...In the End
Vernon Brown

The local police drive by the French doors and I move my hand away from her. She asks, “What is wrong,” and I tell her, “The police just drove by and it frightened me.” She gets up and goes to the doors and screams, “They are looking for the men on the porch; Call the police!” I see the shadows of two men outside and reach for the phone. I dial 911 and put the phone to my head and turn to see the men come into the house. They knock her to the ground and one goes down with her. The other walks over to me and tells me to drop the phone and ask, “Did you make the call?” I say, “I’m not sure.” A commercial begins to play on the telephone and can be heard by the two of us and then an operator answers, “911 Emergency.” He pulls the phone jack out of the wall and shoots me in the shoulder. I spin in the chair and begin to realize, “This is how I am going to die.” My eyes open and I’m facing the wall. I hear her screams; I feel hot metal on my scalp and then another shot. Everything goes dark, I hear her screams, and I feel the life beginning to leave me. Then I feel a violent twitch and then nothing...
...Inhale, then heartbeat, “I must still be alive.” Rolling over I realize that this has been a dream. I stare at the pillow next to me and wonder how I could have died in my dream and then awaken. I have heard that that is impossible to do. That if you die in your dreams that you will really die.

“Let’s come back to that...”

She was a blonde woman with a husband whom was out of town. She stood maybe 5ft. 5” tall and owned a confidence that drew attention. Her skin was smooth and freckled like the constellations. I liked to call them angel kisses. She awakened after a short slumber brought on by the exhausting sex we enjoyed not twenty minutes ago. She felt my hand on hers, smiled and moved closer to me, allowing me access to her whole self. I eagerly began to caress her, and then I saw the police drive by.

“In the beginning...”

We glance at each other from across the aisle and smile. I seem to float over the aisle looking for her. “There she is.” I turn down the aisle and head in her direction and she looks me in the eye. I offer my name and I ask hers. She answers “Delores...for now.” She invites me closer with her smile and I fall under the spell of her perfume. Standing face to face I admit that she impresses me beyond normal attraction. She confides that she is also attracted and suggests that we meet somewhere more private. “Why don’t we just have a drink?” I ask, and she agrees. Floating again, I’m waiting for her in a lounge. She appears next to me and becomes soft, warm glue. I am so amazed at how well we seem to be getting on. Our first kiss confirms our powerful attraction for each other and then she stops. She says, “I have to tell you something.” She smiles...

“O.K., that’s enough...”

Standing in a cool room, floating again, I seem to be somewhere friendly and comfortable. I see familiar faces and they see me. They seem to be searching within my heart. They cause me to relive each and every moment of the time we were together. She is nowhere to be found and calling out her name only seems to disappoint my host. Then they appear to concur on a particular issue. “What is this place?”

Suddenly, my eyes open and I’m facing the wall. I hear her screams; I feel hot metal on my scalp and then I hear another shot. Everything goes dark and I know that the life is leaving me. I see her laughter and then I feel a violent twitch and then nothing...

Vernon Brown is Christian, loves God (capital G) and enjoys writing and wishes to write, direct, and produce films. Currently, Vernon is a student at SMC and plans to transfer to USC, LMU or Concordia University.