I wished it didn’t happen; I really do…it just got out of control. I turned the wheel and drove my Jeep off the freeway and out into the Arizona desert. I gripped the wheel tighter as I bounced in my seat; the uneven earth shook my vehicle and my nerves. I needed to clear my head before I went home to face my wife.
She’d asked me to stop going to the Indian Casino, but she didn’t understand there are ups and downs in poker. Besides, I’m only doing it for the family. Pressure’s mounted since I lost my job, and with the bank threatening to foreclose on our house, I had to make some fast cash. She’d threatened to take the kids and leave if I kept gambling, but I had a sure fire way to triple our money. I cashed out my 401k, entered the casino poker tournament — and lost it all.
I stepped down from the Jeep and looked at the barren desert. A gust of hot wind flapped my baggy shirt as I closed the door. I trembled uncontrollably at the thought of telling my wife.
I looked to the sky to regain my composure and noticed the stars were brighter out here in the desert.
“I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight,” I said softly trying to fight back tears. As if on cue, a streak of light flashed in the sky — a shooting star. I smiled at the coincidence, but instead of instantly fading away, the star slashed the sky like a bolt of lightning. The tail grew longer and brighter on its quick descent. It headed right towards me. My muscles tensed as I stood frozen and helpless. My fear turned into laughter as the softball sized meteor crash landed kicking up sand and dirt. It created a six foot wide crater and then rolled to a stop only three feet away.
I crouched over the rock and placed my hand a few inches away. Surprisingly it gave no heat, so I picked it up. When I touched the meteor my body vibrated with a fierce pulsation that I felt deep within my bones. A seizure raptured my body and my mind raced. Bite-sized memory chunks of each year of my life were relived not for my benefit but for some unknown stranger standing over my shoulder. I felt trapped in a confessional booth, involuntarily confessing my sins to God.
Overwhelmed I dropped the rock. The meteor had spoken to me the way music communicates to the soul. I was told to “make a wish.”
Could my luck have finally changed? I laughed uncontrollably, and the sound of my own laughter scared me. What if this was real? I could restart the day and skip the casino, or I could replay that poker game and win. Crap, I could wish for anything I wanted… I felt dizzy. What if I wished for a truck load of money, so I could pay off my debt and buy my family everything they’ve ever wanted? Then again, fuck em. This was MY wish. I should do whatever’s right for me. I needed to get a grip; I was drunk with power.
I kicked the meteor away from me but the seductive request to “make a wish” still resonated like a tuning fork. Had my luck really changed? I walked back to the meteor and knelt before it. I started to cry. The tears cleared my head and I knew what to wish for. I reached for the meteor and immediately convulsed. My eyes rolled back fighting the somersaults in my skull. I made my wish, and then blacked out.
An explosion woke me, like the sonic boom of an airplane overhead. I was on my back; I shaded my eyes with my arm from the bright light. I thought I had slept till morning. I tried to swallow but my throat scratched like sandpaper. I could barely open my eyes, and my head throbbed like I’d had too much Jack Daniels. I checked the time on my phone but it read 11:00 P.M. Confused, I looked to the sky and discovered the source of the light: the sky rained fire. My wish had been granted; thousands upon thousands of burning meteors headed straight for me. Unlimited wishes.
—
©2009 Jimmy Calabrese
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
Tags: Jimmy Calabrese
July 7th, 2009 at 12:07 am
The real clincher is the very last line….
July 7th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I conquer with Lori, the last line is the real clincher
I like this one better than the last one that was posted by Jimmy. Good job.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Good story! I enjoyed it!
July 7th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Thanks guys, I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Good stuff, Jimmy! Keep them coming.
July 10th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I liked your short story!!!
Very different and very good!!
Do you have any other ones that you are working on at the moment?
September 8th, 2009 at 10:30 am
For such a short story the character development was very nice. Although I do not know the name of the man you speak of, I feel close to him at the end of your short. I also like how you included a protagonist and the antagonist inside of one character.
Perhaps something longer in the future.