Click here for full story in PDF

The Choice was chosen to be published in the second issue of if&when, Volume 2, June 2013!

The Choice started out many years ago as a small part of a larger story. The story lost momentum for me and I put it aside to work on other pieces. When it came time to find another short story to submit, I dug out the old story, rewrote most of it, and was very happy with the much shorter results.

Sample text below, click on link at top of page for the full story.

“Are we really going to do this?”

“I don’t think we have a choice.”

The two were desperate. They had a growing stack of bills at their new apartment. Before they were jobless, their life had been looking up. They had moved, his old studio apartment and her childhood bedroom behind them. Unemployment checks came, but often too late. They were a sinking ship, but held onto each other; their love a buoy, a savior.

“Do you have the gun?”

“Yeah, in my pocket, with the mask. Car has gas?”

“Yes. I don’t- yes, it’s full.”

The man leaned over and kissed his girlfriend. It was the sort of kiss that made him forget himself. It erased who he was and what he was doing. His responsibilities, his doubts, his unknown fate; all ceased to exist.

When he pulled away from her, he kept his eyes closed, reached into his pocket and pulled out the dark blue ski mask. He stretched it over his head and pulled up the hood to his sweatshirt. He reached into the right front pocket and wrapped his fingers around the .357 Magnum, acquired cheap from a pawn shop. His other hand dug into his jean pocket and wrapped around the unloaded bullets, they clanked together like worthless coins.

He took a breath and released it slow, opened his eyes and watched mist escape into the dark interior of the car. When the last customer left the store, he unclasped his hand from the gun and popped open the car door. He looked back one last time to his girlfriend.

“I love you Molly”

“I love you too, James”