End of the Road - Greg

The first Jump-start meeting consisted of Dixie and I. This is wat came out of it.

Jump-Start Writers. 24 Nov 2007
Prompt: It was the end of the road

So this is what the sunrise looks like, Harley thought, feeling the rough gravel press into his cheek as he lay sprawled out in the Mojave desert. The salty taste of blood trickled onto his tongue alongside residual vomit from a night before. He could smell the alcohol on his breath and feel a dull throb in his body from the beating from the night before. His head felt like a brick and he did not want to move, but that was all right because his face was pointed toward horizon.

The sun had not risen, and would not for a few minutes, but for the first time in his life, Harley noticed the sunrise. He must’ve woken up outside like this 100 times, yet had never noticed its beauty. The sky was a pink vermillion with a golden edge rimming the desert horizon. It looked like heaven, or how Harley imagined heaven looked.

His cheast filled with something--gratefulness, love? It will be different this time, he thought. No, he knew. This would be the last time for him. The last time waking up outside in some strange place hung over and bleeding. He knew he could quit, knew how to quit, had friends who had quit who would help him.

I’ve seen hell, he thought staring at the sunrise, and now I see heaven. I’m getting out of hell starting today. The idea seemed to liberate something inside that had felt shackled for so long. It was good he could enjoy this morning, because after today he would go onto the next thing. The next phase of his life. He wondered if this is what it felt like to be reborn.

Harley smiled. Yeah. Reborn. Who would’ve ever thought? The horizon was now ablaze with golden skies and silver shards of cloud. He felt his spirits soar. Lord, I’m coming home, he thought.

Footsteps in the gravel approached, then stopped. “This is the end of the road, Harley,” said the voice behind him. The metallic crack of a bullet chambered into the pistol.