CLICK HERE FOR THOUSANDS OF FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES »

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Issue 2 - Sacrifice by Almondie Shampine

Sacrifice

I spoke with him tonight. I did not hang up on him as I’ve been, because since this morning he has known something that he will do. He told me there was evil in his blood that he could not control, and because he could not keep himself from hurting others, he had to be destroyed. He had to sacrifice himself so that he wouldn’t hurt anyone else.

I didn't talk him out of it. I didn't try to stop him.

“I’m like my father, Diane. I like hurting people. I like making them feel as I’d been made to feel. I never imagined I could be this way, but then I hurt the very person I love the most. God, Diane, I almost killed you. … I’m so sorry.”

“Do you have your ID on you?” I asked him.

“And your number in my pocket.”

“They will know that I’m your wife.”

“You will know before they call you. I will visit you. Please don’t be scared. I will give you a kiss.”

“I will miss you and remember you as I loved you.”

“Thank you for everything, Diane. You’ll get two grand from social security, but I don’t think the Union benefits will cover suicide.”

“Can I pray for you?”

“Please.”

“I will pray for him to let you come home. I wish you could bring Rayne when you come so that I can know that you have her before you go home.”

“I will see you in a couple years, Diane. The Koreans are shooting missiles at us. World War III. It’s going to be the end of us.”

“The Myans predicted the end of the world to be December 12th, 2012.”

“Okay, so I will see you then. I love you, Diane. I think you’re the only person in this world I have ever loved.”
------------

Almondie Shampine lives in New York with her two children. She has had two books published, and currently freelances full-time for magazines and newspapers. Visit http://www.helium.com/ for more information.

Neville Sukhia is a photographer from Pune, India.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

that picture is so perfect for the story. It really represents the guy, haunting and enigmatic.