Light Dreams

Jet rubbed his forehead with his free hand as Tanya gripped his other.
He was searching for words as tears filled his eyes. “One night they

were shutting down the restaurant at closing time, when all of a sudden,

a man came to the front door.”

Jet’s forehead broke out into bullets of sweat. He was drifting back to a time

years earlier...the shooting that was still etched on his mind. “I was playing

under the bar and…”

Suddenly, the deafening noise of the fireworks were beginning and Jet
was not prepared for the ferocity of the display. He let go of Tanya’s hand and
covered his ears. “Oh, no! No!" he moaned. The deafening noise of the
celebration was unbearable. Jet went into a panic that he hadn’t experienced
since that terrible night at Big Jon’s. He fell from his chair and stumbled toward
the ladder.
Tanya reached toward Jet and screamed for him to calm down. When he
got to the ladder, he bounded down, at least two rungs at a time. He landed
awkwardly on the ground and took off running toward the Clarksen Hotel,
leaving Tanya on the roof in a panic of her own.
Jet made his way along the boardwalk dodging people left and right,
once knocking a man into a rail. The noise of the fireworks seemed to follow
him all the way to the Clarksen. Jet made a mad dash for the back door where
Rosey used to live and work. He pounded on the door, but there was no light
inside the room. Jet melted at the base of the door and trembled
uncontrollably. “Rosey!” he cried.
The noise ended and Jet could hear himself sobbing. He rolled over onto
his back and exhaled. Everything seemed to come to a stop. What have I done?