In Sickness and in Hell: A Collection of Unusual Stories Page 12
I think you’re right about him; he’s not that great yet. Maybe he never will be. But I do think he’s clever. I can’t help but believe that he’ll find a way to tell your story, Grace. You’ve just got to trust that he loves us and that he might have to put us through a lot, but that in the end, he cares about us.
Grace:
Oh, I’ve got no doubts about that. He’s an artist, which means that he loves himself. And he made us, so we’re part him. We’re loved by extension.
[They chuckle together]
Grace [more seriously and quietly]:
You’re right though. I get frustrated, but I’ve never really lost hope. Hope is something he gave me, and it’s kept me going so far.
Olivia:
That’s a pleasant sentiment. I agree with it—but I don’t believe that you do. [Grace looks at her surprised]
I think you’re lying to me, Grace. I need to ask you something and I hope you’ll forgive my forwardness.
Grace [eyeing Olivia somewhat suspiciously now]:
Shoot.
Olivia [looks away from Grace and takes a deep breath]:
What were you doing when I came in?
[Grace looks away, doesn’t answer]
Olivia:
You were standing at the edge over there, staring into the darkness. [With more intensity] What were you thinking about when I came in, Grace?
Grace [resigned]:
I was…I was thinking about getting myself out of here.
Olivia:
That’s what I was afraid of. [Olivia glances nervously at the edge] Would that work?
Grace:
I don’t know. I was thinking maybe it was worth a try.
[Grace approaches the edge again and stares down. Olivia, somewhat afraid of the edge, joins her]
Olivia:
Let me ask you this, if I may—
Grace [smirking]:
You know what? You ask a lot of questions.
[Olivia smiles]
Olivia:
That’s because you give such interesting answers. But tell me, have you ever talked it all out like this before?
[Grace thinks]
Grace:
No, not really.
Olivia:
So just as you were having this crisis, I appeared?
Grace [still staring into the abyss]:
Uh…yeah, pretty much.
Olivia:
Interesting. [Olivia looks up, sees the audience] I think your time is closer than you realize.
Grace:
Hmm?
Olivia:
Look up, Grace.
[Grace looks up, sees the audience watching her. A look of speechless joy comes over her face.]
Olivia [reverently]:
He did it, Grace. It’s been your story all along. It’s like Christmas, in a way; one sent to save another. A story of despair. A story of hope. A story of answered prayers.
Grace:
Olivia-
Olivia:
Yes, Grace?
[Grace starts to offer her hand, then thinks better of it and hugs Olivia instead]
Grace:
Thank you.
[Olivia straightens Grace’s clothes and brushes her hair into place]
Olivia:
Go on, now. It’s time.
[Grace enters the audience, shaking hands and introducing herself to a number of people with “Hi, my name is Grace. It’s so nice to finally meet you.” as she makes her way to the back of the theater and out into the world she has waited so long to enter]
[Lights down]
[End]
A note from the author
I hope you enjoyed reading some of my stories. Please take just a moment to rate and review this book on Amazon. Due to the way Amazon is set up, every review contributes to making my work more accessible and easier for other readers to find.
The best way to buy more copies is through:
www.createspace.com/4973680
For information about upcoming releases visit:
www.stefanbarkow.com
Acknowledgements
Even a short collection requires significant effort by more than just the author. Thanks go to the members of the Blank Slate writing group for their feedback on a number of these stories over the years and to Taylor Ricks for her concept art. I’d also like to thank Peter Appel, Denise Barkow, Ben Gillman, and Drew Tallackson for their edits and suggestions as this collection took form. Kate Murray and Hallie Orgel I thank for their help respectively behind and before the camera in the making of the cover photo. Finally, I’d like to thank my wife Melissa for her constant encouragement and faith in me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stefan Barkow lives in northern Indiana. He holds degrees from Purdue University in English literature and economics.
www.stefanbarkow.com