Member-only story
The Golden Path to Greenville
Where fantasy and reality collide
I heard the wind pick up as I sat alone in my apartment. A storm was brewing outside and storms at night were never a good thing. I’d called my older brother, Sy, and asked him to come over. He wanted to bring his buddies. I thought they were weird but agreed so as not to be alone.
Sy was a techie. I figured if the power went out, he’d be able to get it back on. His friend Leon King was more scared of storms than I was. In fact, he was pretty much scared of everything. Sy and Joey Crow had been friends since grade school. He never shut up. I always told him he needed a mute button.
I watched out the window waiting for them to pull up. The wind shook the glass, causing me to take a step back. Another gust of wind hit the building and the lights went out. Panic took over and logical thought alluded me.
I reached for my cellphone, realizing I’d left it in another room. As I stepped away from the window, a limb from the tree outside crashed through the glass. I screamed and took off running. In my panic, I tripped and slammed my face into the coffee table. I tried to stand, but couldn’t get my footing. I sat for a moment, my head spinning and ears ringing. The smell of marshmallows filled my senses. Roasted marshmallows. Burning marshmallows. I thought my building was on fire.
