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    Mikiesboy
  • Mikiesboy
  • Author
  • 11/11/2017
  • 676 Words
  • 2,401 Views
  • 21 Comments
Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Only Prompts - 13. Maple Drive

Prompt 625: Maple tree, winding road, storm clouds, a green jacket, a ball.

Just a little vignette inspired by these words.

Maple Drive

 

It was a beautiful fall weekend. I’d gone home to visit my parents. Sadly, Shawn was on call that weekend so he was unable to join me. It turned out to be a nice visit that by chance, was also the anniversary of my childhood friend Georgie’s death. I hadn’t forgotten, well not really, more… that I just didn’t want to remember. Mom, however, had other ideas.

We sat on the sofa finishing our coffee.

“I’ve bought some flowers and I thought we’d visit Georgie.” Mom patted my right knee.

While I smiled at her, inside I was screaming no! I’d not been Georgie’s graveside since the day of the funeral. I’d made a point of never returning.

“Adrian, it wasn’t your fault.” Mom kissed my cheek. “You’re not still blaming yourself?”

“Hard not to blame myself, when it was my fault.”

“Put on your jacket and come with me.”

It’s funny how they say you can’t go home again, but when you do, no matter how old you are, your mother can make you feel like you’ve never left or aged. I put on my jacket.

We walked the three blocks to St. Jude’s Cemetery. Then we found our way to Georgie’s resting place. Mom and I cleaned up the site a little and we left the flowers. Mom walked on ahead, but I stayed for a minute. I ran my hand over the rough headstone.

“You know I’m sorry. I hope you forgive me for what I did, Georgie. I’m so sorry.” The tears came from where they had been stored for twenty years. I stood and wiped my eyes and walked with Mom who was fifteen yards down the path.

Mom slid her arm through mine. “Are you off back home now, Adi? It’s a shame Shawn couldn’t join you this time.”

I looked down at the sidewalk. “Next time, Mom.”

“Are you okay dear?”

I drew in a deep breath and let it out. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

We walked back home. After saying goodbye, I drove through town when I decided, on a whim, to head to Maple Drive. It was a beautiful winding road to drive, but today I parked my car, and after a moment’s hesitation, got out.

It had been years since I walked this road. The last time had been with Georgie.

Today, the trees were glorious, just like they had been that day. Leaves wore all shades of green, gold and red. Fallen ones skittered along the road and I walked among them. Today was clear; that day there had been storm clouds.

The maple tree was just ahead. It was huge; it was one hundred years if it was a day. I reached the tree and looked up into the canopy, Massive branches reached over the road and tapered gracefully. It still held a few leaves. I walked around the silver-gray trunk to the other side. The scars were still there in the bark. I ran my fingers over the gouges.

“Oh, God.” I whispered. “I’m sorry, Georgie. I didn’t see the car… I swear I didn’t.”

“I know.” The voice was a whisper on the wind. “I know Adi.”

I turned and there was Georgie. She was dressed in the green jacket she loved. She ran toward me, kicking her ever present soccer ball. “Nearly dinner time, Adi.” She slipped her hand into mine and we walked back the way I’d come. Like we had a thousand times.

As we neared the car, she tugged me to a stop. Her blond hair blew softly around her beautiful face and she smiled. “I know, Adi, and it’s all right because it was just an accident.”

~ ~ ~

I awoke in the car, in the driver’s seat. Had that happened?

I started the engine and drove slowly past the old maple. As I took the first bend, I glanced in the rearview, hoping to see her… but there was nothing but the past behind me.

 

 

*****************************************************************************************************************************

Thanks to AC Benus for reading this for me.
Copyright © 2017 Mikiesboy; All Rights Reserved.
  • Like 9
  • Love 9
  • Sad 3
Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

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Chapter Comments

mogwhy

this one forced me to put down my laptop and weep like a baby. well done. this is what survivor's guilt feels like. put me right back, 40+ years as i watched a friend get struck by a car as he crossed the road, getting off the school bus. yea, the drunk flew threw the flashers, killed my friend and almost killed his 3 year old who was standing  in the front seat of the car. in no way it could have been my fault, but i still felt it. i avoided that road, still do  when i go back.. today i remember Marc for the wonderful, happy kid he was. 

  • Like 4
Mikiesboy
1 hour ago, Reader1810 said:

I'm thinking, I'm thinking...this one leaves me with lots of thoughts and feelings - yes feelings - swirling through my brain, but words will not form. 

I feel this one.

 

Well done my friend, well done. :thumbup: 

 

I'm glad you felt it ... it was odd, I felt it when i read the prompt.. it was all right there waiting for me to write it down.  Thanks, Reader xoxo

  • Like 5
Mikiesboy
56 minutes ago, mogwhy said:

this one forced me to put down my laptop and weep like a baby. well done. this is what survivor's guilt feels like. put me right back, 40+ years as i watched a friend get struck by a car as he crossed the road, getting off the school bus. yea, the drunk flew threw the flashers, killed my friend and almost killed his 3 year old who was standing  in the front seat of the car. in no way it could have been my fault, but i still felt it. i avoided that road, still do  when i go back.. today i remember Marc for the wonderful, happy kid he was. 

didn't want to make you cry... sorry you had to go through that

  • Like 4
Mikiesboy
52 minutes ago, MacGreg said:

Your use of the prompt went far beyond what I could have done with those keywords. I came back to read it a second time so that I could see past the emotions. you told us so much in this short piece. Very well done, tim. 

thank You, Sir.  sometimes things just come together. Read the prompt and it just worked. Thanks for reading it, Sir. 

  • Like 4
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