Short Stories

The News

Lifting the cup, you took a sip. The warm liquid felt good on your lips. Outside the world is in blissful chaos. People of all types minding their own business. A man is on his phone seemingly having a heated conversation. A lady walking her dog, her long red trench coat swaying with each step. Her dog panting from the exertion of the walk. The café was quiet that morning. Maybe one or two people were sitting having their drinks. One was reading a newspaper. The headline was life-changing as the man reading it seemed clawing for any information he could get. Looking down at your drink a crooked milk leaf floated on the coffee. A baristas attempt at a masterpiece you thought. You sat in silence that morning for just a moment.

Then your phone rang.

The peace disturbed in the café everyone glances at you for just a moment before returning to their lives. Your phone vibrating your leg became distracting. You answered.

There was a man's voice. Not one familiar to you. He sounded tired, but he was kind. The faint sound of sirens in the background of the café you looked behind you. A firetruck and its ambulance companion were racing towards the hospital down the road. Their engines roaring and their sirens blaring. Apologizing to the kind man, you continued your conversation. In a calm and sad voice, he simply told you.

Your husbands dead.

World spinning, you ask him to repeat. Tears already flooding your eyes. A scream just behind your lips.

Your husbands dead.

No. No. No. This can't be true. He was there just this morning. Dressed in a suit. He kissed you. Your warm lips against his. He kissed you.

The man offers his condolences and hangs up. Tears uncontrollably stream from your eyes, and you sit there. Stunned. You look at the café around you. It's empty and quiet. The scream arrives, forcing its way from your lungs and out into the open air you scream. A sound of unimaginable pain echoes through the café. Echoes through your mind.

A touch on your shoulder. Your husband standing behind you. He gives you a sweet smile and you take his hand, and you start to dance. The café fades away as it becomes just you and him. Holding each other close. His warm embrace keeps you safe as you clutch into the soft material of his jacket. The prickly hairs of his beard poke into you. Normally a thing that would annoy you something that in any other circumstance would have caused you to send him to the bathroom to shave, brought you so much joy and comfort. He was here. He would protect you and he will bring you home. Before was a terrible nightmare that could never have happened. Holding him tighter than ever before seams popping under your grip you feel a cold hand against your back. He stepped back from you and looked you up and down. He smiled

Reality sets in again. Sitting in the café you notice the sun starting to set. The man with the newspaper was gone and the angry man from outside was gone. It was just you here. You feel the warm touch of something on your back gently shaking you asking you to wake up. Looking up you saw a kind face. Simply telling you the café would close soon. Tears streaming down your eyes once more you simply shake your head. The person patiently took a seat across from you and took your hand. Holding it gently. A crooked smile on their face they talked to you about nothing trying to take the burden from you. Your mind was somewhere else in that moment. Burdened by the weight of the loss. You lost control once more and what was once a gentle trickle of tears becomes a gushing waterfall. They watched as you lost more and more control. Ever holding your hand. Understanding you're pain they watched as every ounce of you left, leaving behind a husk. They sat for a moment longer before offering an embrace. Letting you go you thanked them. And walked home into the afternoon.