Stalking
February 15, 2002
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Homework
Beads of sweat gather and slide down Andy's brow. His breathing is ragged from the long, exhausting run through the city park. He is bent nearly in half, hands on knees to support him so he won't topple over, trying to regain the lost breath. The pain in his lungs is almost overpowering. I really should give up smoking, the stray thought flickers through his mind.
After a moment he stands up and puts his thought into order. He can remember the fight that started this chase. His wife running to find the gun so that she could defend their child.
"If only I hadn't gotten so angry and hit my little girl!" He mumbles into the cold, damp breeze. "She just wouldn't stop bugging me, and I had so much to do. . ."
"Aaaannndyyyy!!!"
He spins around, searching, at the sound of his name, hoping that his wife hasn't found him yet. She went crazy when she saw what he had done. He wishes that he had never bought that gun, or had locked the ammo away from her. He hopes that she won't find him out here. If she shoots him, she will go to jail, and no one will be there to take care of Amelia. She might go to foster homes where she might get a daily beating, or maybe no food or love.
He takes a deep breath and begins running again. If only she would calm down and come to her senses, he thinks. After what he had done to Amelia, he is willing to move away and never come back, that is how bad he feels. But he doesn't want her to lose both of her parents.
He stops again to catch his breath again. He can hear his wifes footsteps behind him now. He turns to face her. . .
NOTE: This was an assignment for my CCV (Community College of Vermont) Creative Writing I online class with William Noble.
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