Random Short Stories

The Wrong Choice

April 17, 2020:During the Battle of West Einsbrook

"Alfred!" The scream tore through the valley as a bullet roared toward his  chest. And in a single second, he was out of the way, as the bullet drove home in the other boy's chest. Alfred looked down to see Leon's body, a bullet embedded in his heart.

       April 24, 2008:
    In the town of Gruwell

"Come on, Alfred! Hurry it up!" Leon raced down the path, forcing Alfred to try and catch up.

"Wait up!" Alfred yelled back. "You know I'm not as fast as you!"

"Like I care!" Leon yelled back. But he still waited for Alfred at the end of the path. Alfred caught up a few minutes later, completely wiped out.

"How can you run so fast?" Alfred asked. Leon shrugged.

"How can you run so slow?" he asked in reply. Alfred scowled.

"Stop smart-mouthing me," he said. "Now what did you make me run all the way to your house for?" Leon just grinned and ran inside.

"Leon!" Alfred cried. But Leon was back a second later with tree saplings in either hand.

"My mom got these from the town's Earth Day tree planting," he said, handing one to Alfred. "I wanted to plant them together." Alfred grinned.

"That seems like a great idea!" he said. "Where should we plant them?"

"I haven't figured that part out," Leon replied.

"Well then, I think I know just the place," Alfred said. He ran towards his house, which was a little farther down the path. They passed his house and ran into the forest, which they both knew like the back of their hand. They kept running until they reached the clearing. Leon was panting.

"How can you run for so long?" he asked. Alfred shrugged. Unlike Leon, he had stamina in his side.

"Don't you think this is the perfect place?" he asked. Leon nodded.

The clearing had been a special place for them for a long time. They had met there when they were six years old, and still went there all the time, at eight years old.

"Come on!" Leon said, digging his hands into the dirt. Alfred knelt next to him and started digging, trying not to think about how mad his mom would be when he got home. And honestly, he didn't care. All he cared about was having fun with his best friend.

            ***

The trees grew very fast. After all, American Sycamores were fast growing trees. In a couple years time, they were both fully grown. But only one looked healthy. While Leon's tree was strong and sturdy, Alfred's tree was the opposite.

"What's wrong with it?" Alfred asked one day. "Why is yours perfect and mine not?"

"Mine isn't perfect," Leon replied, "And maybe yours is just maturing."

"Yours is perfect," Alfred said, "Just like you."

"I'm not perfect!" Leon cried.

"Yes you are! You're perfect at everything and I'm always bad at everything!" Alfred yelled.

After that day, the friendship between the boys wavered. It was more like a one sided rivalry. Alfred tried to beat Leon at everything they did, which led to both of them joining the military. Which is where everything got worse.

    April 16, 2020:Before the Battle of West Einsbrook

"Why?" Alfred shouted. "Why is he my commander?"

"Lieutenant Alfred, you are a soldier. You will follow the orders of your commanding officer, which, in this case, is me. And I have assigned you to Commander Leon," the Colonel said. Alfred scowled.

"But why did you make him my commander in this battle! You know we don't work well together," he shouted.

"I don't care," the Colonel said. "I've given my orders." Alfred slammed his hand on the desk.

"Fine!" he shouted. "But you will regret this." Alfred stormed out of the room.

    April 17, 2020:During the Battle of West Einsbrook

Alfred stared at the body that lay in front of him. Suddenly, all the hate he had for the man dying in front of him disappeared. And turned into blind anger. He was fighting, shooting his gun, stabbing people, not caring if they were friend or foe. And at the end of it all, he knelt next to his friend.

"Leon, why?" he asked. "I treated you so badly, so why?" And he heard the answer, as if Leon had said it himself.

"Because, you're my best friend."

  September 14, 2020:After
  the end of World War III

A young man knocked on the door of the house that had stood there for many years. A woman opened the door and gave a short gasp.

"Alfred!" she cried, flinging herself into his arms. "Oh, Alfred! I hadn't heard from you for such a long time! Last I heard was five months ago, when they told us that Leon was dead, and I just assumed the worst! Oh, Alfred!"

"Calm down, mom," the young man said, "I'm home." He pried her fingers off of him.

"Come in, come in. I'll have something ready for you in a bit," she said.

"Thanks, but I need to go somewhere for a bit," Alfred said. His mom frowned.

"Oh, is that so?" she asked, "Well, I'll have something ready by the time you're back."

"Okay," Alfred replied, taking off towards the forest. He reached the clearing thinking back to many times he ran there with his best friend. He reached the clearing where two tall trees stood.

"Hi there, Leon," he said to the trees. He smiled.

The trees had somehow grown together. They were supporting each other. Just as Leon and Alfred should have supported each other. Alfred felt tears rising in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, falling to his knees. "I'm so sorry, Leon. I treated you so badly. I'm so sorry." He kept talking, about the battles after Leon had died, about his promotion, about his discharge, about the end of the war. He talked and talked, until he realized that he wasn't alone. He stood up and turned around to see Leon's mother.

"He talked about you all the time, you know," she said, approaching him. "You meant so much to him. I think he's glad that he died to save you."

"No, it's not right! He died because of me. It's my fault! My fault!" He kept screaming and crying, while Leon's mother held him, comforting him. For the first time since he'd died, Alfred mourned his best friend's death.