Shorties: Number 53

He just couldn’t any more.  Life had beaten the final glimmer of hope from his heart.  Darkness and emptiness filled his life.  Dejection and sorrow were constant companions.  Consequently, when Pam left, Dave acquiesced.  His heart was purged.  The pilot light was smothered.  The voices screamed how nice guys always finish last.  When Dave considered his existence, he agreed.  His lack of worth was proven again and again.  This last blow not only tipped the scales, it moved the fulcrum and forever changed him. 

Gone were the days of considering others.  They either ignored or walked on him anyway.  Being nice got him nothing in life.  Therefore, Dave resigned himself to spew heartbroken bitterness throughout his remaining years.  Life held no light for him.  If there was a god that granted miracles, he didn’t want to grant or sell them to Dave. 

As time passed as a grouchy old man, Dave realized a weakness he had.  He had no will to live but couldn’t bring himself to end it all.  Therefore, he determined to do what he could to speed up the process of dying.  He pursued unhealthy eating habits and refused to meet with his doctor.  When physical pain entered his life, he medicated with alcohol and over the counter drugs. 

In order to still to voices screaming in his head he began wearing earplugs while he slept.  This only increased the continual ringing.  As the clanging intensified, hearing loss increased.  Soon, he got exactly what he wanted.  No one could stand to be with him.  His family dismissed him as a crazy old man. 

Pushing people away, Dave fulfilled his prophecy that he was forgettable.  One by one they all left him.  No one bothered to love him.  That was what Dave actually wanted.  Even in the kindness displayed in his younger years, Dave wanted someone to genuinely love and care for him. 

Overweight and with a feeble mind and body, Dave inserted the earplugs out of habit before putting his head to pillow.  For an hour or more his mind churned.  Anger at god, the world and the cards he was dealt permeated his thoughts.  Dave waited for the sleeping pills to take effect.  Eventually, sleep found him but the ever conscious thought of why love never did replayed again in his dream.  That dream never was completed.  A blocked chimney allowed carbon monoxide to build up in the house.  It slowly crept into Dave’s room snuffing out the final ember.  It was two weeks before the body was found.