WEEK 368
David glanced at his calendar again, not fully comprehending that today was...


...the day after his funeral.

"Come on, Dave! It's circled three times in red marker. Get with it!"

David picked up the duffle bag off the cold wood floor and stepped out the open window. On the metal fire escape the bitter wind pierced David's jacket. He pulled his collar tight against his stubbly neck before lighting the match.

"This is how you envisioned it. You can't start a new life without torching the old one."

The dancing flame jumped from the tiny stick to the accelerant-soaked apartment floor. David remained calm amid the deep whooshing thump and rapidly spreading inferno. Hell consumed his old life and incinerated every precious memory of the person he used to be.

David tipped his hat and started down the frozen steps. Steam rolled from his lips. He disappeared in the darkness of the alley as an explosion shook the entire city block.

by Donald Stidham, Cleveland, TN

...his last day of confinement. Having been sentenced nearly five years ago, this day seemed like it would never arrive. Slowly closing his eyes, the words of the judge echoed in his mind once again, "Mr. Darby, I'm going to make an example of you, and hope the sentence I'm about to impose will demonstrate to you and all others, that blatant disregard for any law will not be tolerated in this court".

The guard calling for door number 317 to be opened, David's door, jolted him back to the present.

"Ready to go home, Mr. Darby?"

"Yeah, I'm ready to go," David answered quietly.

"Are we going to see you again any time soon?"

"No, Carl, I've learned my lesson."

"Good. Those do not remove under penalty of law warning labels are on mattresses for a reason!"

"I know that now, Carl, I certainly know that now"!

by Stewart Lindsay, Buffalo, NY