John picked up two bottles of medium sized beer. He needed to get drunk today, otherwise he didn't know how he'd be able to sleep. Ever. The cashier who worked at the store, Mark was a friend of John and Brett. He'd been helping them get alcohol from the store since they were 14. They just had to go up and pretend to show a license, whatever it might be, it could be your mom's work ID, your school ID, your dog's pet ID, whatever. Just pretend to show a card, for the cameras. And that was their alcohol pass.
"See ya, Mark", said John leaving the store.
"Anytime, mate", said Mark, getting back to counting the cash.
John walked to the park nearby. Of course it was closed this late, but he could sit by the benches just outside. This side of the park overlooked the woods across the road. Big, tall trees surrounding their town. He didn't know how much area the woods covered nor did he care. He sat down on the bench and popped one of the bottles up.
He had finished drinking after, what felt like an hour. He remembered he had to get home for dinner. Mom said dinnner will be in an hour. He was thinking of leaving when he heard a voice from his left side. He was startled. He hadn't noticed that homeless guy sitting on his cardboard to his left. The voice started singing,
"You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down...
Sooner or later God'll cut you down..."
The way he sang in his pipesqueak drawn out voice, didn't suit this Johnny Cash song. John could hardly listen to a song about God cutting him down. He had cut down God a while ago, into two pieces.
He got up from the bench, ready to leave then he heard that voice call out to him.
"Hey, pal, do me a favor, could you leave me those bottles?", said the homeless man.
John looked back. He said,"Okay, man, I'll just leave them here for you."
He put both of the bottles down on the bench, when the homeless man spoke out again, "Listen, kid...God's gonna cut you down bad...".
That was enough. "Fuck you, man.", said John pointing a middle finger to the guy and before he could speak out anything he turned around, put both of his hands in his jacket, and walked away.
YOU ARE READING
The Damnation of Johnny Boy
HorrorIt all started with that death, the death which might have been the start of an end. And so, John and his family were damned. Is the Lord merciful and forgiving? John 5: 28-29 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in...
