ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Hey I'm 17, and I live in Champaign, Illinois. I've been thinking about writing a story like this for a while, so I'm glad I finally did. Enjoy! [July 2005]
AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (1) The Dream (Short Stories) A short story with a surprise ending. [1,163 words] [Literary Fiction]
Russian Roulette Daniel Brown
It was an ordinary basement room. There was a dim light in the center hanging over a round table with five people sitting around it in a semi-circle. Just across from the broken end of the semi-circle was the door through which they had entered and two burly men with guns on their respective hips standing on either side of the door.
The game had just started, but it was almost Don’s turn and his already nervous mind was gradually becoming manic. He secretly hoped that one of his friends to his left would die before the gun reached him, but he knew that that was not likely, and he had to be prepared. I hope the boys remember the plan…. What if Mike moves? Shit, what if they both move? Are the boys gonna be ready?
Click.
Zach passed the gun to Ferguson. As Ferguson slowly lifted the gun up to his head, Don could see the dim light reflecting off his sweaty arm.
Click.
Okay… This is it. If the boys don’t fuck up, this is it. If everything goes as planned, this is it. Don moved his arm towards the gun and hoped that the two guards, Mike and Jerry, wouldn’t notice that his hand was shaking more than it should be. There were two prior clicks… that means that the bullet could be now, or it could be the fourth shot. Don glanced over to Mike and Jerry. They couldn’t see his eyes in the dimly lit room. Don was going to aim at Jerry and fire until the bullet came out. Meanwhile, Zach and Walt (the two on his right closest to the two guards) were going to tackle Mike and take away his gun. After that, they would take Jerry’s gun too, hold both the guards at gunpoint, and make them lead them all out of this place. Then they would be free. Yes, it was a pretty far-fetched plan, but it was all they could come up with in the time they were given.
Don grabbed the gun. His hand was shaking terribly. This is it.
Click! Don’s arm jerked forward as he fired at Jerry. Walt and Zach burst out of their seats.
Click! Zach came from the right of Mike and grabbed around Mike’s neck with his arm. Meanwhile, Walt punched Mike in the gut and then grabbed Mike’s gun hand.
Click! Zach tripped Mike while Walt pulled on the gun. Mike’s grip gave, and the gun was now Walt’s.
Click!
What!?
Walt spun around and smacked Jerry in the face with his gun.
Click! Click!
The gun isn’t loaded! Everyone in the room seemed to realize it at the same time.
Jerry’s head jerked back at the force of the hit, but he regained his composure and pointed his gun at Walt. At the same time, Walt pointed his gun at Jerry. “No!” Jerry screamed. “You don’t under--” Walt shot Jerry in the chest five times.
The sound of the gunshots rang in everyone’s ears. Don’s shaking arm was still pointed at the place where Jerry was standing.
Mike, lying on the floor, looked somewhat confused, like he just barely understood what had just happened. “We’re cops,” he said somewhat quietly. “This was just a set-up… this guy’s sister hired us…” He motioned towards Zach.
As everyone looked at him, Zach got a nervous look on his face. “What? Why?”
“Isn’t it your birthday?” Asked Tyler, one of the friends who was sitting to the left of Don.
“Yeah, but my sister…? She said I’d get a surprise on my birthday….” He scratched his head. “That’s fucked up….” He looked at Jerry’s bloodied carcass.
Jerry gurgled on a little of his own blood, then muttered “Happy birthday,” before dying.
READER'S REVIEWS (4) DISCLAIMER: STORYMANIA DOES NOT PROVIDE AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWS. ALL REVIEWS ARE PROVIDED BY NON-ASSOCIATED VISITORS, REGARDLESS OF THE WAY THEY CALL THEMSELVES.
"Nice story mate...good ending ....but what was the deal with the sister?" -- Jonathan, perth.
"I thought was very good, i got a bit confused with who was who but that was probably my poor reading skills. I loved the bit at the end the final twist. Given it a 9. Nobody gets a 10. " -- john H pallister.
"The setting is dramatic but at the end I seemed to have been left with many questions.Lots of internal logic questions need answers.More showing might help perhaps. Or a simpler 'set-up'." -- Cleveland W. Gibson.
"Hey this is the author. I know my story is kind of confusing, so I'll clear a couple things up. And maybe I'll revise it and post the revised edition later. But anyways, the twist at the end is that Zach's sister hired the two cops to force them all to play a fake game of russian roulette, just to scare them. Like a prank. A happy birthday prank. Hope this helps." -- Daniel.
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