A Leap of Faith

“Faith you have to understand, we cannot keep doing this, I cannot keep cleaning up after you.” he says to me as he lights his cigar, “You have to understand that this destructive behavior can ruin your career. Hollywood reporters may love you right now, because you’re feeding their families with paparazzi shot after paparazzi shot.” He puts down his lighter on the balcony table, takes a drag and leans back in his chair. 
   I just shrug my shoulders and stare back at him, I feel the tears fall from my eyes, as the cherry end of his cigar glows and then fades. He clears his throat and taps the ash off his cigar, he leans forward once more and blows the smoke out to his side, “Just try to stay out of trouble, your publicist is already having a field day as it is.” He gets up, leaves his cigar on the ash tray, grabs his suitcase and walks back into the room. I clear my throat at stare at his cigar and the smoke emitting from it, and look into the room following him.

“George,” I finally speak my voice sounds foreign in my ears, I clear my throat and wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, he looks back at me the edge in his eyes gone, “You know I didn’t mean anything bad to come from my actions, you know that.” I look down at his shoes, they’re brown like his cigar. 

He steps closer to me and brings his free hand up to my cheek caressing it, “I know you didn’t, but you need help and we’ll get you that. It doesn’t have to be this way for you, but we’ll figure something out. I promise. Just lay down and I’ll go make some calls to clean this up.” A smile appears on his face, “Rest and prepare for the interviews that are coming up, and what ever you do don’t turn on the television.” He finishes with a wink and walks out.

I walk to the drawer nearest to the balcony window and pull it out, there’s my makeup bag. A bag of pills falls out, “You’re the only friends I have now.” I pick up the baggy and walk into the bathroom, filling the cup near the faucet. I walk back out into the room and lock the door, then head out to the balcony. I set the cup down on the table along with the bag of pills and sit in my chair across from Georges still lighted cigar, I pick it up and bring it to my lips and take a drag. I can feel the smoke settle within me, as I lift it to eye level I let the smoke out slowly from my nose, then the rest out my mouth as I set it down I pick up the baggy and pick out two pills, “ One for me, and one for George darling.” I toss them back and pick up the cup of water and flush them down, I through the cup over the balcony. Lean back in my chair and look up at the bright sky, “I wish I were a bird. They’re not confined by anything, and they can fly any where, I wish I could fly.” 

“Oh but you can fly,” I hear a voice say, “You just have to spread your wings, take that leap of faith and you’re off.” 

I stand up, pick up the cigar and take another drag and walk over to the banister and I lean over it looking down at the cars pass by, “Leap of faith.” I say as I release the smoke and flick the cigar off the balcony, my eyes drift back up to the sky, “Leap of faith.” 

I kick off my heals, and climb up on the balcony. I can feel the wind caress my calves and blow under my arms and through my hair. I spread my arms, and close my eyes, “a leap of faith.”

I hear the door click, “Faith?” 

It’s George, silly George. “He doesn’t care about you, you’re a bird. A leap of faith.” says the voice.

“Faith?” his voice sounds worried.

I turn back and see him standing looking at me, “Faith, come down from there. We can talk it out.” I smile at him. 

“It’s okay.” I respond and look back out the balcony. “A leap of faith.”

I spread my arms, and take it. 

“A leap of faith.”

In The Lift (5 word short story)

Word Count: 504

In The Lift

Ben steps into the lift of his apartment building, mindlessly presses the button to the fourth floor and walks to the back. His foot moves what sounds like a sheet of paper, he looks down to discover it’s an x-ray he picks it up to examine it.

            “What in the world,” he raises it to the light, it seems to be a human limb but there’s something different about it. He puts it under his arm as the lift comes to a halt, he steps off and starts walking over to his apartment he stumbles into another person attempting to step into the lift causing him to drop the x-ray and the stranger drops a magazine they were carrying.

            “Sorry,” the stranger bends down to pick up his magazine and spots the x-ray, he hands it back to Ben, “Where’d you find this?”

            Ben clears his throat, “It was on the lift,” the stranger pushes him against the wall, “Hey what the hell man!” the strangers hold on his shirt tightens, Ben tries to escape but the man is stronger, the lift doors open the man pushes him inside and closes the lift doors and presses the button to the basement.

            “Shut up, have you shown this to anyone?” Ben searches the man’s face; he’s never seen this man in his building before how did he get in? “HAVE YOU SHOWN THIS TO ANYONE?” Ben furiously shakes his head. The lift comes to a stop and the cold night air sends a chill down his back, the man drags him out, “You mustn’t tell anyone about this, it’s bad news.” Says the stranger.

“Okay, but what is it? Who are you?”

“My name doesn’t matter, just thank me. This is a little picture some bad men are looking for it’s for a little science project gone wrong. Humans should never play god.” Says the man.

“What- who are you?”

“Let’s just say, nothing can hurt you know, welcome aboard.” Says the stranger, bringing out a syringe from his coat. “ Now this will only sting a little.”

Soon everything goes black.

Ben wakes up in his room, dazed and confused he stands up reaches to his neck, it feels sore. “That was weird.” He turns on the television; pictures of several leaked x-rays similar to the one in his dream are splayed out on the screen. “The discovery of experimenting on humans has been brought to light soon to be presented before a jury, with these images many have been approached by a strange man and then start hallucinating.  We are in a state of quarantine,” said the voice form the television, “if you’ve been approached by this man,” a picture similar to the stranger from Ben’s dream pops up,  “Please contact-”

The sound of an alarm causes Ben to wake up, he’s in bed he immediately touches his neck, nothing there. He looks at his phone it’s Saturday morning.

“Just a dream, that’s it no more watching the science fiction channel before bed.”

Rain

Rain

The sound of rain on the windshield wakes me from my sleep, I look at my wrist watch it’s thirty minutes past nine at night. I clear my throat and bring my seat forward with a pull to the lever. I look around me, the streets deserted not a soul in sight. I look to my right there in the passenger seat lays my m-9 semi-automatic handgun with its suppressor. A file under it, I have yet to view who my next job is, I grab the gun put it in the glovebox and grab the file and open it in my lap, the description reads; “Rain Quinn 24, Calgary Police Officer, detective. Single. Clean exit wounds.” 

A black Ford Explorer zooms by as soon as I finish reading her description, I look at the plate numbers and memorize them instinctively, a habit I’ve had since my father began training me. He was a hit-man as well, Igor Petrovich, trained in the military then started taking up side jobs, when I was old enough to hold a firearm he began teaching me all he knew. 

Now here I am, on another job sitting in my car, in the rain, waiting. That’s most of the work to do here, patience. I don’t have much, but I’m good at what I do and no one ever suspects a pretty face. I look back down at Rain’s file, her car’s listed there as well, “Black For Explorer, gotcha.” I glance at her picture once more, she has read hair down to her shoulders bangs swept to the side, and a sharp jawline. “Such a pretty face.” I start up my car, and turn to follow the way in which the Explorer drove in, not even a mile down I spot the same car once more and make note of the address, “Nice pad Rain.” I continue on the road and start my drive home while scouting the area for potential places to set camp for later tonight. 

BAM!
           “What the?” I look at my rear view mirror nothing, I feel the steering wheel pull at my hands, flat. I pull off to the curb, park my car and get out. “Dammit.” My tires blown, I go back to my car and open up the trunk and take out the spare. I look around to see if theres anyone out, the rain calms down, I roll the tire to the side of the car and go back to the trunk to get the jack and a wrench. I look around me again, no one. Good. I go back to the side and start hoisting up the car. I hear steps, I pop my head up again and see someone jogging towards me on the sidewalk. I get back to work.

“Hey! You okay?” I hear a voice from the other side of my car, I look up, its Rain.

I clear my throat and put down the wrench, and get up, “I’m fine.” She’s even prettier in person, such a shame. 

“Quite a flat you got there, need help?” She walks over to my side and gets down to examine the damage, “Well at least the rim’s not busted. That’s always a good thing. Here let me give you a hand.” She picks up the wrench and continues loosening the lug nuts. “My father used to own a tire shop when I was little, taught me all I know.” 

“Mine too.” I say, staring at her arms, “Aren’t you cold?” I say pointing at her bare arms, “It’s raining you know.” 

“This is nothin’ back home in Raincouver this would be considered a drizzle.” she says with a wink. 

So she’s not from here, “Your dad had a tire shop too?” she asks bringing me out of my thoughts. 

“What? No.” 

“But you said ‘mine too’ after I said my dad had a tire shop when I was little.” 

“Oh no, I meant he taught me all he knew.” I respond pulling out the tire and start rolling it to the side to replace it with the spare.

“Gotcha. Well, I’m Rain. Nice to meet you.” she says as she gets up and puts her hand out.

I look at her arms, she’s quite muscular well then again most cops are. “Natasha, my pleasure. Thank you, you’re strong.” I respond my hand lingering on hers as she smiles and is that a blush creeping up her neck? 

She smiles and pulls her hand back, “uh got I got that.” she takes the spare from me and begins placing it back on the car. “Do you live near by Natasha?” 

“Don’t make conversation, it’ll make it harder to complete the job.” I hear my fathers voice in the back of my mind, “No, I’m just visiting on business.” I respond, looking back into my car, “the gun’s just inside that glove box she’s vulnerable right here.” I hear my father’s voice again.

“Oh. Well welcome to Calgary.” She says, picking up the wrench again and starts putting the lug nuts back in their place.

“Yeah, thanks.” I walk to the passenger side of the car, and pull out the gun cock it and put in the holster inside my jacket. I walk back to the driver’s side, she’s gone. I then hear the trunk slam shut.

I immediately place my hand on the trigger of the gun, “Rain?” 

“Would you like to accompany for a cup of coffee?” I hear her whisper in my hear, I immediately turn and am met with her face right in front of mine with a smile on. 

I move the gun and aim it from inside my jacket to her chest, “No thank you.” Click. 

Her smile fades and she falls on me. Click. 

“I don’t drink coffee.”