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My Hall of Fame: Short Story

Found this story I did back in high school and I'm actually fairly impressed with how it turned out since I kinda forgot about it. I hope you enjoy it!



I’m gazing at the road in front of me, not as focused as I should be. But I don’t care. There’s no one else around. It’s nine thirty at night and I’m winding down backstreets heading for home. My mind is calculating how many hours I worked today and adding it to the total number of hours I’ve worked this week. Twelve hours multiplied by eight dollars minimum wage is roughly ninety-six dollars. I’m trying to figure out how much I’ve made this month, when I get distracted by a song on the radio. Singing along, I drum my fingers on the steering wheel as I pull up to a stop sign.

Man, I can’t wait until I get home and I can crawl into bed with my puppy snuggled in beside me.

I’m waiting for a car to go by and I edge forward into the turn I’m going to make. I glance both ways to make sure the coast is clear, but when face front again everything happens too quickly for me to react. The car’s just off to my left. A cat darts out in front of the driver and they swerve.

I feel the jolt before I can fully register what’s happening. I swing sideways and I hear the deafening sound of metal smacking into metal. The airbags eject but they can do nothing to save me from my body whipping back and my head colliding with the window, cracking it. The world disappears.

My grandmother holds out a small bag of sparkling blue beads and I watch as my hand reaches out to receive them. My gaze drops to the ring of memory wire in front of me. My mind registers the familiar silver and blue to-be-bracelet. Through my childhood eyes, I watched as my hands picked up beads in a rotating pattern and slid them onto the wire. When it was full my grandmother walked me through how to secure the end.

I marveled at how skilled she was at this, but it didn’t come as a surprise because her job was to coordinate events and plan fun things, such as crafts, for the elderly people at the nursing home she worked at. I loved hearing her stories about all the things she would do with them. It might actually be one of the reasons I’m so interested in becoming an event planner.

After I finished it off, I looked up at her and she smiled. I took in her short curly brown hair and dark green eyes. I don’t get to see her often because she lives in New Mexico, but I cherish every chance I get to see her. She’s taught me all kinds of interesting things and she’s always fun to be around.

A flash of white envelopes my grandma’s face and my eyes squint the scalding light burning my aretnas. A dark shape looms over me, casting a forgiving shadow over my face. As my eyes adjust, my mom’s troubled face fills my vision. Muted words roll off her tongue and my eyebrows press together in concentration and confusion.

Her lips stop moving. Her eyes portray the depth of her concern and in a moment I want to cry. I can’t stand to see her in pain. I mean, she’s not just my mom, but my best friend. She’s been there for me when no one else was. We do all sorts of fun things together like go to the movies or go shopping. I tell her practically everything and she’s one of the few people I know who can handle my crazy personality.

A gentle touch alerts me to the fact that she’s holding my hand and suddenly I’m confused as to where I am. There are nurses and everything’s white. My brain hits on the place, but can’t conjure up what’s called. My mom lifts her head to look at something above my head and the light assaults my vision again. I feel myself sinking.

The light shifts and an even whiter light takes shape – more like a glow, but unlike the other one this one doesn’t hurt. The luminescence appears to be moving toward me and as it moves an indescribable peace settles over me. There’s not a hint of doubt of Who this is. How could I not recognize my Savior? I feel my knees cave and He stretches out His hand to steady me. I clasp my hand in his and I can’t help the tears of joy – and of unexpected sadness.

Am I dead?

No. A quiet voice answered.

I feel so overwhelmed and exposed as I stand there before Him; His perfection, His holiness, and His love to my brokenness. It consumes me until a wave of calm relaxes my soul.

He’s been around since before time began and He knows everything about me, but died for me anyway.

I smile. Jesus. My mind whispers.

I love you.

The light evaporates into darkness and a hospital room takes shape. It’s night outside my window and my mom’s asleep in the chair with my dog, Cody, at her feet.

My head feels clearer than it has in a while and my mind slowly recalls the accident. With it a throbbing pain in my head takes form. I notice pain pills and a glass of water on the table beside me and I reach over to take a couple. I settle back in the pillows.

LORD, thank You that I’m okay. I pray the other driver is okay, too.


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