The car rolled once, twice, three times before it became deathly still and Daniel came to bear their souls to the pearly gates where Saint Peter waited with a stack of books in his arms to explain the one rule: the couple must read through every lie they told the other, and then he handed the stack to the man who began to read, everything from little white lies to the more serious and harder to forgive until, finally, he closed the final cover and turned back to Saint Peter as the angel drew a scroll from within a sleeve and held it out to the woman, the love of his imperfect life to read four short words.
I love you, too.
2: Hit & Run
She was standing in the rain when he first noticed her.
He remembers it distinctly because he’d been on his way home when he turned the corner and threw on the brakes when he saw her. She didn’t even flinch, dull blue eyes glued to the sky like she was looking for the stars beyond the storm clouds. He glared, pressing his palm to the wheel and splitting the silence with a honk. She didn’t flinch, but she did roll her head to look at him, short black hair slicked down. Eventually, she moved, letting him pass, eyes never leaving his car.
He saw her again the next time it rained, this time on the street outside his work. Lightning struck the building just a couple yards above her head, but still she didn’t flinch, didn’t even seem to notice. She watched him quietly, following when he started down the street towards his car. Finally he stopped, turning on her in a mix of fear and rage while she ran her fingers through her wet hair, slicking it back and revealing some of the shock white streaks in it, unfazed by his yelling.
“It’s been a long time,” she finally spoke, her voice distant and monotone, “normally I’d bring a car battery,” she looked up at him, electricity arcing across her skin, following the nerves, “but don’t worry, it was just for show.” She lashed out, again and again, striking him with the excess electricity in her nervous system, until it burned her too, drawing blood.
The man didn’t move anymore, collapsed on the sidewalk, his heart stopped.
She walked away, pausing only to glance at his car and the child sized dent in the front bumper.
The kid had been afraid of lightning, too.
3: Coffee ShopComments must contain at least 3 words