Providence (1107 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: untruth
Rating: 1.76 on 39 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Snark << snarkk.at.gmail.com (View user info) at 2006-08-23 15:58:04 EDT
PROVIDENCE
The woman he loves is squeezing his hand and looking up at him with eyes full of fear and concern.
The woman he loved is looking at the cracked skin that sheaths her bony fingers like ancient parchment.
"Babe? What's wrong?"
He makes to answer but there's a ghost stuck in his throat and a memory sitting on his tongue. All he can do is stare and blink and wonder how such a beautiful soul could fall to dust.
He shouldn't be shocked. He'd known her fate long before the day he left her. He'd dreamed the end of her before he woke up and smelled the crazy, but the sight of her dirty shirt and quivering bones hit him like a shot of rotten adrenaline never-the-less.
He hasn't seen her face yet. He hasn't looked into her bloodshot eyes but in a moment he will and she'll leave her mark on him again.
A jet floats lazily above. It fills the sky with a twin engine roar that does nothing to drown out the sound of blood rushing through his head.
Its late summer. The sun is shimmering deep orange. Its balanced precariously on the horizon, sending weak rays to tease the thick bunches of autumn flowers where they burst from the raised beds lining the boardwalk.
She's sitting on a bench facing the river. She saw him first. Its obvious by the way she's shaking and grinding her teeth while she picks at the skin on her thumb as if the thumb itself is a piece of hardened glue that doesn't belong on her hand.
Reason begins to scream in his head. It tells him to walk away.
The woman he loves squeezes his hand as the ghost of a bad dream raises a scarecrow head on its tawny neck and brings hollow orbs to cast naked accusation at him.
Reason falls silent and Regret makes herself heard. She spits harsh condemnation into his ear.
"You could have prevented this!"
His heart stops as if waiting for a rebuke and then continues its race as memory stands tall to shows Regret for the bitch she is.
In the cold space of an endless moment he relives it all; Every struggle, every fight, every tear shed and shout issued as he fought to free her from her demons. He'd dragged her back from the abyss but he'd left part of himself to fall in the process, and in the end he'd had to let go to save himself.
Part of him wants to listen to Reason and the rest wants to grab her, lift her from her feet, and shout "What have you done? I showed you the way out!"
Hollow eyes narrow, daring him to do just that.
He takes a step and an old warmth flickers across her bloodshot eyes. She holds her hand out towards him and the Abyss opens wide beneath his feet but it's her turn to pull him back.
"Spare some change?"
He stops, breaths and reaches in his pocket. There's a crumpled five dollar bill in it. It slides from his palm to hers.
"Thanks."
She breaks the spell of the moment with a half smile and a nod and then he's leaving the past where it belongs. He's finishing his stroll, the woman he loves in tow, her mouth clamped shut against a flood of questions as she resists the urge to tell him he's holding her hand so tight it hurts.
"You OK Hun?"
He's not but it's alright. He's not falling anymore and that's what counts.
Behind them, on the bench, a broken woman closes her eyes against the sun. She imagines she can feel it on her skin like she used to. Her right hand pushes the bill into her pocket then dangles at her side, palm out, fingers splayed and bent as if held by the phantom hand of a dead lover.
User Reviews
Submitted by Stabkill (user info) at 2008-09-15 15:20:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by Alter (user info) at 2007-09-26 22:34:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No, Comment.
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2006-08-25 09:08:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nicely done. I'm not surprised that you stated it's not a true story though (you wouldn't want people jumping to crazy conclusions).
Submitted by VelvetElvis (user info) at 2006-08-24 23:38:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
He's finishing his stroll, the woman he loves in tow, her mouth clamped shut against a flood of questions as she resists the urge to tell him he's holding her hand so tight it hurts.
"You OK Hun?" [He squints at her, trying to see her as a memory years from now.]
// never-the-less = nevertheless.
Well done, desolation held down at the point of a pen - or keyboard.
Submitted by peckerhead (user info) at 2006-08-24 23:05:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I had exactly enough time to read one post tonight and this was it. You haven't lost your touch.
Good luck with Ubermadness :-)
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2006-08-24 18:51:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by shitfuck (user info) at 2006-08-24 17:01:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I always check this site the day you decide to post.
Submitted by Spam (user info) at 2006-08-24 17:00:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by icarus1987 (user info) at 2006-08-24 16:05:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
But in the end everyone's okay and gets ice cream, right?..
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-08-24 10:55:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by wookie (user info) at 2006-08-24 10:38:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by JoeyG (user info) at 2006-08-24 04:05:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
nice style
Submitted by earth_collapse (user info) at 2006-08-24 02:44:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very impressive writing style.
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-08-24 00:50:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Jealousy. Lots of it.
Submitted by Coyote (user info) at 2006-08-23 22:19:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
All the fivers in the world couldn't add up to enough to buy out that gnawing feeling of guilt, could they, even though one alone is just about enough to almost convince yourself you did everything you could.
Or, you know, something like that.
Submitted by KindaNews (user info) at 2006-08-23 22:14:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very nice.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-08-23 21:46:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
I used to see the Providence Reds play the Rochester Amerks all the time back in the late 60's and early 70's.
Is that what you're talking about here?
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-08-23 21:27:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Circe (user info) at 2006-08-23 20:23:05 (#)
Ranking: 2
Hi, Snark.
======================
Hello Beautiful.
Submitted by Circe (user info) at 2006-08-23 20:23:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hi, Snark.
Submitted by Cyrus (user info) at 2006-08-23 20:01:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Interesting. I don't know what made me open it, but I'm glad I did.
Submitted by calbearspolo (user info) at 2006-08-23 19:38:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It's thoughtful post Tuesday, apparently.
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2006-08-23 18:47:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by coley (user info) at 2006-08-23 18:10:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by UnderOathMeal (user info) at 2006-08-23 17:25:11 (#)
Ranking: 2
Ethereal, simple, profound.
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Submitted by JulsInsane (user info) at 2006-08-23 17:19:27 (#)
Ranking: 2
This is fabulous. That is all.
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Submitted by Ejryuu (user info) at 2006-08-23 17:03:17 (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent.
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Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:52:20 (#)
Ranking: 2
nice
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Submitted by whiskey_jack (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:51:47 (#)
Ranking: 2
Was i supposed to get a boner?
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Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:31:42 (#)
Ranking: 2
glad you posted
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Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:26:31 (#)
Ranking: 2
funky
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Submitted by ripple (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:16:44 (#)
Ranking: 2
i love the way you write.
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Submitted by BobLobla (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:10:38 (#)
Ranking: 2
auto snark +2
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Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:09:05 (#)
Ranking: 2
It's so good to see you here.
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Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:02:57 (#)
Ranking: 2
true or not, still good.
nice to "see" you.
=======================
What all those people said.
Minus the boner part.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-08-23 18:07:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Fag below
Submitted by whysenheimer (user info) at 2006-08-23 17:42:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by UnderOathMeal (user info) at 2006-08-23 17:25:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ethereal, simple, profound.
~OathMeal approved~
Submitted by JulsInsane (user info) at 2006-08-23 17:19:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is fabulous. That is all.
Submitted by Ejryuu (user info) at 2006-08-23 17:03:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:52:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
nice
Submitted by whiskey_jack (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:51:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Was i supposed to get a boner?
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:47:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I almost went home and missed this, bro.
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:31:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
glad you posted
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:26:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
funky
Submitted by ripple (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:16:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i love the way you write.
Submitted by BobLobla (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:10:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
auto snark +2
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:09:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It's so good to see you here.
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:02:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
true or not, still good.
nice to "see" you.
Submitted by ubetidid (user info) at 2006-08-23 16:00:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-08-23 15:58:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Not a true story