literature

The Innocent Smile Of Henry Jones

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“Why is it so hard to get a goddamn taxi!” I screamed. I had spent the past four or five minutes trying to hail a taxi, sounding a bit anxious while doing so. There is a good reason for that. Today was Valentines Day, and I had yet to get my wife a gift. I had left work nearly three hours early, so obviously my paycheck is going to be lighter. Finally, a taxi pulled up infront of me.
“Where yah off too buddy?” the cab driver asked.
“The Tiffany & Co jewelry store, and please be quick.” I spoke quickly and urgently, checking my watch as I did.
“You got it.” He said, as he started the counter.
We were about halfway to the jewelry store, when he pulled over.
“Why’d you stop?!” I said, nearly shouting. I heard the door next to me open. I looked over to the person now sitting next to me.
“Oh great, out of this entire city, I have to share a taxi with you.” I whined. Sitting next to me was Henry Jones, the ultimate yes man and suck up in all of New York.
“Oh hey Sammi! Fancy meeting you here!” Henry exclaimed, a somewhat suprised look on his face. God, he called me Sammi again. I hate it when he does that.
“How many times have I told you, my name is Samuel!”
“Whatever you say!” He cheerfully said as he ruffled my hair.
“Henry!” I exclaimed, slapping his hand away. He continued to just smile, looking like a small child that had just gotten something they wanted.
“Where are you off too?” The cab driver asked Henry.
“I’ll just get dropped off where ever he’s going!” Henry said, jerking his thumb towards me. The cab rolled into motion again, and with it a dead silence. Henry was just sitting there, smiling at me. It was more annoying than it was creepy. The silence was broken when my phone rang.
“Hello?” I said qiuzzically into the speaker.
“Sam? It’s me, Elizibeth.”
“Oh, hey Lizzie. What’s up?”
“I was just calling to tell you, my father is coming for dinner.”
“Awesome! Is he bringing some of those delicious crepes?”
“Of course, he know’s those are your favourite. He made plenty, so we will have some until his next visit. Well, that’s all Sam. I love you, bye.”
“I love you too Lizzie.”
And with that, we both hung up. I looked out the window and saw the jewelry store almost right infront of us.
“Finally...” I murmured under my breath. The driver had stopped the cab, and just as I was about to pay, Henry stopped me.
“Here Samuel, let me pay.” He said, with what sounded like a hint of guilt in his voice.
“Uh sure, I’ll pay you back tomorrow.” I said, cocking an eyebrow questioningly. Henry gave the driver the money, smiled, and thanked him for his service. We got out of the cab, and I walked up to the front doors of the jewelry store.
_______________________________________

“That will be $593.94 sir.” The cashier said. I paid for the item, a small bracelet, and was about ready to leave, when I noticed Henry standing outside the store.
“What the hell? Why’s he standing there?” I whispered to myself. I walked out of the store,
and saw that Henry was frowning. That wasn’t like Henry, he was supposed to be happy and smiling.
“Uh, Henry?” I spoke quietly, gently touching his arm. He jerked upright, and looked towards me.
“Oh! Samuel!” Henry exclaimed, a forced smile on his face. “Mind if I walk with you? My apartment is near yours.”
“Uh, sure.” I said, as I started walking. My apartment was only a few blocks away, and the walking would do me some good.
The walk was silent, except for the sounds of the city. The sounds of rushing cars, pigeons cooing, all the typical sounds you think you would here in New York. I don’t think Henry was entirely focused as we walked, he nearly ran into three people.
“Henry,” I said, finally breaking the silence, “You OK?”
Henry gave a forced laughed. “Of course I’m OK!” I looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. He was hiding something. I put my arm out to stop him from walking.
“Henry. Tell me what your hiding.” I calmly demanded.
“What the hell? I’m not hiding anything!” He said, obviously lying. I turned around to face him.
“Henry. I’m not going to ask again. What the hell are you hiding.” I told him, looking him dead in the eye. I could see the worry and guilt in his eyes. He angrily bit his bottom lip, like a child about to throw a tantrum.
“I can assure you, Samuel, it’s none of your concern. Let’s... let’s just continue walking.” He said, trying to regain his calm demeanor. I just stood there, staring at him. I didn’t want to stop trying, but I had to get home. Lizzie was probably sitting on the sofa, worrying if I was going to make it home for Valentines day. She will have the dinner table all set, everything will be perfectly alligned. Lizzie has always been a perfectionist. I wondered what she would cook. As I pondered, I felt a sudden sharp pain in my stomach. It felt... cold. I put my hand to my stomach, and froze. I slowly looked down, and felt tears come to my eyes. Red. It... it was staining my shirt. I felt the cold quickly leave, making more blood stain my shirt. The tears that were brimming in my eyes finally spilled over.
“Sammi... I’m sorry.” I heard Henry speak softly. I felt him take my hand and place the smooth handle of the blade in it.
“H-h...enry. Wh...y?” I said, struggling with every word.
“I... I don’t really have a reason. I just... I just wanted to know what it felt like. To dig the knife deep into someone... to watch as they struggle for survival. I wanna see the last little bit of light and hope leave their eyes, as they breath their final breath.” Henry said. All of a sudden he started laughing. It was quiet at first, but after a while it became loud and manical.
“T....THIS I....S F...FUN...NY TO YOU!” I screamed, a crazed look in my eyes. I gripped the blades handle tighter.
“It’s just that... you were so happy just a few moments ago. You were thinking about Lizzie weren’t you? You were thinking about how you two would spend another happy Valentines Day together. Alive and well. You never thought about the slight chance that you wouldn’t make it home. The cab could have crashed, you could have crossed a busy street at the wrong moment, or, someone could stab you on your door step.” He had smirked at that last one. I was fed up. So with my last bit of strength, I lunged at Henry, getting him right in the neck with the blade...
“SAMUEL PLEASE! STOP SAMUEL!” I heard someone scream. I had opened my eyes, to find a frightened Henry gripping my wrists, one of which was holding a pen.
“W... what?” I questioned, moving away from Henry and dropping the pen. Henry was breathing heavily, tears streaming down his usually joyful face. I noticed I was still in the cab, but it was pulled over to the side of the road.
“Wha- I thought that... but...” I spoke, not understanding what just happened. I looked towards the driver. He had his cellphone out, and the numbers nine-one-one were on the screen.
“Samuel! What the hell man? You just went berserk!” I heard Henry speak, fear and sadness in his voice.
“Y-you stabbed me!” I shouted, feeling the area in which he had stabbed. Nothing, no blood no cut.
“What do you mean I stabbed you?!” Henry shouted back.
“Henry... I-I’m sorry. I don’t even know... c-can you tell me what happened?” I spoke quietly, running one hand through my hair.
“... W-well you were just sitting there... staring off into space. Th-then you stared mumbling something, and after that you just started attacking me. The driver... he was going to call the police.” Henry said as he wiped the tears from his face.
“Henry... I am so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” I said, speaking with an empathetic tone. Henry just looked at me.
“Sorry? SORRY? YOU THINK SORRY WILL FIX THIS? I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE SAMUEL!” Henry screamed, spitting on my face in the process. I opened my mouth to speak, but then I just closed it. I sat there for a good minute before I opened the cab door and left. I didn’t pay, I just left. The driver didn’t even object, he drove away as soon as I got out. I just stood in that one spot, watching as the cab rolled away.
That was the last time I ever saw Henry Jones, he moved to another part of New York shortly after that day. Y’know what? I don’t think I ever saw that cabbie again either. But there are quite a few cabs in NYC, so that ones understandable. I think about that dream almost everyday. It all seemed so real, the blood, the smooth handle of the blade, everything. Sometimes I catch myself wondering if anything is real. Maybe everything is all just one big interwinding dream, one in which we all just need to open our eyes and wake up from...
“Sammi? Samuel!” My mothers voice jerked me back to reality.
“Mommy? W-where am I?” I questioned, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. My mother had looked towards me as she took the keys out of the ignition of our 1984 Station Wagon.
“Sweetheart don’t act so silly! We are at home. Your father will probably have dinner all ready for us, so let’s not keep him waiting!” My mother spoke with the same cheerful voice that Henry always spoke with.
“Mom! I don’t have time for dinner! I should be at work right now!” I shouted.
“Oh my Sammi! For a seven year old, you sure do have a big imagination!” My mother chuckled as she exited the car.
I think I was right when I questioned reality.
O why hai guys! IT IS HERE! FINALLY I HAVE UPLOADED MY SHORT STORY! Presenting:
The Innocent Smile Of Henry Jones.
Please comment with feedback, and tell me if you liked it or not.
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Insanity-Break's avatar
um. I'm confused...