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Lili's Star
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Lili's Star |
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Wind
since 2002-10-12
Posts 2981
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The hazy sun blazed red over a terra-cotta earth. The sun was a restless yellow, moving in unsettled waves. Miles of burnt earth stretched to the horizon. Jerry forced himself to keep going. He told himself that if he stopped, someone would catch him. Everyone in the state of Arizona probably knew his name now. Jerry Green: convicted murderer. He laughed in bitter anger. He had been accused of killing his fiancé, Lili Walker, and her parents Greta and Jim. Her parents were found shot, in their rampaged living room. Lili had been missing, but her blood was all over the walls and the floor in the upstairs bathroom. And it had been Jerry’s gun that matched the bullets. But the gun was missing. He remembered everything. After a trial, Jerry was found guilty of multiple murder, given a life sentence in prison. Jerry had not been able to talk, to defend himself through the whole trial. The persecutor argued that Jerry had done it for the money. He was like a son to Greta and Jim, and with Lili out of the way, and them dead; he would most likely inherit all of their money. Jerry was too dazed to say anything, and he couldn’t afford a very good lawyer, so he lost. A life behind bars. Jerry escaped from jail, with the help of his cell mate, Ed. Ed was an old black man, thin and weak, with a raspy voice, Ed liked to sing the blues. He would sometimes take an old battered harmonica out of a small sack, playing it like it was new and his whole life was going great. He was perfectly happy with his lot in life. Jerry told him his story, about how he loved Lili, the things they did together, and Ed listened with a wistful look on his wrinkled face. Sympathetic, he said he would do Jerry a favor. Ed pretended to be sick, and Jerry shouted that he needed help right away. The guards opened the door, and Ed knocked one unconscious. Jerry grabbed his gun, and Jerry ran, like he never ran before, ran through the open door. He kept running, and didn’t look back, ran into the desert with one thing on his mind: I am innocent. I love Lili. Now, in the heat of the day, his skin was as cracked and dry as the ground beneath him. He had at least enough sense to bring a water bottle, but now it was dangerously low. He stopped to rest in the shade of a large saguaro. It was rotting, wooden ribs poking through the sagging flesh. He shivered despite the heat and thought about what Lili might look like now, probably buried miles from here, or burned, noting left but ashes. And for the first time since the terrible news was uttered, Jerry cried. After what seemed like hours, he finally stopped. His father would have been ashamed. “Big boys don’t cry son. They fight.” He heard the voice as though his father was right next to him. But dad was never convicted of murder. Dad never lost the thing that meant the world to him. Jerry got up and walked again. He walked until he came across a stream. It was refreshingly cool, even in the desert’s heat. As he drank gratefully, he noticed a small glimmer in the water. It was a bronze something, simmering dully on the rocky bottom. He reached in and pulled it out. Then in surprise, he dropped it again. Jerry was sure his eyes were not functioning correctly. This was Lili’s necklace! It was a gold star with small blue sapphires at the tips. He had given it to her after saving up his money for a year. This was impossible. Lili never took off that necklace. Never. He saw something that he hadn’t noticed before. There was a crack at the side of the star. He looked a little more carefully. It was a clasp. After fighting for a while, he got it open. The necklace had been a locket. In one side, there was a water-blurred picture of Lili and her parents. Next to it, a picture of him. Jerry was sure that whoever had taken Lili’s body had been here. But it was getting dark, so he decided to find somewhere to sleep. He found a spot shaded by a cluster of ocotillo, blooming as though they had been lit on fire. As Jerry gazed at them, he thought about how Lili had loved ocotillos. She said that they seemed to reach for the sky. Jerry spent five more days in the desert. On his fifth night, around midnight, he was kicked awake by a sharp, leather shoe. A man stood over him, a large muscular man, with an overgrown beard and eyes full of hatred. “Oh my gawd! Hunter!” Jerry’s old high school friend. But this Hunter did not look friendly. “So, what would you be doin out here in the desert?” his voice was harsh. “Hunter, it wasn’t me, I swear.” I thought you were an idiot Jerry, but I never knew you was cheap enough to commit murder.” Jerry was surprised. Then he remembered. Hunter had been in love with Lili too. But Jerry was the one who got her first. Then Hunter hated her, and hated Lili too. A sudden thought crossed through his mind. “It was you!” “No, I wouldn’t do a thing like that.” His voice, full of sarcasm. He was playing with him. Jerry threw a punch at Hunter, hit him right in the stomach, so that Hunter doubled over. “Why you son of a…” Hunter threw Jerry into the ground, right were he had kept his fire burning. And his shirt caught ablaze, burning his arm. The pain was intense. With strength born of fear, he succeeded to push Hunter over. He was about to punch him in the face, but Hunter threw him over his head, and kicked his side. At the same time, they both said “Why did you kill her?” “You sure are good at actin, Jerry.” “What are you talking about? It was you!” Hunter kicked him again. Jerry threw him to the ground, and Hunter pulled out his gun. Jerry took his too, getting to his feet. “I’ll shoot you.” He spoke as calmly as he could. He pointed the gun at hunter. Hunter pointed his gun back to him. Then he heard a voice. A woman’s voice. “Stop!” Lili was standing under the moon. Her hair was blowing in the soft breeze. And in her hand, she held Jerry’s gun. Never be normal! [This message has been edited by Wind (12-05-2002 08:30 PM).] |
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| © Copyright 2002 Liz - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Wind
since 2002-10-12
Posts 2981 |
I'm sorry, it would have been better if it were longer, but I didn't have the patience. Please go easy on me. Never be normal! |
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quietlydying
since 2001-06-10
Posts 935the wonderful land of oz |
never hand everything to the reader on a silver platter. don't tell them everything, let them discover it as the story goes along. there's too much information in too short of a story. have you been watching the divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood?  good write and thanks for sharing. /jen/ 'i don't care if it hurts, i want to have control. i want a perfect body, i want a perfect soul.' [radiohead] |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
Wind, I think you did a fine job! However, may I make a suggestion? If YOU feel that you have run out of patience with a piece of writing, or art or anything else for that matter!--just leave it for awhile and come back with a fresher perspective and a renewed passion for the project! This really works for me. ~ hugs to you, dear one EA |
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