NorthBrit
Well-Known Member
A short story
SAM
The past couple of months or so have been surreal. How can I explain? It is said 'start at the beginning'.
Well, I don't exactly know when it began, but he was there. Always there. In the restaurant. On the train. In the public bar. Always there. I did not know his name obviously, but for the story I'll call him Sam. Wherever I was, he was there also. Was Sam stalking me? He never looked at me. He certainly never spoke to me. Was he actually following me? I was becoming paranoid. Ridiculous I know
'Snap out of it,' I told myself, 'You're a grown woman for Christ's sake.'
Then it happened.
I was in the supermarket. Collected the trolley and started shopping. Just a few groceries. Just enough to the weekend. (I was to visit my brother and sister-in-law and Alex, my nephew.) Some grapes in the trolley. Milk. I needed some milk. Just a small carton would do. Then I saw Sam. He had a few items in a hand basket. He never looked at me as he reached for a tub of cream.
I purposely kept a good distance behind him as I shopped. Suddenly the aisle was busy with shoppers and I lost sight of Sam. Never mind, he is in front of me, I told myself.
Suddenly the alarm went off. A fire in the building. I, along with other shoppers abandoned our trolleys and headed for the exit. Seconds later I was shoved to the floor and a body pressed heavily on my back.
I heard a huge explosion. The sound of things crashing to the floor. I felt something hit my back, but not actually touch me. Dust and debris. I could hardly breathe. I tried to move, but the weight on my back was too much.
It was some time later; how long I do not know, but help arrived. I could see firefighters and medics. I called out. The weight was removed from my back and as I was being helped up I saw Sam. He was dead; his back broken.
"He saved your life," a paramedic said.
Only a few people turned up for Sam's funeral. To be honest nobody knew who he really was. He had no identification and nobody came to claim him. I was there though. Thank you Sam.
Leaving the cemetery I began to make my way home. I didn't see Sam follow another woman into a public bar.
SAM
The past couple of months or so have been surreal. How can I explain? It is said 'start at the beginning'.
Well, I don't exactly know when it began, but he was there. Always there. In the restaurant. On the train. In the public bar. Always there. I did not know his name obviously, but for the story I'll call him Sam. Wherever I was, he was there also. Was Sam stalking me? He never looked at me. He certainly never spoke to me. Was he actually following me? I was becoming paranoid. Ridiculous I know
'Snap out of it,' I told myself, 'You're a grown woman for Christ's sake.'
Then it happened.
I was in the supermarket. Collected the trolley and started shopping. Just a few groceries. Just enough to the weekend. (I was to visit my brother and sister-in-law and Alex, my nephew.) Some grapes in the trolley. Milk. I needed some milk. Just a small carton would do. Then I saw Sam. He had a few items in a hand basket. He never looked at me as he reached for a tub of cream.
I purposely kept a good distance behind him as I shopped. Suddenly the aisle was busy with shoppers and I lost sight of Sam. Never mind, he is in front of me, I told myself.
Suddenly the alarm went off. A fire in the building. I, along with other shoppers abandoned our trolleys and headed for the exit. Seconds later I was shoved to the floor and a body pressed heavily on my back.
I heard a huge explosion. The sound of things crashing to the floor. I felt something hit my back, but not actually touch me. Dust and debris. I could hardly breathe. I tried to move, but the weight on my back was too much.
It was some time later; how long I do not know, but help arrived. I could see firefighters and medics. I called out. The weight was removed from my back and as I was being helped up I saw Sam. He was dead; his back broken.
"He saved your life," a paramedic said.
Only a few people turned up for Sam's funeral. To be honest nobody knew who he really was. He had no identification and nobody came to claim him. I was there though. Thank you Sam.
Leaving the cemetery I began to make my way home. I didn't see Sam follow another woman into a public bar.
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