This is the first entry in my weekly blog fiction shorts. This is for me to get feedback on my writing; and to get more noticed as a fiction author. It would be greatly appreciated if you would either leave a message on here using your Google account; or let me know what you think on Twitter! Every little bit helps, and as always thank you for reading.
Part 1: Not So Calm
Stress? Fuck stress. My girlfriend, who I don't even like; says she late. I wrapped up, she's on the pill and she's late? Either there's a higher power that hates me, or I spurt some kind of super seed. I don't have a job to support myself; much less support a kid. I don't even have family to help out. I'm fucked. Yeah, that's what got me into this mess.
“Ben you good bro?”
Bill caught a glimpse of Ben who was staring out the window of the car as it drove on the freeway; watching the radiant pink and orange fading into the dark of the night; while his mind writhed with tension.
“Yeah man, I'm great.”
“Alright, you just look really out of it today.”
“I'm just tired. Working on music all night will do that to ya.”
In reality Ben spent all night staring at a half finished resume wondering what the hell he's doing with his life. He contemplated everything from quitting his job and playing on the street corner for cash, to saying fuck his dreams and working full time somewhere he hates just for the money. His newest line of thought was quickly interrupted by Chris calling from the driver's seat.
“Which reminds me when are you gunna have that piece for my cousin done?”
Shit, I forgot about that. Should have had that done weeks ago. The guy's offering me money to advertise his movie and all I can do is sit back and grovel. I'll do it tonight.
“I'll have it done by the end of the week.”
“Alright, he's pretty excited, he talks about it every time I see him. He thinks you have real talent Benny.”
Chris was one of his longtime friends and one of the only people who he could bear calling him “Benny” It reminded him of high school when his teacher though it was clever to call him and his friends “Benny and the jets”.
“Yeah I know, I'm just a little swamped right now.”
Swamped, Yeah. I wish I never had to sleep. I could get so much more done. I don't honestly even have that much on my plate. It's just that It's so hard to get everything done with everything going on in my fucking head. I just need a place to rest a place to...
“Holy shit, did you see that?”
Charlie had been quiet most of the night, he had just gotten back from his first tour in Iraq and was feeling a little awkward. The car began driving through a half tunnel; the driver side was held up by pillars so Ben could continue his gaze at the setting sun. They only one to seem excited was Bill, who happened to be photographer and loved to catch things on camera.
“What?”
“There was like a bunch of orange flashing going on to the east of us behind those buildings.”
The car pulled through the tunnel and out of curiosity everyone shuffled around to check what Charlie had caught a glimpse of; the clouds where setting in from the west. hovering in frenzied, and malevolent. The stratosphere twisted and contorted struggling to keep back the setting suns golden rays. The struggle seemed to cease, the human eye struggling to see the black bending on itself. The split second calm was interrupted by flashing streaks running through the clouds; startling wicked veins of gold, their reaching tendrils expanding across the sky. Charlie interrupted the moment of awe leaning over to Chris.
“Are we going that way?”
“Nope”
Charlie nodded his head with a smirk. “Good.”
Bill grabbed his cell phone and started taking as many pictures as he could.
“Dude, this is some Thor god of thunder shit right here, I wish I had my fuckin' camera.”
Ben watched intently; the display of power was inspirational; lyrics seemed to form instantly in his mind. Everyone else joked on as Chris turned up the music and sped up to reach the theater in time for the previews; it was generally agreed those where the best part of every movie.
Part 2: Fire from the sky
Man, Scarlett Johansson is the hottest girl to ever walk the earth. I wish my girlfriend would kicking my ass, throw me on the hood of a moving car; only to straddle me as the driver freaks out.
“Aww c'mon!”
The lights dimmed, flickered and went dark, along with the screen. Only once the roar of the sound system died did they hear the intense hail beating on the theater's rooftop. Chris was clearly displeased.
“Really? My Fuckin' Car is out there.”
“Well there's no use staying squashed, there's not even any air conditioning. Let's head to the lobby.”
They boy's collectively grabbed their soda's and marched down to the lobby, along with the majority of spectators. The sounds coming from outside where ferocious; thunder rattled away as if angels had been waging war with automatic weapons. They entered the lobby with the already growing mob of the theater's customers. The manager mentioned that everyone who had their ticket stubs would get free admission upon their next visit. Bill felt around his pockets.
“God Damn it, I always throw those out. Who keeps those things?”
Ben held his up while taking a sip of ultra sized soda, and the other two had theirs as well.
“Fuck you guys.”
Thunder rattled the glass doors lining the front of the theater. Painting a grim picture; rain was gathering on the ground faster than it could drain. The hail bounced off the pavement, and chinked off the cars in the parking lot. Chris' anger swelled as he yelled obscenities, until Bill tried to calm him down.
“You wanna make a run for it?”
Charlie and Ben quickly voiced their disdain for the idea.
“Definitely not, do you see how bad it is out there? It's like Armageddon came six months early!”
“He isn't kidding it's bonkers out there.”
Chris retaliated for idea he now clearly supported.
“Then you guys can fucking walk, I don't want to sit here anymore. We'll go to my place and wait it out.”
God, he can be such a dick when his precious car is involved.
“Alright I guess.”
Charlie just sighed.
Chris counted and lead the way, Ben brought up the rear and they sprinted to the car, until Ben slipped face-first onto the pavement. Taking a moment to pick himself up; he heard the full wrath of nature, no longer muted by the sanctuary of the theater. He took a moment to listen as the hail and rain fell upon his head. Charlie came back to help him up extending his hand for support. Ben saw the hairs standing straight up on his arm, and quickly looked Charlie in the eyes. By the look on his face; he seemed to have noticed as well. Ben thought ears where buzzing from the fall but it amplified exponentially as he came to a knee. The pole beside them began to radiate a dull blue light that flickered like a dancing flame. Ben's focused shifted to Chris and Bill, who had reached already the car. Bill was in the passenger seat while Chris held the door open yelling for them to move their ass. If the pole was a flame, the car was an inferno.
“Chris!”
Ben and Charlie yelled, but it was too late. The buzzing snapped in their ears and became an explosion; as a giant blazing arc came from the sky and struck Chris's car in a blinding flash. Sparks fell to the ground and the impact shook the car, and sent Chris tumbling through the pavement. Charlie took off full sprint towards Chris; whose body thrashed and yawed. Ben was frozen in place, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He saw Bill stumble out of the car door, crawling with his forearms through the river forming at the base of the car. Ben still sat on one knee, observing as always; noticing the smoke against the black sky, hearing the faint sound of sirens being drowned by the bass of explosive thunder. He stood and walked in shock towards his friends, the road came into view. Cars lay dead in the street, raging fires and the spinning lights of emergency vehicles overwhelmed his retina. His zombie state was interrupted by Bills hand grabbing at his pant leg with one hand and grasping one of his bleeding ears in the other. Only then did he hear Charlie's shouts; standing over a calmed Chris. There was a fire in his eyes, his training kicked in, and it rested on his shoulders whether they would perish or survive.
Ben picked up Bill by his waste and helped him for a couple steps as they began their rush back to the theater. Ben watched as Charlie hefted Chris over his shoulders, and began jogging towards the door, something straight out of a Saving Private Ryan. Bill stumbled after and once again Ben brought up the rear, and once again he stopped. He felt it against will; his muscles tightening; his heart constricting. He looked past the theater. Strikes three times the size of the one that hit his friends. They followed in succession, causing explosions, and havoc in their wake. It was inevitable. It was going to hit the theater. There was no quarry in which to run. The hair stood up on his arms. He felt the pressure well up in his head and his eardrums began to reverberate. The blue flames enveloped everything around him, the light poles, the cars, the theater. He was wrong before. This was an inferno. His blood began to boil and then, there was a flash.
