Friday Flash…

It’s been a while since I flashed… I didn’t sleep well last night so I can’t be held responsible for what comes forth. Ha! A woman and her son just walked by in front of my house… So I will go with that.

Enjoy!

The woman walked at a quickened pace down the empty street, “Jeremy, hurry up.” She called after her child on the bright red Radio Flyer tricycle.

Jeremy weaved circles in the sidewalk, making customary vrooming sounds as he imagined himself darting the bad guys. He was a superhero, after all.

The mailbox loomed at the end of the street, mocking every step the woman took towards it. The chances of anything being in the box was slim, just as it’d been the last four weeks she’d checked. But still, each day after the white truck shuffled down their street, she would make the decent under the guise of an afternoon walk with her cape wearing son.

“Mommy, will we stop at the mailbox today or keep going to the park?” The three year old questioned while purposefully running over the ant hill piled in the grass beside him.

The words stung the woman. Maybe she should just continue to the park and forget what brought her out on the hottest day of the year. Maybe if she passed the box this time, the letter would magically appear in the box when she came back. Maybe-

“Mommy,” her son whined from behind her, stuck on the edge of the sidewalk.

She helped her son right his getaway vehicle and turned her attentions again on the box.

They told her she would receive a letter by now or some type of communication about the accident. It had been far too long since the news went viral on CNN about the helicopter crash in the gulf. The crash her husband was pilot of.

She cursed the military and their semantics. Why is it considered okay to leave a spouse waiting for news of her husbands mortality? If he is dead or missing, she just wants to know. She wants to be able to prepare her son for… for what? A funeral?

She gripped the silver mailbox at the end of her street as her legs threatened to crumple underneath her.

No. She had to think positive. No news is good news.

“Mommy, are we going to the park?” Jeremy asked as she fit the key into the small hole.

“Yes, baby. Just let Mommy check the mail.” Her fingers trembled when she turned the rusted lock. She held her breath and allowed a tear to trickle down her cheek. Please God. Please. she pleaded, Let there be something. Anything.

“Mommy?” Jeremy’s confused voice drifted off into the muggy air. She ignored him and reached into the narrow opening, fumbling with the circulars.

“Mommy?” Jeremy called again. She wished he would just remain silent two more seconds. She just needed to see. She just needed to know.

“Mommy!” He screamed, making her jump and drop the contents in her hand. Mail flew in every direction. She wanted to scold him but instead she frantically dropped to her knees and began to search through the mess

It had to be there. Please. Anything.

“Gretchen?” The voice echoed in her head and immediately made the tears spring to life. She cursed the memory of his voice. It had been a long eight months since she’d spoke to him voice to voice but she could still hear his voice like he stood beside her.

“Mommy?” Jeremy’s voice seemed pinched and struggled, but still she refused to look up until she had turned over ever piece of mail scattered on the ground.

“Gretchen?” The voice echoed again, this time she couldn’t push it away. The tears sprang anew down her cheeks. When she heard the voice again, this time closer and more labored, she gasped.

No. No. No. Please don’t torment me. Please.

“Gretchen. It’s me. It’s really me,” the voice she longed for filled her ears.

She fought the haze of her tears and looked up to see her husband, still in his desert fatigues, standing just four feet away.

Time stopped as she raced to his embrace, instantly happy the letter had not come.

What is a Friday Flash? It’s when I see something and without thinking too hard about it… write a short story. Could be anything… Last time it was about a beat up van. You can read that one here. Enjoy!