Shorties: Number 40

This is an excerpt from my story, The Parting


They had dinner at a Macaroni Grill in a town close to them. Bob wore a shirt and tie but no jacket and Samantha wore a form fitting black and gold dress. Bob’s eyes popped when he saw her. Without holding back, he said, “You look great!” Samantha smiled coyly, “Why thank you.”

Ordinarily, Bob would be a little shy around such a pretty woman but his shell had started to crack as he got to know Charlotte better. Still, he was a bit reserved even though Samantha had given many signs of her interest in him. She smiled at him and touched his hand or arm at every opportunity. Bob simply wasn’t used to attention like this. Finally, before the entrees were finished he worked up the nerve and asked, “Are you interested in me?”
“What?”

“Are you interested in me?”

“Well, yes. Is that a problem?”

“Sort of, yes”

“Why?”

“I’m interested in someone else.”

Connecting the dots in her mind, Samantha asked, “Are you interested in Charlotte?”
Feeling like a child who was caught stealing from the cookie jar he replied, “Yes.”

“Does she know?”

“No. I haven’t told her. I was going to tell her the day we met.” He wished he hadn’t added that last part.

“But me being there ruined that, didn’t it?”

Bob nodded and added, “It is for the best since she loves Jack.”

“Agreed but now we have a scandalous love triangle.” Samantha said with a smile.

“Not really. I don’t love you.”

“Are you trying to break my heart already?”

“No.”

“Then can’t we be friends? Hang out from time to time?”

“Sure, I guess.”

“Sounding so certain makes my heart all aflutter.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve just never had anyone as pretty as you express even the slightest interest in me before. I’m just not used to being around women. I would like to get to know you better, though.”

“That’s more like it.”

As they went their separate ways, Samantha leaned in for a goodnight kiss but Bob gave her a hug instead. Surprised, a little insulted and maybe even flattered, Samantha said good night and thanked Bob for a nice evening. In the moments after they parted, she couldn’t help but think that Charlotte was right, Bob was a nice guy. Maybe what she needed for her whole life was a nice guy.

Shorties: Number 39

This is an excerpt from my story, On To The Past.


I lay there with my eyes closed.  Part of me still didn’t believe this was possible.  I wondered if someone would yell, “Smile!  You’re on Candid Camera!”  Nevertheless, I began to relax and focused on specific things of that time and place.  Slowly, I could feel myself drifting.  It was as if I was falling asleep. 

Then there came a sensation that is hard to describe.  It was like a soft rain.  Like warm raindrops softly splashing upon me, I could feel tension washing away.  I was floating, traveling but I wasn’t moving.  The world moved.  It was as if the universe moved at my command.  My mind willed and it obeyed.  More drops fell and it was as if I was being washed away.  Bit by bit, I was going away.  Not me, my flesh was leaving me.

Was it really my earthly body that was leaving?  I retained my spirit and it was infinite.  Great mysteries of the universe suddenly seemed common knowledge.  It was as if without a body, I was free to do all things unencumbered.  Human flesh greatly restricts all that is possible.  It is a governor that squelches all the possibilities that we truly are. 

I reveled in that moment, that eternity, for it was both.  I was all time.  I was a split second, a flash.  I was eternity.  It was pure energy.  There were colors I’d never seen before.  The veils of my eyes were removed and visions danced across.  I can’t say they danced before my eyes or across my vision.  It was more than that.  They moved by, around, and through me.  But the colors, oh, the colors.  Hues never seen by human eyes.  There is no way to describe them but the brightness and clarity are unsurpassed by any seen on earth.  It is like at one time only seeing black, white, and grays and suddenly seeing color.  There are no words for it. 

Slowly, I descended back to reality and back into the facade that is the human body.  Our bodies are mere housings to our spirit.  Once we can glimpse beyond the veil, we are forever changed.  As human consciousness began to return, it seemed that I was cold.  However, it isn’t that I felt cold.  I believe it was more so that after feeling the warm “raindrops” and being in such an ecstatic state of being, the only alternative was to feel cold.  I was back in the real world.  But in which world was I?  In what time? 

Finally and Always

When I was a boy

I learned how to hate 

Punish the bad

Condemn him to fate

Doing those things

The bad boys would do

Tremors of guilt

Each time I was through 

No one could love

A boy bad as me

I look inside

Great darkness I see 

Wanting some light 

I know I don't shine 

On the treadmill

I'm toeing the line

I would love you

If you would love me

Wishing for hope

With eyes I don't see

I hate the lie 

That ruins my life

Give up the pain

Remove the strife

How well I know

The posture of pain 

Too long I've known

Life full of shame

Let the tears pour

I don't care how long

Make hidden pain

And darkness be gone

Tear after tear

Let it rinse away

Sob upon sob

Revealing the day

Hatred is wrong 

I've known that is true

Hating yourself 

It only kills you 

(c) August 2017

Duane Windell Phillips

Shorties: Number 38

This is an excerpt of a story I am writing.  I'm not completely satisfied with this. I find it hard to place my mind in heavenly realms and see things the way an angel might see them.  Jackson and Jill are married and Bethany is their newborn.  Angelos, Alea and Bene are guardian angels. 

Jackson, Bethany’s father stayed home from work for the next two weeks.  Bene, Jackson’s angel, Alae and Angelos remained vigilant to Jill’s heart and the household.  Postpartum depression darkened Jill’s spirit and she struggled to regain her footing. 

The angelic trio focused energies on their charges.  They knew all humans must endure pain.  It cannot exist in a vacuum and must be held by all people but pain is not a burden to carry alone.  Nevertheless, pain and sorrow are instruments to pry open the light that was carefully placed inside them.  Only humans are given the light of heaven.  Animals recognize a difference and angels marvel the light.  Nevertheless, humans are charged with sharing it.  It takes a human to shine light on another.  When all open their hearts to the heavenly luminance, and the light comes down from heaven, the world will finally begin healing. 

Day and night the angels imparted idyllic memories of the paradise they shared before their earthly arrivals.  Such scenes and perfect endings are not fairy tales.  They are true reflections of a time once held and humans can keep these memories when they focus on the love of heaven in their hearts.  There remains always a measure of heavenly love. 

In quiet moments of bright reflection, humans faintly recognize the mark of Godly perfection left upon them.  Flashes of adoration bathe them and it feels familiar.  They know deep in their being they were meant for more than the monotony of earth.  For all the beauty to behold on terra firma, humans realize there is more.  The earth is a dim echo of heavenly realms for which they created to share.   

Unfortunately, as evil, pain and sorrow continue in life, their vision fades.  Myopic, humans bump about only seeing their own pain.  Consequently, they rush to soothe this ache that never leaves.  Alcohol, drugs, sex, power and many other ointments may dull pain but never quench the thirst that burns them.  Man forgets healing comes when he open his heart and allows his light to shine.  As they look to one another and their brightness illuminates the soul in crossing rays of light, it becomes obvious God wants His creation to love one another.  It is a God given plan to warm the hearts of His creation.  Healing comes to all with open hearts. 

For now, Jill could only focus on the pain she felt.  Jackson poured himself into his little girl.  She looked in his eyes as he held her.  Jill had pumped breast milk earlier and Bethany sucked heavily.  Jackson saw perfection in his arms.  His heart swelled with love for his daughter but the recent actions of his wife gravely concerned him.  He spoke softly to Bethany.  He promised a world of beauty and love. 

In that moment, Jackson and Bethany were as close to heaven as humans can get in this realm.  Angelos, Alae, and Bene rejoiced in father and daughter living as God intended.  Bethany totally loved and trusted her father.  She recognized a memory recently faded.  This caused a stir in Angelos and his spirit leapt.  Then his body shone brightly.  As a result, Alae and Bene joined him to bathe the home in a heavenly glow.  Jill’s spirit began to calm and eventually the darkness left her. 

Shorties: Number 37

After many years and a long string of broken relationships, it came down to this:  A broken ash tray reduced him to tears.  Why would such an insignificant piece of pottery cause such a break down?  It was the shattering of glass and the plume of flying ashes that returned him to childhood.  

His parents had been fighting and arguing for many months.  Too often it happened and that the sparks would start flying while he and his older brother were sleeping.  Nasty words and horrible accusations flew about the house while he and his brother were glued to their beds as tears streamed down their faces.

Why didn't the parents understand that their words and actions cut so deeply into the hearts of little boys? Little boys don't care who is right or wrong.  They just want to be loved and know that the ones who love them also love each other.  Without that, the world is a much darker place.  

Then came the night of the huge blow up.  The arguments had been bad before but this took a turn for the worst.  The fighting intensified until suddenly the sound of breaking glass pierced the night.  Both boys bolted upright and looked at each other.  Anxiety lined their faces.  Still, neither moved from their beds.  

Fear of what they might see kept them glued to the sheets.  More glass exploded in the night. Then a scream cried for him to get out.  They heard the front door open and close.  The truck started. They heard the gravel crunch beneath the tires as it backed out of the driveway.  The motor revved and the truck sped away.  The only sound was sobbing coming from their mother downstairs.  Still, the boys did not move. Eventually, their own cries put them to sleep.  

When morning light began to seep into the house, the boy crept down to view the carnage.  Apprehension filled him as he tiptoed his way.  Then he saw it.  He parents used a log shaped ash tray in the house and it now lay in pieces.  Somehow, the boy's soul identified with that ash tray.  Eventually, he accepted the fact that he would never see his father again.  Looking back on it all now, he realized his tender heart was the ash tray.  It was broken and never to be repaired.  

He spent his life trying to be worthy of love and desperately wanted to love him.  However, he never felt comfortable and believed he had to continually work to keep everyone happy.  If they were happy, they wouldn't get mad or hate him or leave him.  That obliterated ash tray from his childhood demonstrated that he didn't do enough to keep the ones he loved together.  Since he never left the bed to do SOMETHING, his parents separated.  He couldn't comprehend why his father never contacted them. The hole in his heart was so vast.  

With a cigarette hanging in his trembling hand and a broken ash tray on the floor, it started to make sense.  As his therapist put it, he is not to blame.  Accidents happen.  He didn't mean to knock it on the ground.  The therapist retrieved another ash tray from a cupboard and placed it on the table next to him.  

There is nothing a little boy of 6 can do to keep his parents together.  There is also nothing he can do to separate them.  The tears continued streaming but for the first time in his life he felt that each tear was washing away the dirt and grime that had caked his soul.  The thought of the possibility of being whole was enough hope for him right now.  There was finally hope.  

#hope  

Shorties: Number 36

Smoke stung Paul Smith’s eyes but he felt so alive.  Thirteen of his friends, two scout leaders and two parents sat around the campfire.  A city boy, Paul dreamed of camping and cooking hot dogs over an open fire.  His face beamed as he held the stick with a skewered wiener on the end. 

He’d already eaten one.  He would eat this one soon.  He eyed the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate waiting in the scout leader’s tent.  Meanwhile, there was loud, excited conversation amongst the boys.  Most had camped before and knew what to do.  This was Paul’s first time.

Paul smiled at his best friend, Nicky James.  Nicky held his hot dog over the fire.  It was beyond the cooked stage.  Now it resembled charcoal more than processed meat.  Nevertheless, Nicky was determined to roast it until it broke into pieces and fell into the fire.  He held the dog over the fire for a few minutes.  Then he would lift the stick and bring the wiener close.  After a close inspection, he would frown and thrust it back in the fire. 

Paul was hungry and preferred to eat.  Nicky was a picky eater.  Paul once considered calling his friend Picky Nicky but decided against it.  Nicky said, “Hey Paul, ya ever cooked a marshmallow before?”

“Nope.”

“You leave em in the fire for a minute and hit catches fire.  Then it’s like a torch.”

“Really?  Cool!”

“Yeah, it is.  Then you can rip the skin off and eat it and make another torch.  It's great!”

Paul smiled.  This was so unlike his normal life.  Living in the city, he only knew buildings and concrete.  The woodlands were so foreign but he loved it.  His attention was drown to Ronnie, the oldest scout in the troop.  Ronnie announced, “I’m going to take crap over here in the woods.  Then I’m going to wipe with some leaves that I find and I don’t even care if they are poison ivy.”

They were. 

Squelched Psyche

Squelched psyche
Stillborn word
Mournful reign
Lifelong dirge
 
© September 2017
Duane Windell Phillips

Painted in a corner
Is how we came to be
Concluded love is worthless
With blinded eyes we see

© September 2017
Duane Windell Phillips

Shorties: Number 35

Crashing to the couch, Tyrone was careful not to spill any Jack Daniel’s from the glass.  A couple beers wouldn’t do it tonight.  He didn’t want to remember.  Oblivion was better.  Actually, he wished he had been obliterated in the near accident 30 minutes earlier.  He would no long needer to face another day or himself. 

Guilt never releases the icy claws that pierce a heart.  All Tyrone saw was that little girl on the road.  Again, he felt the panic.  Helplessness overwhelmed him as memories collided with reality.  Again, he could do nothing.  In spite of the pain of her injuries, she looked into his eyes with questions.  Why?  What happened?  Who are you?  Why are you here? 

A crowd gathered about the two of them.  One woman rushed in confidently stating she was an ER nurse.  Tyrone moved back.  Every millisecond of that moment still haunted him.  He took a deep gulp and let the 80 proof do the work.  He heard frantic voices as Tyrone shuffled weakly to the driver’s seat.  It was about this time a police officer arrived and ran to the child.  After a brief conversation with the nurse attending the girl he walked to the open driver’s door. 

Tyrone didn’t remember the conversation.  His mind was consumed with the fragile life a few feet from his pickup.  A horrible thudding sound rang in his ears.  That sound remained with him.  He took another drink.  God please make it go away. 

When he woke the next morning to the nightmare, he didn’t know how to proceed.  How do you live when you’ve taken an innocent life?  Putting one foot in front of the other is hollow.  It is useless.  He was later advised witnesses stated there was nothing he could have done to avoid hitting the little girl but Tyrone secretly preferred a death sentence.  Being given another chance to live his life only meant he was sentenced to a dead life. 

Tyrone emptied his glass feeling dizziness blur him.  Finally, he felt pain fade.  One more glass.   

Pecado

Cellulose fibers
Finely pressed
Strong fonts
Don’t dictate
Quality
 
Paper burns up
Equally consumed
Sidestep fumes
Avoid flames
Listen

 

Shorties: Number 34

Full of nerves, Chris blurted, “I dreamed I kissed you.”

Startled, Jane paused for a moment as colour flooded her cheeks.  “What?”

There was no turning back now.  More nerves packed in.  Words stumbled out as he continued describing the scene they now acted out,  “Well, we was walking on a boardwalk holding hands.”  Then Chris reached and took Jane’s left hand.  Her fingers felt soft as they curled around and clasped his hand.  Euphoria swept through both of them.  Chris felt great warmth fill him as he continued.

“Then we walked to the end and sat down on a bench.”  Reaching a bench, they sat.  “There was a beautiful sunset that filled the sky.  The sun reflected off the water as it neared the horizon.  I told you that even though we’ve only known each other for such a short time, I want to be with you all the time.”

Jane had been shifting her focus between Chris’s eyes and lips.  Passion overcame her upon hearing these words and she only saw his eyes.  His were aflame.  Her spirit screamed to be with him.  She felt the pull to his lips.  Phantom sensations of his lips upon hers began in earnest.  Desire filled her. 

His own craving building, Chris continued, “Then we stood up.”  He stood and led her to stand.  Then he pulled her close.  With fervor in their eyes, Chris added, “Then I leaned down…”  He ended the narrative by acting out the rest of his story.  He leaned down and gently, passionately placed his lips upon hers. 

Electricity conducted between them.  Each spot where their bodies connected during their embrace and kiss stoked fires screaming to be quenched.  Jane thrilled as she parted her lips allowing their tongues to partake and enhance their pleasure.  They kissed until they heard voices moving up the boardwalk.  With the connection of their lips broken, they held their gaze as they sat again upon the bench. 

Chris released his right hand from her left and reached it around her shoulders.  Then using his left hand, he clasped hers again.  He gently squeezed her hand and shoulder.  Jane rested her head on Chris and said, “I wish this would never end.”

The Ember Flickered

Only recently has the ember flickered to life and the smoky residue illuminated cloudy memories within me.  Images of you.  A stirring aroma of a soul once whole with mine.  All I know is what I’ve been taught but all the knowledge compiled since the dawn of time is rubbish.  It cannot explain this glowing coal.  You are the tip of the tongue, beyond my sight, my memory and heart.  How can I know you are truly there?  With so many mysteries I don’t know to consider and so much we don’t understand, how did this certainty arrive?  I can never imagine.  My only realization is this void.  There is a constant gnawing, an eternal decay hollowing out my existence.  It only became distracted when my heart heard yours.  It must be you.  We were once together but now apart and my heart still cries out for you. 

Let me commune with you.  How I long to be with you, arm in arm.  Let us heal our desperate souls.  Oh to soothe your heart and you mine.  May we be one again and for always. 

Weakened Breath

Gasping
Frenzied eyes
Searching
Voided life
In and exhale
Damaged pull
Insufficient push
Debilitated
Drained
Try again
Faded strength
Anemic life
Yet again
Pale existence
Again
 
© September 2017
Duane Windell Phillips


 

 

Shorties: Number 33

Susie answered the door and more memories stormed in.  From the sad to the mundane to the hilarious, they lived it all.  She and her dearly departed husband opened there home to Michael the year he and Paul were in the same class.  After many meals and camping trips, Mike was like a son to Susie.  She threw her arms around Mike and said, “Oh I’ve missed you young man.”

“I missed you too SuperMom.”

Susie pulled back to look at the middle aged man and added, “I’ve missed hearing that too.”

Michael smiled.  “How is he?”

“Not much improvement lately.  He still can’t speak.  He just repeats the same thing over and over again and his left side is still paralyzed but you can tell he knows what’s going on.”

The words stung.  Michael and Paul were inseparable throughout school until different college ambitions parted them.  Even then, they remained in contact.  Still, time, distance, marriage and babies wedge in between even the closest of people.  Eventually, contacts came only on holidays and special days.  Bad news needs no invitation.  Though Mike wanted to travel to visit his friend the moment he received the news of Paul’s stroke, there were pressing issues he needed to resolve first.

“Put your stuff in Dave’s old room.  Paul’s in his old room.”

“Ok SuperMom.” 

Mike heard SuperMom whispering to Paul in the room two doors down.  Then he steeled himself for seeing his friend.  He’d never met anyone who’d had a stroke before and feared the unknown.  He forced a happy face and walked to Paul’s bedroom.  He saw various medical paraphernalia as he neared and entered the room.  Then the two friends locked eyes. 

Mike’s heart sank but he smiled through gritted teeth.  “Hey, man!  How are you?”

Paul sat up in the bed and the half of his face that had muscle control smiled.  He blurted out, “Wheel wheel wheel wheel!”  Mike looked at SuperMom for an interpretation.  “That’s all he can say right now.  We hope his speech returns.”

Michael leaned down to Paul and hugged him.  Then in a scolding voice, added, “You know, you’re not supposed to do things like this and scare us so much.”  Paul responded, “Wheel wheel wheel.”  Something about his body language told Mike Paul said, “It wasn’t my choice.” 

Instinctively, Mike replied, “I know.  That’s okay, buddy.  We’ll let it slide this time.”  Then he turned to Paul’s mother and added, “Won’t we, SuperMom.”

“Of course.”

Then Michael added, “Hey, gimme a minute to use the John.  I rushed here so I could see you.”

“Wheel wheel wheel wheel.”

After Mike finished his business in the bathroom and washed his hands, he fought emotions tearing at his soul.  Seeing his best friend like that was a knife in the heart.  Still, it was his friend trapped behind those bars.  Something about Paul’s eyes registered the fear he was a prisoner in his own body.  Mike would do what he could to set his friend free.

Shorties: Number 32

Fear rising, Timmy barked, “Leave me alone.”

His tormentors merely laughed.  They had all the time they needed to play around with him.  They may even hurt him this time.  It was fun.

Timmy fought back the tears they wanted to see.  That was the goal.  They pushed and menaced him until he cried.  Then they laughed and called him Tiny Timmy.  Laughter continued as they left him alone feeling insignificant.  Jason sneered, “Whatsa matter?  You gonna cry?”  Keith laughed and echoed, “Yeah, ya gonna cry Tiny Timmy?”

A corner was turned and, suddenly, Timmy would not give them the satisfaction today.  It wasn’t a matter of bravery.  It was survival.  He couldn’t remain the frightened lamb stalked by these two wolves.  It would never end.  To them, it was a game.  Today, Timmy quit playing.  Slowly, anger replaced fear.  Jason looked at Keith upon recognizing a difference.  He hoped for confirmation something was not the same.  Keith saw nothing and continued with his sneer and slow step toward the lad.  Jason decided he must be wrong.

Rock still, Timmy glared beyond the tyrants.  He wouldn’t give the satisfaction of looking at them.  Jason and Keith stood on each shoulder confidently looking down at the little mouse.  They didn’t know his teeth were about to show. 

Apodyopsis

Eyes speak

A tongue their own

Eyes meet

And then they roam

 

I see

Your every curve

I seek

Without reserve

© September 2017

Duane Windell Phillips

Apodyopsis = The act of mentally undressing someone

written due to a word prompt given today in the Beautiful Minds Community
Yes, I see the irony

My Light

Each contour

Every space

Surface

Illuminated by you

 

Tantalize and

Fascinate

Fix this grin

Warm my heart

 

As you move

My vision amends

Let me see all

Clearly

Joyfully

 

My light

Lovely glow

My life

 

©September 2017

Duane Windell Phillips