A Flash of Blue, Red, and White

The hot summer sun beat on the sidewalk mercilessly as I walked down the street to the local bookstore. It was the 4th of July and despite the many activities going on throughout the day, I had nothing to do, nor did I feel up to anything but getting lost in a good cool book about Alaska. Just as I came up to the store, I glanced across the street casually and saw a mad melee of shoppers milling about hoping to save a buck on a national holiday. Disinterested in the crowd, I turned away…

Wait!

I thought I saw someone familiar… Turning to look back across the heavy street traffic, I scanned the crowd again, looking for perhaps a friend that I could have company with. A hand shot out above the human mass, waving frantically. My attention seized, I looked at the person waving. It looked to be a very pretty girl.

Nah, she couldn’t be waving at me…

Desolate at the thought that there weren’t many pretty girls interested in some shy, gangly bookworm like myself, I again turned away, stepping up to the doors of my heaven — the Main Street Bookshop.

Yet, a piercing yell emerged from the air, and I swiftly turned again, looking in the direction of the crowd. Maybe some old man got heat stroke and fell? Instead, it was the same pretty girl that waved at me moments ago. This time she was fighting her way out among the rushing people. As I got a closer look at her, I realized that she was vaguely familiar…

She had a beautiful smile and she seemed to radiate with happiness and excitement. My memory suddenly became seriously jarred and informed me that this lovely girl moving towards me was the very same girl I was madly in love with several years ago. We were to be married but she mysteriously disappeared without a trace, and the police thought she had been kidnapped.

My heart leaped as she threw down her shopping bags and ran across the street towards me. I stepped away from the doors of the bookstore and prepared to embrace her with my hands and heart yet again, finally after all those lonely years… As she ran out, I heard loud screeching and I saw her disappear momentarily behind a flash of blue. A gold ring rolled out from where she was and came to a teetering stop at my feet. Looking down at it, I recognize it as her engagement ring from me. A terrible feeling overcame my soul and my heart plunged. My eyes just froze on the ring, which was glistening in the bright sun with specks of shiny red blood on it.

Looking up, I saw the blue car that had just flashed by where she was and noticed that it had stopped. I looked past it and saw my long lost love lying down on the road, her body twisted horribly. I ran up to her, ignoring the heavy traffic just as she did, and not caring at all for my safety. After all, why should I now?

Her beautiful face was not blemished — it was the only part of her that was not damaged by the blue car. Deeply saddened by the sight of her lifeless body lying on the steaming pavement, I turned my head upwards to the clear skies and tears rolled. The turmoil around me ceased to exist…

Yet, I suddenly hear a slight murmur. Looking down at her lovely face, I found that her eyes had opened slowly — she’s trying to tell me something! Quickly, I bend down to my knees and hunch over her, bringing my ears to her saintly lips. She whispers that she had missed me terribly and that she would always love me. I gave her a tender kiss and tell her that I loved her too. With that, as if on cue, she closed her eyes and died.

I love her and she loves me, yet she is gone. Full of despair at the fact that we had just moments to see one another after so many years with such love and that she was no longer alive, I picked up her body and carried her away…

…away from it all. I gently laid her down on a flower bed in front of the local bank and retrieved her ring. Tears cascading down my face, I place the ring back on her slender, lifeless finger. I walked away, wishing with all the power in the world that I could join her. Full of sorrow, I ignored the surroundings and noises.

As I walked aimlessly somewhere, I hear once again, loud noises. This time it was a flash of red and then I was enveloped in a sudden blackness. Looking around, I saw a bright pure white light flashing, glistening, and reaching out to me.. Beckoning me.. I went to it and in it I saw my girl waiting for me.

Eyes widening, heart soaring, and tears gone, I ran to her, seemingly floating. She’s still the same! Embracing her tightly, I lock my eyes into her and it was then that I realized that I was also killed in by a car not far from her on the same street.

Nonetheless, I am finally with her as I have always desired in my whole life… Looking down, I saw our bodies laid together in that flower bed — someone had moved mine and placed it next to hers. Looking back into her eyes, she looks into mine and we both begin to ascend into the heavens, smiling, and whispering our sweet loves to one another…