Interlude With Aspirin

A short piece, partially based on true events.

“If you love someone, set them free.”

Jason laughed for a moment. Not one of those joyous laughs that allow emotion to consume the air; rather, it was one of those that expressed grief and regret which was tinged with hatred.

“There's a funny thing about that, Ryan. I told her that, months ago, tears streaming from her eyes.”

“That's usually how it happens.”

A bottle of aspirin was held loosely in his hands. Painkillers. He scoffed quietly, the whole scenario having a pathetic aura of irony wrapped around it. If only the worked on the inside.

They might.

He let out another laugh, then shook his head in shame. If it were that simple, he'd be a lot better by now.

“Miracles happen, you know,” Jason's friend told him, speaking from the other end of the line. “She could come back, it's possible.”

He did hold a point. The impossible could occur. What had Becca told him? Believe the impossible? It seemed folly.

It probably was. Her heart was elsewhere.

“Seems my own efforts are biting me in the a*s, the healing I wished upon her becoming reality.”

“Don't know what to tell you. Keep trying, I guess. Keep showing her you care, maybe she'll come around.”

That pillbottle looked more and more tempting with each word from Ryan. In minor frustration, Jason bopped it away with the back of his hand, removing it from his sight.

“I'm not going to go out on overdose.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

There was sigh from the phone's speaker. “I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that last line from you, Jas.” A pause; “Look, just enjoy what time you have left.” If Jason could see him, he'd see Ryan looking down, lost in thought. “I often give advice, and I find myself saying, 'I should practice what I preach.' “

Jason looked around, wishing he could find some inspiration within himself. “Its alright.”

“Yeah. It will. Just enjoy what time you have left, k?”

“I guess you're right. I think I'll do that.”

Who knows. Maybe miracles will happen.

Reviews

[Kaile Dennis]

I thought the dialogue in this story was good, although some of the narration was kind of awkward.

A couple of examples:

"that allow emotion to consume the air" - This may just be me, but I'm unsure what this means. Were you going for something along the lines of emotion filling the air?

And although most of the dialogue seemed natural enough, the line "the healing I wished upon her becoming reality" is a little weird. Maybe the tense is a bit off? It would make a little more sense to say "the healing I wished for her became a reality."

There are a couple of other places where tense is an issue, but reading the story through out loud should probably tip you off to those.

Anyway, interesting scenario! It definitely makes me want to know what will happen next. :)

[Deanarrlack]

I thought this was entertaining, but, a bit over written? I agree with kate in that it feels awkward.