Get Home Safely (2)

8/12/2019 Get Home Safely (2)

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Joel Francois

English 54

05-02-2011

Story #2

Get Home Safely

1

The light abandoned sky played host in a most trepid of regales; it invited the wind which

conspired to reveal the secrets of the night, each blow a light whisper. The darkness ushered in

fear, as fate was courted by misfortune. A charming company indeed, the wining and dining of

the forces that be. The elegance of life fastened within every seem of a flowing gown

complimented by the well tailored spontaneity of death. Oh what a dance between life and

death and as they danced, with every dip and twirl, it became less and less telling who is

leading this waltz.

Yo give me my iPod Mah like are you serious?

No dont you realize your poisoning your mind with this garbage?

I dont care about all that, how you expect me to walk home without it?

Would you ever ask yourself if you could get home without your bible? No youre not

thinking about that, and thats what you actually need, thats what should be blasting into your

head.

See you aint even know, I got you, I have a bunch of gospel songs on that.

She smiled as she handed him his iPod with the head phones curled around it. I just want

you to get home safely, Psalm 23 the lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want; he interrupted as he grabbed the iPod from her and proceeded to starting

his Long Walksplay list. As the music blasted in his ears, his mom continued to talk to him as

he nodded pretentiously. You know that teacher of yours Mrs. Johnson, she made the papers I

didnt get to read the article but you can take that out with you, she said as she gestured towards

the paper and then towards the door. She then smirked at him, folded her arms shook her head

then walked away.


2/9

Joel Francois

English 54

05-02-2011

Story #2

Get Home Safely

2

Okay got my iPod, keys, throw away the newspaper for mom, lady got some nerve

making me take out her trash after she just blasted me like that. As he made his way to the door

the head phone in his left ear fell out of his ear.

Remember baby, remember its when youreon the busy street and you notice thats its

not that late, and yet not a single car passes, and not a single person is in sight, that is when they

follow you home, thats when they do it. But as long as you walk with God, God Josh, not Jay Z

or any of them other young boys that cant seem to locate their hipswell enough to attach their

belts to it, God.

Yes mom I gotta go through, love you Ill be home soon.

He rushes out the door leaping down the stairs in one giant step, he dumps the newspaper

into the trash can and hops his metal fence.

Yo, yo, yo! You deaf? And why I always gotta stand down the block from your crib

dog?

Whats good Boogz. Son chill you know how my moms get down, I cant have you in

there smellin like all types of weed with your belt buckle practically touching your laces.

There you go sounding like school again my G, there you go.

Yo its not even sounding like school and even if I do, you need to sound a little more

like school and a little less unemployed, uneducated, and un all the other things I could slap an

un in front of to describe you.

Yo wateva jus hurry the fuck up before we miss the bus, stupid.

They both rushed to the bus and Boogs walked on past the conductor without saying a

word or paying a cent. Hey good evening how are you, I got him Ill just swipe twice. Boogs


3/9

Joel Francois

English 54

05-02-2011

Story #2

Get Home Safely

3

made his way all the way to the back and he sat there head banging to his own iPod. Josh

walked up to him shaking his head smiling. Yo youre wallin dog, one day you gonna meet the

one bus driver, that had a bad enough day to put you in your place, you crazy guy.

Yea that will be the day that at least one of us has to die.

They both laughed a little.Yea iight dog whatever you say, Josh said as he turned the

music to his iPod back to full blast.

Yo but speaking of death, yo you know old lady Johnson died from middle school?

Joshua finally noticing that Boogs was speaking to him removed the left ear phone.

Yea she made the papers and everything thats some shit right.

Yea my mom was already telling me about her being in the papers. What stop we getting

off at?

Just a few more stops man, I hate November man, 4:30 and pitch dark, I dont know who

they saving daylight for cause were not getting any of it.

Yo you right I never got that, how people care more about waking up to the sun than

having it until a little later through the day?

This our stop right here.

The two jumped off the bus and headed down a dark road the streets lights hung in vain

as the trees chocked the light out of them. It was a nurturing darkness but not the sort wrapped

around spotlights, allocating a veil of intimacy, it was the type that spilled all over the city

downing it under the blanket of shade. They both admired the darkness for a second, just

enough to acknowledge it. They made their way to a house in the middle of the street, a towering

two story castle like structure, with over grown foliage that made it seem ironically vacant. The

wild weeds grew full of life but the green seemed to smother the structure, each vine


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Joel Francois

English 54

05-02-2011

Story #2

Get Home Safely

4

constricting, halting its breath, each thorn cleaving through. It was quite a sight to see, for the

boscage was like the grass and moss growing over a grave as if all within have passed. They

entered through a side door that led to a basement. The room was very cluttered with walls so

close that they hugged you as you walked down the long stair well and navigating them was a

choreographed sequence of a tucked head and slow step by step descending with both arms

folded across their chests. The stairs led to room unfurnished with the exception of an old rusty

couch, a few empty crates and a small TV with a game system hooked to it. There in a circle

were the guys, all four of them.

Yo so all yall do down here is smoke?

Yo Boogs why you brought him here, you know he always on that vibe killing crap with

his mess about separating yourself from the bums, Duke said, passing the blunt around.

Nah man he cool donteven worry about all that this my son, smartest dude Iveever

known, man he knows some stuff. Some serious stuff! Yo tell them that stuff you always tellin

me kid, he knows some crazy stuff bout demons and all that.

That crap dont exist, all that angels, demons, hell, Heaven, itssimple the angels are the

do gooders demons are the no gooders and everyone else just falls in line on whichever team

they choose.

Would you shut up and let him talk?

Alright so itslike this. In this world there are the things you see and the things you dont

see. Like you never ask yourself how come with all the good people you see everyday, all the

ones that love to help people, how come they never end up mayor or senator or any of that stuff?

Like old lady Mary, with the cats, the one who let us catch fire flies in her yard every summer.

How come the genuinely good people are never in a real position to help? Its cause these things


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6/9

Joel Francois

English 54

05-02-2011

Story #2

Get Home Safely

6

trash being lifted and more like a well choreographed melee of debris.

Josh in a hurry to get home slightly distanced himself from his friend as he walked.

Boogs, no music to take him away, fell victim to the darkness that leaned over him.

Yo Josh man Josh, Boogs yelled but quickly gave up. I dont even know why I bother

with this cat he said shaking his head playfully.

The two walked on the same street but in two different worlds, an irony that afforded him

a sort of discomfort that her never experienced walking a path he took all too often. Boogs trailed

behind and there was a feeling of a spotlight as if every person noticed him, he jerked his head

back as it began to seem as if every single person turned to look at him and continued even after

he had passed them. The mechanical glares were like metronomes steady and linear no one

particular attribute to any of them. It was as if he was being chased by an army of eyes all in

uniform all in formation. The intensity of the situation began to conspire with his distance from

Josh, for the more he noticed the further away they became. But just before all the faces could

return to the eyes they disappeared, not a man nor woman nor child in sight and as the final car

drove passed them he shivered slightly and sped up a little just to be near to Josh. But he couldnt

see Josh either; he was alone and it made no sense to him and he walked on. In one blur

everything came back the busy streets the people the noises and bright lights all came rushing

back at him and there was Josh looking back, at him waiting.

Whats good with you, kid you need to stop smoking, you look crazy.

Nah Im good just trippin man, imma go ahead and go this way kid Illsee you tomorrow

I just think I need to lay down nothing serious ill definitely see you tomorrow.

Iight kid, stay up. Josh said hurrying in the other direction.


7/9

Joel Francois

English 54

05-02-2011

Story #2

Get Home Safely

7

Yo what time is it kid?Boogs yelled out to josh

6:39. But dont you have your phone on you?

Damn and you rushing? Lock down!

Boogs quickly turned the corner and almost knocked down a trash can. As the garbage hit

the ground it cast a shadow onto the pavement, something he had failed to do. He looked up

and the street light was directly over head and as he made a series of simple gestures he marveled

at his lack of a shadow and so he continued. Slowly he moved each step no longer towards home

but now just toward the direction he happened to be facing. The cracks on the side walk began

racing each other to the street. The air was getting lighter and smelled fresh as if rain were

approaching. The wind howled as the branches of every tree trembled at the sound. He saw a

reflection that he could not separate from the darkness and this reflection followed him appearing

in every window and windshield of every parked car. His senses were multiplied he grabbed hold

of everything at once and it was overwhelming. The people passed by quickly faster than he was

used to, way too fast for him to catch their faces. The closer he got in the direction that his house

should have been the less he knew where he was. In his own neighborhood he recognized no one

and no one greeted him. And just as he got to the middle of the block it jumped at him. The

snarling beast with dark fur with a pink collar that read fluffy it was a cat but it had a Human

Shadow.

Give me back my shadow you furry piece of shit! He yelled out to it as he chased it. He

ran and kept running, his heart beat joined the chase growing faster with each thrust. Over the

garbage cans, under the trees, through the scattered fall leaves, he ran chasing the animal. His

heart pounding, his breath louder than the traffic. All the faces of all the people were now so

strange, larger, smaller, just abnormal. They looked as if their faces had been smashed together


8/9

Joel Francois

English 54

05-02-2011

Story #2

Get Home Safely

8

and the features were bent and broken in the process like melted wax figures. And just as he

grew tired the Cat began to boast in a thunderous a bark followed by a maniacal laugh that led to

a sharp siren like shriek. The sounds fueled him and he erupted and backed the cat into a corner

and in one leap grabbed the cat and disrepaired it. Just as he lay over the cats corpse his shadow

melted into a pool of feathers and as the wind blew the feathers scattered and raced into the

darkness only to appear again mingled into the shadow of another. As he looked at the blood all

over his shirt he was greeted by a bright light and a loud noise, he realized finally where he was,

he recognized this drive way and quickly recollected who lived nearby. The loud cracking sound

along with the light were coming from a car backing out the drive way. He jumped into the

nearby bushes and there he was. He did this. And now he even has my shadow, thats mine.

Boogs slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his knife. He held it as if it were larger than

he was, he admired it as Josh approached his home. It was perfect the Bushes were right next to

the front door. In that second, the scenario had played out in his head a hundred times, while

Josh is fiddling with his keys, ready to enter, Ill gab his shoulder, hell react and Ill tear his head

off then Ill regain my shadow, Ill have it back even if I have to kill every cat and every Josh in

this world.

Josh approached his steps still oblivious to the world. Deep into his music, there was an

acute nervousness buried in his eyes. Boogs sat and watched him for an eternity, knife in hand.

He saw the dew that glossed his brows, the worry trapped in his pupils. He heard his heart racing

out of his chest. And just before he ascended the first step he paused, sniffing his clothing than

thrusting his arms down. He proceeded to remove his denim jacket and began to shake it to

remove the smell. Disappointed he shook his head and took in a deep breath that lead to a slight


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Joel Francois

English 54

05-02-2011

Story #2

Get Home Safely

9

pause as he peered into the bushes. He saw nothing and yet knew something was there. And he

began up the steps, step by step lifting his legs as if they were suitcases. He reached in to his

pocket and grabbed his keys. Just then a hand reached though the bushes and approached his

shoulder. Getting closer and closer, Boogs slowly elevated above the bushes, his pupils fully

black his mouth coated with the animalsblood. He, filthy and inhumane, drew closer and closer

but just before he could grab josh the door opened and he retreated back into the bushes. Josh

turned and on his busy street there wasnt a single person and nota single car pass, just

emptiness bathing in a bubble bath of dim light.

Josh where have you been babe, you almost scared me to death. Hurry inside we have a

guest. Youllnever guess who joined us for dinner Illgive you a hint: she famous.

Beyonce?

No well more like a 15 minutes of fame.

Mom, come on!

Itsyour old teacher Ms Johnson She literally came out of the blue unannounced

without so much of a call, boy you must have left quite an impression

Josh enjoying his moms shock slightly turned around into the street and there

wasnta single car or a single person in sight and so he entered and was greeted by his guest.

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Get Home Safely (2)