THESE WORN OUT SHOES
a short story I wrote for school
I was enjoying a quiet day night at home surrounded by the smell of apple pie from my candle I had burning when the phone rang.
"Hello" I said expecting my sister confronting me about how John is always away with work. He was deployed out in Iraq.
"Yes, hello is this the smith residence?" a unfamiliar male voice said.
"Yes why do you ask?" I said not sure if I wanted to know.
"Yes.... Um this is Dr.Sykes your husband John smith has been in a terrible car accident." He said confidently and my heart sank and hot tears streamed down my face.
"Oh... what hospital is he in?" I ask sobbing slightly trying not to show it and hoping it is not to far away.
"He is in the wounded soldiers' institute." Dr. Sykes said.
"Where?!?!" I screamed full of desperation.
"In up state New York miss." He stated calmly and at this point I was just balling my eyes out.
"Thank-you for informing me I will find a way there." I said still crying. With that the call was ended.
I started calling around to all of my friends and family in the area to see if they can drive me there or if I could borrow there car for the weekend. I had no way there though because they all had something to do like camping or a family outing or there car was broken or they needed it this weekend.
I had no other choice but to call my mom. I dialed her number and hoped she picked up.
"Hello" she said not sounding too thrilled to see I called.
"Hey mama can I use your car this weekend" I asked with no hope in my voice.
"No, I got to go shopping and go to the swap meet why would you ask such a ridiculous question?" she said in a duh tone like I should have known she had to do all that this weekend.
"Oh it's nothing mama, Bye" I hung up with out letting her say another word. It looks to me as I'm walking there it is only 100 miles or so I can make it in 2-3 days if I walk fast and don't stop unless to sleep for a bit in a motel.
I packed a duffel bag with cloths, snacks, and the little necessities I will need to look fine. I headed out at 6:00 am the next morning. All I hear is the mere sound of car horns and bird chirping it smelt like it had just rained which it had and I felt confident I would get to John in time to see him one last time.
It has now been only 12 hours since I started walking and I've mad it 40 miles so I'm almost halfway there. But it's now 6:00 pm and its starting to get dark I need to find a motel to stay at for the night.
*CRASH*
I heard something and started to run out of instinct because I had no intentions to find out what made that crash. Then I heard someone running behind me so I sped up. Then I was tackled to the ground buy a man wearing all black and he had very curly brown hair he stood up with me and he seemed pretty tall and suddenly I was not on the street I was in an ally way and he threw me down and I hit my head hard on the ground. Suddenly darkness took over me and my mind went blank.
I woke up the next morning to the sun glaring in my face and got up. I had no bag no watch and no phone. I started looking around for my things all I found was my wallet behind a dumpster with $40 in it. I walked out onto the street and asked a woman what time it was and she told me it was 9:00 am and I thanked her and started on my way. I went on walking through the busy streets of New York.
I had walked 20 miles and it is only 6:00 in the afternoon. If I keep going at this rate I will be there in no time. I was nearing a motel so I decided to stop off. It was a very run-down place with bugs everywhere but it's the only one within almost 30 miles so I stayed there. I got settled in my room and went to take a shower. After my almost hour and a half long shower I went to the kitchen and made a quick meal thing I bought at the store next door. After dinner I went to bed since it was 9:00.
I woke up the next morning to the sound of the alarm I set last night. It's now 6:00 am I'm finally in mid town New York but I still have many miles to go before I reach my destination. I left the motel and started off in the direction of 2nd street to make it to the hospital. I've traveled almost 14 hours and I was walking quite slow but the hospital is now in sight and I started running at top speed.
I ran into the hospital and went to the receptionist "Where is John Smiths room" I asked out of breath.
"He is in room 318 on the 2nd floor, are you friend or family?" she asked me.
"I'm his wife" I said in my calmest voice trying to hide my excitement as worry.
"When is his birthday he said you would know it and you are the only one that knows so that's how you'll get in miss." She said.
"His birth date is February 1st" I said confident.
"Ok you can go in miss have a nice day." She said and opened the doors.
I frantically ran down the hall to the elevator. When it reached the 2nd floor I looked like a lost puppy looking for her toy until I found Johns room. John was watching TV when I entered.
"John" I said all I felt when I found him was joy and all I could hear was his heart monitor and the smell was rancid but I found him and that's all that mattered.
"Hey honey" he said. We stayed up for what felt like forever just talking then a nurse came in and gave him his medicine then we went to sleep with just each others company.
I woke up the next morning to a loud long beeping sound and doctors running around frantically. I was shewed out of the room by Dr. Sykes and minutes later I was told John had died. I gave no expression and no emotion what so ever and simply walked out and walked to the nearest park bench and thought to my self all I have now is just these worn out shoes.
