Crash and Burn

Free fall.

 

That's what I'm doing. Don't get it confused with flying. Flying would be an entire different matter, no, this is just a simple little free fall. I know, I know. I shouldn't be thinking about how f*****g awesome this is. I should be petrified, right? Thinking back on all of my regrets... my shoulda, coulda, woulda's. Perhaps a little nostalgia on how I won't graduate from high school. Learn to ice skate, backpack across obscure regions in Europe that no one had ever heard of... perhaps fall in love. But I won't.

 

This is the here and now. Falling through the night sky... 27 stories. Wind in my hair, rustling my clothes. The sharp shards of glass floating about can not even touch me.

 

Maybe it is kind of like flying.

 

But I'm going to have to hit the ground soon. It's going to hurt, I know that. But then, it won't. All I have is now. The city lights in all their array of colours like my very own Christmas. 

 

Falling into nothingness, cradled by the night. I have never breathed so freely ever before in my life. This is glorious. Heaven. The landing will be my hell, but for now sweet abandon.

Reviews

[flaneur]

I read all three chapters, but want to comment mostly on this one. You have "The Voice" in all three, meaning your words flow well, and I would eagerly read more of whatever you published. But this chapter stands out as something literary... if you filled a book with more writing of this style it would skyrocket to the next level on reading lists. My opinion, perhaps, but I bet other bibliophiles would concur.

You could have taken the low road and simply said, "I was falling as I stared at red and green stoplights". But what you said was...

"The city lights in all their array of colours like my very own Christmas.
Falling into nothingness, cradled by the night."

... which shows how poetic and fantastic your writing can be. I bet you know in the back of your mind that you nailed this chapter; when greatness leaks out of a pen, the writer can't help but notice.

The only thing I didn't like about your chapters is that you seem obsessed with pointing out every object's color. But even that doesn't distract from this chapter's potential. I hope you write more stories on this level; if you do, please send me a read request since I really like your style.

[AnthonyBrumley]

Beautiful imagery. Wild adventure.

[March Books]

I just want to add that I think the image for Delirium is wild. I love the way the girl is taking on the aspect of the bird. Is this related somehow to 'Crash and Burn'? It just struck me that it might be so, because of the flying theme.

[March Books]

this is very intriguing. I am always drawn to writing that effectively gets inside a character's head. Nice job.
I am still trying to figure out the navigation of this site. I am not sure if I am reading in sequence or not. I thought the chapters would be populated within the book. I had the same problem when I was posting my chapters. I'll figure it out.

[Jessie]

I like all of what you have so far, but this stands out the most. It did a good job of hooking me, which is pretty hard to do.

A dozen smiles to ya.

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

[~D.A. Phoenix~]

Free falling...hmm describes my life right now

[HoWiE]

Hey there, this caught my eye as I was flicking through the site and I've got to say - wow! What a great opening gambit. I love the feel of this piece, a vacuum crammed with so much - don't worry if it doesn't make sense, I know what I mean. I shall be looking at the rest of this with a great deal of interest. It almost put me in mind of a crossover between Evanescence's 'Bring Me To Life' video and the slow motion falling sequence from Spiderman 3 where Peter Parker is reaching for the engagement ring in mid-fall. Either way I liked this - cheers!!
All the best,
HoWiE

[Danielle Asher]

the free falling idea at first I thought of like sky diving or something wonderful and than you mention the 27 stories... and the whole tone changes. It's very daunting- I like it a lot. I appreciate all the thoughts running through the characters head as they are falling the "shoulda coulda wouldas."
I was fully enjoying the tormented character's ride and I got stopped at the last line: "Maybe the landing will be my hell." It felt like such an abrupt thought for someone going through something so "glorious." You would think someone would be committed to the feeling of why they are taking the fall but maybe that is just it, at the end it flashes before you the "maybes" and it's too late. I am not sure if there is more to this i haven't read yet, but maybe the maybes and the nervousness expressed in that last paragraph could be explored more.
Overall, I really like it.

[Serendipity]

I feel like that sometimes. When everything seems to be going to opposite of how I wish. I feel that once we hit the ground it is hell because trying to put ourselves back together is a nightmare.

But don't forget you have friends here to help you through. Sometimes just talking to someone makes a difference between life and death.