“Stop, and Go!”

“Stop, and Go!”

TRIGGER WARNING- This short story contains suicide content, and some language.

Part One- Introduction.

“I’m going to count to three! Then you’re going to have to jump, sir!” Said the flight attendant who was actually kind of hot. “The plane is going down! You’re holding up the other passengers!”

Just then, I felt a push, or was it more of a shove? As I fell, I reached for my parachute string, but it broke when I pulled it, so I panicked! The adrenaline was getting to me, so as sweat dripped from every inch of my body, I simply screamed,

“Stop!” And I woke up in my bed with the sheets soaking wet. It did not seem like a dream. It was more like a hallucination. That was scary! I thought. What if it happens again?

Part Two- Travel.

I was set to fly to Miami, Florida to meet Mary Sue- my new assistant. We would have lunch, or at least she would. I would have my usual martinis, and she would show me all of her renderings of what she called,

“A much better wardrobe for me.” Then she would have the clothes all made up for a pretty penny. The flight left at dawn, and I sat next to a poor lady that needed two seats. One for her, and one for her emotional support animal. Her dog growled, and bit me, so I accidentally screamed the word,

“Stop!” And I woke up in my bed with the sheets soaking wet again. What is this? Why am I back in bed?! I thought. It was the weirdest thing! Time travel? Huh. 

Part Three- Yum!

Yum! I thought as I ate my mother’s famous strawberries, and pie crust with homemade whipped cream. Yum!

Part Four- Excellence! Beautiful, Shocking Inner Thoughts!

The impulse hit me as I crossed the closest bridge- What if I jumped, or what if I got dizzy and fell? Then lyrics from my favorite songs entered my brain, so I kept on walking towards the next bridge where I saw a green GMC Jimmy driven by a black man who smoked very fragrant cigarettes. He looked handsome. I thought- Now could be the time to jump! I always had dreams of falling to my death. Perhaps now is my chance to find out what it was like. The bridge was high as fuck! I could jump, see how painful the landing would be, and maybe I would never have to deal with the desire to jump or fall to my death again. Experiment on! I thought. I jumped as the Jimmy approached. I had stepped off the ledge, and instantly thought- why did I not have one last cigarette?! 

“Stop!” I yelled before I hit the black top, and I woke up in my bed with the sheets soaking wet for the third time. Impulsive thoughts scared me now. I kind of wanted the GMC Jimmy driver to drive right on over my own head. Let me see what it was like to bleed out. Am I suicidal? I wondered. Nah! I once passed out, and landed on my nose, and I broke it. I almost bled out unconscious on the hardwood floor. All I could remember was how good the puddle of blood felt against my relaxing head. Is this it? I thought, but my Dad showed up, and he saved me. Perhaps, if I had yelled, “Stop!” I would have never landed on my nose in the first place. Time travel? Hmm!

Part Five- Mary Sue, and the Fragrance that Changed My Life.

I still had to make that flight! It was as if I hollered, 

“Stop!” And the whole world would reset. Ugh! I thought. I made the flight, and I entered the food court where I was to meet the single Miss Mary Sue. Then I smelled it over the greasy French Fries, and Gourmet Pizzas. Citrus like you would not believe. So fragrant. So lovely! It was Mary Sue. She showed me her renderings, and I said, “Yes!” She was the best designer, and assistant I had ever had, and I knew that in just one sitting. As we left the food court, she held her wrist up to my nose.

“Do you like it? I make it myself!” She said with a huge smile. “I process the oils. I do the bottling and labeling. The fragrance makes me think of you. You’re hot. You’re spicy.”

“Oh, stop.” I whispered under my breath, and she did as I woke up in my bed with the sheets soaking wet for the fourth time. Ugh! I thought, but I could still smell her, and that frustrated me. I had to get to Miami again, or was this the first time? Oh, I was so confused, but I knew I had to see Mary Sue again. I had to smell her fragrance. I had to invite her to bed. 

Part Six- “All Aboard!”

We left again. Same flight attendant, pilot, and the lady with the emotional support animal. What is it? Déjà vu? Or am I backtracking through time? Reliving things over and over again? I wanted strawberries with pie crust, and homemade whipped cream, I wanted it served to me. Then BOOM!

“We have had a lightning strike. All must evacuate.”

“What?!”I yelled! Not this again! “Stop!” And you will never guess what happened next. I woke up in my bed with the sheets soaking wet for the very last time, and I wondered- if, “Stop,” takes me backwards, then would, “Go,” spring me forwards? And I thought of Mary Sue, and I thought of the questions I would ask her, like, 

“Do you cook at all? What was your mother like? Do you, perhaps, make pastries and pies?” 

Then I went outside, and looked up to the sky, and I thought of Mary Sue, and I said,

“Go!” 

Part Seven- Just What I Wanted.

There was Mary Sue. Apparently we had just had dinner, so she lit, and handed to me my favorite cigar.

“I hope you’re still hungry, baby. I made your favorite. Strawberries with pie crust, and homemade whipped cream.” She said, and I never used the words, “Stop, and go,” again.