10-13 12:43:28 EDT
I had the right-of-way, that bastard. Denying my rights, a complete stranger initiated a chain of events I don't recall by choice. A pair of lights growing in intensity, impact, the scream of metal twisting under forces it was never intended to withstand. A normal evening, a trip to the store like any other, interrupted only by the force of another vehicle tearing through the sheet metal and reenforcement structures of my driver's side door. A flash of white and powder as airbags flare, and silence.
Oh, the silence. Painful darkness. There is no loneliness like this. Am I still alive? I'm thinking, aren't I? Solid black, and so cold, I could imagine the greatest depths of the ocean to resemble this. Wait... Grandpa? No... Grandpa died years ago, how could he... The darkness is interrupted by the deceased. They speak, but I can't hear. They call, but I can't respond. They love, but I can't forgive. Do I even want to?
I remember, many years ago, hearing words of wisdom in regards to bitterness. My hate will never undo what was done, but it will eat me from the inside out like a virus of the psyche. Who told me that? Where am I anyway?
****
"Four broken ribs, a fractured humerus, his left tibia and fibula and femur have been shattered. His pelvis is in 4 pieces. His left hand might never work again, and he'll certainly never walk normally again. He has also suffered a severe concussion. On the bright side, internal damage was astonishingly minimal." Karen absorbed the information, then spoke faintly with tears in her eyes, "will he ever wake up?" The doctor gazed woefully upon the broken frame of a man, "he could wake up in 5 minutes, or he could wake up in 5 years. We never know with a coma." Karen draped herself over her husband and wept profusely.
****
Colors. Finally, the darkness recedes, but what are these colors? I've never seen any like them! It's like purplish, but with bright intensity that... No. Not purple. Not blue, red, orange, yellow, none of those! But it's so beautiful... Heaven?
****
Karen ran her fingers through her husbands seldom-washed hair. "It's been 3 weeks, love. When are you going to wake up? ... What's going on inside your head right now? ... Please wake up... I need you."
****
Wait... I've been here before. But this happened so long ago! Didn't it? ... Billy! I thought you moved to Tennessee! You haven't aged a bit! In fact... You still look 11. Wait, why are you crying? You're the one that broke my favorite car! I spent hours detailing that 427 Cobra! Every little plastic piece was shined to perfection by yours truly, and you went and dropped it. I should be crying, you ass. Wait... Billy? Bil- ... I hate this darkness. I hate it.
****
"I can't believe Snape killed Dumbledore! Ah, well. A decent read, nonetheless. What did you think, love?" Karen's inquiry went without reply. "Well, that's the end of the series, anyway. I'll see if I can find a good series for us to go through next week. Unless of course, you want to wake up." Karen held back tears, "this is silly... I didn't even know I had any tears left by now... The doctor said your hand healed well... You might not have to learn to use your right hand to sign your checks, after all," Karen smiled weakly, "if you just wake up."
****
Okay, so what's this, then? All you've been showing me is a collection of assholes from my past. Who are you, anyway? Show yourself! Wait... That's... That's... That's me. And Karen? Dear, Lord, Karen... I'm so sorry, Karen. No, no, no, I don't want to see this. I don't want this! Get out of my head!
****
"Karen... It's been 6 months. Come on, let me take you out for dinner somewhere. It'll make you feel better." Karen turned to Eric, glaring with bloodshot eyes, "I'm not giving up on him, Eric. I saw his hand move last week. He's going to make it!" Eric meandered toward the door. His expression cold, he looked at the comatose man, and then at the woman cradling him, "you need to let go of him and move on."
****
Terror. Just terror. I can't move, I can't breathe, I can't blink. What is this monster? Why is it harassing me? Why did it eat my friends? Wha... It's.... Changing. It looks... Like me. It looks exactly like me, but it's spewing black sludge from it's heart. That's not me! I'm not a bad man! Those people were wrong! They were weak! It was their fault! What do you want from me?!
A voice. A voice! For the first time, I'm actually hearing a real voice! Karen?
****
"You know Eric has been trying to take me away from you for a few weeks now, Josh. I still love you, though." Karen stared out the window, at nothing, for several minutes. "Eric was our only visitor. I told him to leave when he started talking about your past. I know you're going to change. I've been praying for you. I remember who you were when we got married. I don't know what changed you, but I know you'll-" Karen choked on her words, "come back to me."
****
Eric... That... That bastard. Who I was? What does she mean who I was? I'm the same person! Whoah, hey now, where'd you all come from? I thought you all got eaten by that... Why are you all pointing at me? I... Oh, hell no... The sludge... It's... It's coming from my heart.
****
"I've been thinking, Josh. Your boss told me recently that your position was filled, and I think that's for the better. When you wake up, I'm going to encourage you to pursue another path. I think that boring office job is what changed you, and I don't want you to go back. We should go back to how it was. You were such a good cook, and I pulled in a good deal in tips while serving your food. Everyone loved it. You loved it. Come back to me, Josh. I'm still praying. Come back to me as you once were."
****
Stop pointing at me! I don't know what to do! How do I stop it?!
"Forgive, and be forgiven."
Huh? ... Forgive... And be forgiven? Just like that? How am I supposed to forgive them?! All the things they did... All the... hurt... the things that I... that I did. How could... How could anyone forgive me?
****
"Doctor!" Karen shrieked, and within seconds a nurse was standing next to her. "What's wrong, ma'am?" "There are tears in his eyes! What does that mean?" The nurse smiled knowingly, "It means you're doing well." Karen furrowed her brow, not understanding, but her focus returned to Josh, "what is going on in there, Josh? What's making you cry?"
****
I've been here so long... I'm... I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry. Please... Forgive me.
"You are forgiven. Arise."
****
"Josh? JOSHUA!" "Karen? Oh I've missed you." Tears of joy streamed down Karen's face as she embraced her husband. "I knew you'd come back to me! What took you so long?" Josh smiled, "had to learn my lesson some how, I suppose. I've got good news, though." Karen raised her eyebrows expectantly. "I'm forgiven." Karen squeezed a little tighter, "good to have you back, Josh."
User Reviews
Submitted by sexualchocolate1984 (user info) at 2007-10-18 07:21:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nicely written, I'd like to try out a coma, sounds like a pretty sweet, trippy experience.
Maybe i'd change my ways?
Anyone wanna put me in a coma?
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2007-10-16 09:39:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by triangle_man (user info) at 2007-10-15 14:24:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
cool
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2007-10-15 09:26:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
What is with all the women characters being named Karen lately? Is there some sort of conspiracy lately? Karen can fuck right off, I mean she already has.
Submitted by FALLEN (user info) at 2007-10-15 08:45:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Hilarity_Ensues (user info) at 2007-10-15 07:17:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Darth_Famine (user info) at 2007-10-14 15:11:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
accurate
Submitted by Wildman (user info) at 2007-10-14 02:54:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i did 22 days till boredom woke me up
Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2007-10-13 21:44:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
moved me.
a lil bit.
and that is a lot.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-10-13 17:33:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-10-13 17:33:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by Wompom (user info) at 2007-10-13 16:58:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Gotta love a happy ending :)
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2007-10-13 16:27:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent.
Submitted by SPECIALk (user info) at 2007-10-13 16:09:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Merlina (user info) at 2007-10-13 13:19:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice