I Can Not Tell a Lie But I Kind Of Have To

The Umbrella

Where exactly? I don’t know. I kind of let the steering wheel guide me there. And it took on a mind of its own. It drove me to the 7-11, where I bought a Coke slurpee. It took me to my old elementary school, or what was left of it, that had caught fire when I was in 7th grade. It took me to the interstate and then back into town, then back out of town. It took me to the middle of nowhere, which is really saying something after growing up in a town with a grand total population of 1, 590. Finally, it let me stop.

I came to a stop at the edge of a huge, empty field, with grass so dead it made cemeteries look lively. I took my key out of the ignition and was eclipsed in darkness. It sent chills up my spine. Thank God I had night vision. I hardly ever got to use it. I stepped out of the car and locked it.

The ground was soggy and squished with each step I took. I let my feet guide me, seeing as my own mind was incapable of making any decisions. I walked over to a large oak tree. I rested my hand against its cool bark and kept walking, stepping over branches and weaving my way around trees before I came to a creek. I stood at the edge and watched the water trickle over the smooth stones.

The stream didn’t seem to know where it came from or care where it was going. It was just… going with the flow, no pun intended. It glided over stones and around branches, not letting anything stop it from moving forward. I sat down, not caring that my jeans would get soaked, and sat mesmerized at this creek.

I picked up a small pebble and tossed it in the creek. I watched it sit on the bottom of the bed until the current washed it away. I picked up a bigger stone and tossed that in too. The resilient water immediately adjusted itself and found another way around it. I suddenly became frustrated and threw the biggest rock within reach. It landed with a thunk and splashed water onto my tear streamed face. The water, once again, swam around the rock. Not even this large obstruction could stop it. I couldn’t grasp the concept that whatever I threw at this stream, it would adjust itself, as if nothing strange had happened, and welcome the stone into its bed. If only I could do that.

“What’s eating you?” I heard that sarcastic voice say. I sat still, keeping my eyes the stream. Millie walked across some stones and sat next to me on the ground. I didn’t bother wiping my face. If I knew her, she had been here for a while. No use hiding anything, I thought.

“No use hiding anything,” I said. “If only it were that simple.”

“Oh boy,” she said, “am I gonna have to open up your head and see what crazy thing is going on inside?”

“I wish you could,” I said, not looking up into her hazel eyes. “I need my mind sorted out.”

“Dude,” she said. “You’re such a wimp. You’re the telepathic one. You’re the one that can read people’s minds. Shouldn’t you have your own mind figured out?

“Thanks for the sympathy,” I said, standing up and walking beside the creek.

“Okay,” she said, still sitting. “What’s this about? You’re not mad that Leah dating someone else.”

“She’s dating someone else?” I blurted out. She hung her head.

“I thought she asked you to the Sadie Hawkins Dance,” she said.

“Oh, right,” I said, slightly embarrassed.

“And there’s no way you’re that upset about your mom’s false pregnancy,” she said.

“How did you-” I spun around.

“I have these visions, remember?” she said, looking down. “It was so sad watching the doctor tell your mom it was a negative test.”

“You’re so lucky you can see the future,” I said, shoving my hands in my pockets. “At least you can see what’s coming at you and jump out of the way.”

“Two things squirt,” she said. “One. I can’t see the future. People who can see the future can choose what they want to see, when they want to see it. I can’t. The Big Guy up there,” she pointed her finger towards the sky, “decides that for me.”

“Two. I’m not allowed to change anything that I see. If I see a building burning down to the ground, I can’t go find that building and stop the fire before it gets out of control. There’s a reason the Big Guy wants me to see these things. I’m not allowed to jump out of the way.”

“I would,” I mumbled.

“It’ll upset-”

“The natural balance of things?” I finished for her.

“You remember my rules,” she said. “No finishing my sentences.”

“What if I don’t like the natural balance of things?” I said, as if I hadn’t been interrupted. “What if I want to change the natural balance of things? I would jump out of the way! You don’t get run over by trucks that way! It’s the smart thing to do!”

“Let me guess something,” she said, putting her fingers together, “You were always the kid that stood to the side when everyone else jumped in the road to play chicken.”

“Seeing what’s coming at you and not getting out of the way is so- so-” I struggled to find the right word.

“Stupid?”

“Yes!” I shouted. “It’s the practical thing to do!”

“Name one time that life was ever practical,” she said.

“Uh-There was- The- Umbrellas!” I blurted out at last.

“Umbrellas?” she questioned me.

“I’ve lived in Minnesota my entire life,” I said. “And do you know how many times umbrellas have come in handy?”

“Umbrellas,” she said once again.

“Yes, umbrellas,” I said.

“Neil,” she said, standing up and brushing the dirt off her jeans. “You can’t live your whole life under an umbrella. At some point, a huge gust of wind is going to come by and blow the umbrella out of your hand. You’re going to be standing there, completely unprepared and wet.” As if she had ordered the “Big Guy” to do so, it started raining, gradually getting heavier.

“Now,” she shouted to me over the rain, “I have super speed. So, I’ll leave you two alone.” She looked at me and then the creek and was gone in a flash. I sat down, thinking about what she had said.

I thought about it and thought about. I had known this my whole life. One thing that you completely depend on can change in a second. My family had been pretty well off but one baseball in a garage door and it’s never forgotten. I was perfectly happy by myself. Then along came The Devil- er, I mean Sidney. I had just adjusted to high school before being thrust into this completely other world that Millie had tricked me into going into.

The water level of the stream was slowly rising and eventually made its way to my toes, then my heel. I started to move my feet away and then stopped. If my umbrella was going to get blown away from me, I might as well let go instead of having it ripped from my unwilling fingers when I least expect it. I was already soaked. I stretched out my legs and let the water rise over my ankles.
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I must say this chapter took me the longest to write out of this story and all the chapters in my other story (which by the way is always looking for more readers wink, wink, nudge, nudge) I don’t mean to toot my own horn either but I think this is one of my best writing pieces. I love this chapter. So comment and tell me if you think I’m wrong (which I probably am) or if you just want to say that you LOVE this chapter (probably won’t happen either)