Search Helium

Home > Creative Writing > Short Stories

Short stories: Jaws of life

by Anonymouse

Created on: August 14, 2008   Last Updated: September 16, 2008

On September 14th, 2021, Audrey Wright woke up feeling calm and rejuvenated. She donned her work uniform and French-braided her hair. "I wish I could afford a dentist," she thought as she brushed her yellowing teeth. All she had left to do was toast a blueberry bagel and her morning routine would be complete.

The stout 24-year-old lived on the bottom story of a shoddy, 250 square foot apartment in Brooklyn. She had been immune to the everyday noises around her since childhood. That particular day, the din was louder and more frantic than usual, but not nearly enough to alter Audrey's typical nonchalance. Others might have called it pandemonium. She called it home; nothing more than a normal New York morning.



The rest of the world was not quite so collected. Everyone seemed to be rushing, sniveling, or phoning their loved ones. Audrey rolled her eyes at them. "Bunch of drama queens," she mumbled before stepping onto the subway. A respectable fellow named Antoine was saving a seat for her, as he'd done every weekday for the past three years.

He was a husky middle-aged man with an exotic flair about him. Audrey liked him enough to pretend that she believed his phony accent. He was her personal anchorman and private confidante. She took her most familiar seat beside him. "What's the latest breaking news, Capitan?" she asked dryly. His eyes widened in shock and perplexity.

"Have you really not heard? You can't be serious! I don't need to explain this one; just listen to the madman surrounding you."

She tuned her ears in to others' conversations for about five minutes. Her facial expressions varied from shocked to annoyed. When she finally spoke, her tone had become sarcastic.

"From what I've gathered, an enormous meteor is headed for the Earth and we are all going to die slow and painful deaths. Come on. You know this is going to be another Y2K: all hype, no action."

"You were a baby when the millennium ball dropped! At least refer to something you can remember! Besides, this is not hype. The newsmen say we have a year or so until impact. And you might want to know that one meteor is not headed for Earth, but three. They are calling them the Torah Meteors."

Audrey stayed quiet for a moment, exhaled slowly, and nodded her head. "Do you have family to visit before Doomsday?" she asked. Antoine shook his head back and forth. "Well," she replied, "at least we have each other. Ugh. This is so ridiculous."

"You're telling me!"

"No, I don't mean the meteors. I can't believe

136238

Featured Partner

Environment Northeast (ENE)

Environment Northeast (ENE) has partnered with Helium, giving you the chance to write for a cause. Browse ENE's featured titles, pick an issue and write! You can also donate your article earnings. Share what you know, lear...more


CONNECT WITH US

Read
our blog
Helum for writers

Write and get published
Share with other writers
Polish your freelancing skills

Join our active writing community
Helium Content Source for Publishers

Quality articles from proven freelancers
Exclusive rights, fast turnaround
Brand engagement, business blogging -- our writers do it all

Get custom content today!

INFORMATION


Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA
#