[This week's 100 Word Challenge brings us the word "luck". This story is called "Mercy"]
I knew her name was Mercy, only because our last names were similar, and sometimes I would get her mail. She had worn long boots over very tight jeans, and her beautiful tan face looked eerie in the flashing lights as the paramedics worked on her. I knew one physics theory said there were an infinite number of universes, and I longed to be in one where she missed her bus and wasn't crossing the street at the exact moment the stolen SUV tore past, hitting her, turning her perfect body into broken flesh, making her name a mocking joke.
Michael, you did it to me again. "It" being two things, actually:
ReplyDeleteI'll be wondering about this Mercy girl all damn day now: Why was she on time today of all days and did not miss her bus? Especially when she is usually late for EVERYthing! And HOW broken is her flesh because of this jerk SUV driver? Stolen? The SUV was stolen? Why, what went on there, huh?
You are making me continue to spin your yarn in my head here, how dare you!? Will she die on the way to the hospital? Will be paramedics save her, please? And why do I even care? And who is this witness to the accident, anyway? How does he (he?) know her?
And the second thing you are guilty of: Making a certain Paul Simon song play over and over in my head...
Thanks for your latest installment, Michael! Enjoyed it immensely, as always.
Just for the fact that you touched on quantum physics, I love this piece. Somewhere Mercy is sipping a Starbucks latte and watching the cars go by outside the cafe window.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the process of writing a sort of time travel novel so this piece really spoke to me! Loved everything about the darkness of it! GREAT PIECE!!
ReplyDeletesounds like more to me. Great job. You have us all wanting the rest of the story
ReplyDeleteThe title of your blog fits as the title of this story. I love the physics theory of infinite universes and how the narrator longs to be in one where she misses her bus. Well done.
ReplyDeleteWhat everyone else has said! But how many universes to explore before finding the right one...
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