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The Day My World Turned Black : Short Story- Fiction
Happy days remembered.
Larry was floating down Current River in Van Buren, Mo. on an inner tube with his pet pal Barney. The sun was shinning so brightly it was difficult to see. He reached in his shirt pocket for his sunglasses when he suddenly woke up. It took a minute to focus, then realize he'd been dreaming. When his eye's cleared, he saw the familiar bars that had kept him locked up on death row for the last twenty years.
All appeals were exhausted. He was scheduled to die at midnight this day. Larry is now forty years old. He remembers well the night he went to a party to celebrate his twentieth birthday. He was having a blast dancing with all the girls. He was drinking whiskey sours much too fast. He had never been able to handle liquor, but tonight he blew all caution into-the-wind, after all it was his birthday.
Later one of the girls refused to dance with him because he could hardly stand. He became angry, spewing hurtful words, soon a fight ensued. He staggered outside and managed to get in his car. He felt alone and afraid. He always kept a gun in the glove compartment. He had a permit and spent most Saturdays practicing at the local shooting range. He reached inside and placed the gun in the seat beside him. He drove to a nearby park, got out and put the gun in his pants pocket. He hadn't walked far before he was approached by the park policeman. The officer saw that he could hardly stand and told him that he was under arrest for public intoxication. In a flash he pulled the gun from his pocket and fired two shots, striking the officer twice in the chest. The shooting shocked him enough that he was able to run to his car. He started the engine, but two police cars arrived with sirens blaring. One blocked his car from the front, the other from the back. One officer handcuffed him while the other checked the downed officer and called 911. The officer was dead and Larry was charged with capital murder and sentenced to death.
The day of the execution
This was a special day. His family was allowed to visit. His mother Mary, his father Earl and his kid brother Jerry. After embracing and saying their final goodbyes, he was offered his last meal, but he couldn't eat. All he could think about was the mess he'd made of his life and how much he'd hurt his family. He was truly sorry for taking the officer's life. He knew that alcohol had destroyed his life.
A priest came to his cell at eleven thirty to issue his last rights. Larry listened carefully to the priest and asked God for forgiveness.
At eleven fifty he was escorted to the room where he would receive a lethal injection that would end his life.
His mother and father had left the prison but his brother Jerry stayed. Just before the injection was administered he looked at the seating area behind a glass window and saw his brother weeping.
Larry gave him a two-thumbs-up and lip-synched these words. "Please don't ever drink alcohol. Take care of mom and dad. I will see you again in heaven. I love you. " The guard pulled the curtain and his life journey was over.