This is a short story I had to write for English ages ago. I'm not the best at short stories, nor am I the greatest when it comes to first person narration. But I tried, and passed.
The task that was set before us was: We had to write a story that was in a very morbid light. It required a character going through the redemption of his past sins. And it had to be 600 words. I broke the last rule. I can't do stories in 600 words.
Tell me what you think of this short story. I don't really think too highly of it, but I was bored and thought I should share it.
Falling? I am… falling? Yes I am. The wind rushed past my body as the tall building I fell from seemed to grow larger into the sky. Wait… did I really fall? Or was I pushed? I can see a figure high up on the roof. Did he push me? How far have I got to go until I hit the ground? I’ll just turn around and see for myself—
Moments earlier…
This couch I’m sitting on is shit. This apartment I live in is shit. My job is shit. This whole world is going to shit. My life… is shit. That’s why I bought this gun, and these bullets. These will be the last things I ever buy.
My whole apartment was full of cigarette smoke. I hate the bastards, but I just can’t seem to give them up. Not like that will matter soon anyway. The gun feels nice in my hand. It’s heavier then I thought. Shit, who the hell cares how heavy it is? All that’s left is to pull the trigger and end my miserable life.
I put the gun in my mouth and remembered all the good times I had. All the money and all the girls I used to have. I closed my eyes as I squeezed the trigger. For a moment, I didn’t think I’d be able to go through with this, but I did it. Yes, I pulled the trigger. But something was wrong… no bullet fired. Instead there was just a clicking noise.
Did I die that quickly? I didn’t even feel any pain… wait… this can’t be right. Sure enough, something wasn’t right, there were no bullets in the chambers. I was sure I had put the bullets in the gun before… I guess I forgot. Just another mistake to add to my long list of my screw ups.
I placed one bullet in a free chamber of the gun. I don’t even know why I bought more then one bullet. It’s not like one bullet to the roof of the mouth wasn’t enough. Maybe I bought them just incase I wanted to torture myself but filling up with holes? As if! I’m not some sick bastard who gets off on pain!
I placed the gun back in my mouth, and once again closed my eyes. Suddenly I heard glass shatter. I saw that it was my window that had shattered when I opened my eyes. Something quickly moved past me and grabbed the gun out of my hand. Oi! What the hell do you think you’re doing?! A person stood before me. He was holding my gun, and pointing it at me.
Now that I realise it, this guy came crashing through my window, which is up on the third floor. And just why the hell did he grab my gun in the first place?
“Do you want to die?” asked the man standing before me with my gun. Die? Die? Yes I want to die! That’s what I was trying to do in the first place!
This man looked to be in his mid-twenties. He had black hair with matching eyes. He wore a red shirt, a black jacket and black pants.
“You shouldn’t try to take your own life.” said the man. Who does he think he is telling people what to do!? If I want to die, then let me die!
A loud drumming noise suddenly filled my ears. And holes began filling my walls. The man ducked, and so did I. What the hell was going on?! The holes looked about the same size as bullet holes… wait… they were bullet holes! Now that I think about it, I can hear a helicopter! Wait! A helicopter just fired at my apartment! Why!? I looked over to the man still holding my gun. It’s him… they’re after him.
The man took off out of my apartment and down the corridor. Hey! He’s got my gun! Give that back! I paid good money for that! Before I knew it, I was chasing after him. And I only just realised that bullets were hitting the wall behind me, as if they were chasing me. The more I thought about this, the faster I wanted to run. Strange for someone who only moments ago wanted to die. Why run harder to escape death if you want to die?
I was catching up to that thief who stole my gun. He leapt out a window and onto a fire escape. I called for him to stop, but he just ran up the stairs towards the roof. So I followed him all the way up to the roof.
Eventually I found him standing on the ledge, looking towards me. Something is missing, something that concerned me only seconds ago. The helicopter! Where did it go!?
“What helicopter?” asked the man. What? What does he mean!? He saw it too! It fired at him! It chased us! It destroyed my apartment! But something is wrong, something other then a disappearing helicopter. It was life. I didn’t see any life or hear any life. No people, no animals, not even the wind.
The man held up the gun once again. No… it’s not a gun, it’s a photo? Where’d my gun go? He had it in his hand just a moment ago…
“What gun?” asked the man. What the hell!? Is this guy insane?! It was just in his hand!... Or am I insane? I swear it was just there!
Some how I got a good look at the photo in the mans hand. The photo was of my lovely wife and beautiful daughter. The family I cherished so much. The family I ran away and left behind when things got tough. I closed my eyes as I thought them. How I miss them… I wish I could see them one more time… to hold them in my arms. I would hold them so tight and never let them go.
When I opened my eyes, I was standing on the ledge of the building holding my hand out. In my hand was the photo I saw the man holding before. I looked down and saw a target painted on the ground, as though it was telling me to jump and aim for the center. But I didn’t want to jump… I didn’t want to shoot myself either. What I wanted… was to be with my family…
I back off the ledge, because I see it now. No, not the target! I can see hope. Hope in my life. Hope back with my family. If I’m lucky, they’ll accept me back. And if they don’t, then I’m not going to stop trying to convince them. I just want to be happy with my family again. That’s all the matters to me now. Not being rich. Not having lots of women. Not even power. Love, family and friends are all that matters.
Suddenly I felt someone’s fingers wrap around the back of my head. That man again. For some reason, I couldn’t break free of his grip. Just what the hell is going on!?
“Now, you see what is important.” said the man. Of course I do! I want to be with my wife and daughter!
“No… not them. Life.” said the man. Life? Why is life more important then family?
“Without life, there is no family. No love. No friends. No nothing. It doesn’t matter who you marry, or who your kid grows up to be. Because none of those can even begin without life.” said the man. What the hell is he talking about? Life is the single most important thing? Without it, we can’t do anything? Well that was a stupid question. Of course you can’t do anything without life. Why did I even bother to ask that?
“Precisely. If you end your life now, you won’t be able to do what you were born to do. What you were destiny to achieve.” said the man. Are you saying destiny and fate exist? That everything is predetermined?
“Who knows what the truth is. All I know is what I’ve told you. Oh, one more thing…” said the man. What is it? This last thing of yours that you have to say?
“Have a nice fall.” I said, as I pushed myself off the roof of the building.
Yeah, a bit confusing, I know. But it's meant to be that way. It doesn't matter what's going on, or what's happening, all that's important is your interpretations of what's going on. My teacher noticed something no ones else did. And that is that the story doesn't really have an ending. The narrator might live, or he might die. That's up to you guys, the readers, decide.
The task that was set before us was: We had to write a story that was in a very morbid light. It required a character going through the redemption of his past sins. And it had to be 600 words. I broke the last rule. I can't do stories in 600 words.
Tell me what you think of this short story. I don't really think too highly of it, but I was bored and thought I should share it.
The only thing that matters
Falling? I am… falling? Yes I am. The wind rushed past my body as the tall building I fell from seemed to grow larger into the sky. Wait… did I really fall? Or was I pushed? I can see a figure high up on the roof. Did he push me? How far have I got to go until I hit the ground? I’ll just turn around and see for myself—
Moments earlier…
This couch I’m sitting on is shit. This apartment I live in is shit. My job is shit. This whole world is going to shit. My life… is shit. That’s why I bought this gun, and these bullets. These will be the last things I ever buy.
My whole apartment was full of cigarette smoke. I hate the bastards, but I just can’t seem to give them up. Not like that will matter soon anyway. The gun feels nice in my hand. It’s heavier then I thought. Shit, who the hell cares how heavy it is? All that’s left is to pull the trigger and end my miserable life.
I put the gun in my mouth and remembered all the good times I had. All the money and all the girls I used to have. I closed my eyes as I squeezed the trigger. For a moment, I didn’t think I’d be able to go through with this, but I did it. Yes, I pulled the trigger. But something was wrong… no bullet fired. Instead there was just a clicking noise.
Did I die that quickly? I didn’t even feel any pain… wait… this can’t be right. Sure enough, something wasn’t right, there were no bullets in the chambers. I was sure I had put the bullets in the gun before… I guess I forgot. Just another mistake to add to my long list of my screw ups.
I placed one bullet in a free chamber of the gun. I don’t even know why I bought more then one bullet. It’s not like one bullet to the roof of the mouth wasn’t enough. Maybe I bought them just incase I wanted to torture myself but filling up with holes? As if! I’m not some sick bastard who gets off on pain!
I placed the gun back in my mouth, and once again closed my eyes. Suddenly I heard glass shatter. I saw that it was my window that had shattered when I opened my eyes. Something quickly moved past me and grabbed the gun out of my hand. Oi! What the hell do you think you’re doing?! A person stood before me. He was holding my gun, and pointing it at me.
Now that I realise it, this guy came crashing through my window, which is up on the third floor. And just why the hell did he grab my gun in the first place?
“Do you want to die?” asked the man standing before me with my gun. Die? Die? Yes I want to die! That’s what I was trying to do in the first place!
This man looked to be in his mid-twenties. He had black hair with matching eyes. He wore a red shirt, a black jacket and black pants.
“You shouldn’t try to take your own life.” said the man. Who does he think he is telling people what to do!? If I want to die, then let me die!
A loud drumming noise suddenly filled my ears. And holes began filling my walls. The man ducked, and so did I. What the hell was going on?! The holes looked about the same size as bullet holes… wait… they were bullet holes! Now that I think about it, I can hear a helicopter! Wait! A helicopter just fired at my apartment! Why!? I looked over to the man still holding my gun. It’s him… they’re after him.
The man took off out of my apartment and down the corridor. Hey! He’s got my gun! Give that back! I paid good money for that! Before I knew it, I was chasing after him. And I only just realised that bullets were hitting the wall behind me, as if they were chasing me. The more I thought about this, the faster I wanted to run. Strange for someone who only moments ago wanted to die. Why run harder to escape death if you want to die?
I was catching up to that thief who stole my gun. He leapt out a window and onto a fire escape. I called for him to stop, but he just ran up the stairs towards the roof. So I followed him all the way up to the roof.
Eventually I found him standing on the ledge, looking towards me. Something is missing, something that concerned me only seconds ago. The helicopter! Where did it go!?
“What helicopter?” asked the man. What? What does he mean!? He saw it too! It fired at him! It chased us! It destroyed my apartment! But something is wrong, something other then a disappearing helicopter. It was life. I didn’t see any life or hear any life. No people, no animals, not even the wind.
The man held up the gun once again. No… it’s not a gun, it’s a photo? Where’d my gun go? He had it in his hand just a moment ago…
“What gun?” asked the man. What the hell!? Is this guy insane?! It was just in his hand!... Or am I insane? I swear it was just there!
Some how I got a good look at the photo in the mans hand. The photo was of my lovely wife and beautiful daughter. The family I cherished so much. The family I ran away and left behind when things got tough. I closed my eyes as I thought them. How I miss them… I wish I could see them one more time… to hold them in my arms. I would hold them so tight and never let them go.
When I opened my eyes, I was standing on the ledge of the building holding my hand out. In my hand was the photo I saw the man holding before. I looked down and saw a target painted on the ground, as though it was telling me to jump and aim for the center. But I didn’t want to jump… I didn’t want to shoot myself either. What I wanted… was to be with my family…
I back off the ledge, because I see it now. No, not the target! I can see hope. Hope in my life. Hope back with my family. If I’m lucky, they’ll accept me back. And if they don’t, then I’m not going to stop trying to convince them. I just want to be happy with my family again. That’s all the matters to me now. Not being rich. Not having lots of women. Not even power. Love, family and friends are all that matters.
Suddenly I felt someone’s fingers wrap around the back of my head. That man again. For some reason, I couldn’t break free of his grip. Just what the hell is going on!?
“Now, you see what is important.” said the man. Of course I do! I want to be with my wife and daughter!
“No… not them. Life.” said the man. Life? Why is life more important then family?
“Without life, there is no family. No love. No friends. No nothing. It doesn’t matter who you marry, or who your kid grows up to be. Because none of those can even begin without life.” said the man. What the hell is he talking about? Life is the single most important thing? Without it, we can’t do anything? Well that was a stupid question. Of course you can’t do anything without life. Why did I even bother to ask that?
“Precisely. If you end your life now, you won’t be able to do what you were born to do. What you were destiny to achieve.” said the man. Are you saying destiny and fate exist? That everything is predetermined?
“Who knows what the truth is. All I know is what I’ve told you. Oh, one more thing…” said the man. What is it? This last thing of yours that you have to say?
“Have a nice fall.” I said, as I pushed myself off the roof of the building.
Yeah, a bit confusing, I know. But it's meant to be that way. It doesn't matter what's going on, or what's happening, all that's important is your interpretations of what's going on. My teacher noticed something no ones else did. And that is that the story doesn't really have an ending. The narrator might live, or he might die. That's up to you guys, the readers, decide.
