One Shots and Short Stories

Bad Decisions

I sat on the stairs of my front porch. The white paint was chipping off of the rail and the bluish green paint was doing the same off of the floor boards. The little White House I lived in had paint chipping everywhere. I really needed to fix it, but I didn't have the motivation to.

The red wooden door was open and the sound of the tv was coming through the ripped screen door. The grass needed to be cut and hedges needed to be trimmed. The house was like this when I bought it, but it was the only one I could afford. I have the money to fix it, but like I said, I don't have the motivation nor do I really have the time these days.

I was sitting by the chipped rail with a bottle of beer in my right hand and a cigarette in the other. I know I shouldn't be drinking or smoking because of the job I have. And because I know how she feels about it. But I couldn't help it. I was zoned out to the world watching the night sky and listening to the crickets chirping and the faint sound of the television.

It was a somewhat cool night. I had on my faded blue jeans that I put on when I returned from work, my brown work boots, a white tank top, and a black and white sleeveless flannel. As I zoned out watching the sky, all I could think about was what happened at work today...

I was in my raptora suit, flying in the air when I heard the gunshots. Two of my men had been shot in their stomachs and legs. I went to fly to them when I heard the helix missiles launched. I turned around right as they hit her. I didn't know what to do. Go to my men, or go to her? Two lives or one?

I made my decision and went to my men because I knew she would respawn if she was killed. I knew my men would too, but the enemy team was closer to them, so I flew there and used my rocket barrage on them. As soon as I could, I went to find her. She had been killed, so she respawned. I found her near the spawn ship and tried to apologize to her. She wouldn't listen to me and she flew out without saying any words other than "don't."

My heart was hurting. I chose my men over her. I chose my army over the love of my life. And I regret it. She's alive and well, but she won't answer my texts.

"Angela, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I wanted to kill the enemies so they couldn't hurt you again. Please, Angela. Please say something." -Fareeha 8:09pm

No reply. It was now 9:00pm and there was still no answer. That's why I'm out on the porch, drinking away the memory of the bad decision I made.

I finished my beer and stood up, throwing the cigarette butt on the ground. I stepped on it and twisted my foot to extinguish the flame. I turned and went up the two steps and made my way to the door. I grabbed the handle with my left hand and pulled the door open to go inside, with the empty beer bottle in my right hand.

"You were drinking?" I heard in that all too familiar voice that I loved so much.  I hung my head and sighed. I threw the bottle in the trash can that was inside my house by the door. I turned around as the screen door closed and leaned back against the door frame with my arms crossed. I looked at Angela's face. She looked worried, sad, and regretful. She looked to the ground and saw the cigarette butt that was squished into the ground just moments before.

"And smoking?" She asked, "Fareeha, that's not healthy and you know it. Why were you doing that?"

"To forget," I said nonchalantly.

"To forget what?"

"To forget about the stupidity that is Fareeha Amari," I said with a huff and a roll of the eyes.

"Fareeha Amari," Angela said walking up the stairs and standing in front of me. She looked up at me with anger in her eyes. "Fareeha Amari is not stupid. She may make stupid decisions, But she is not stupid."