Pre-elected story. Short Story and Poetry Competition 2010

LIFE AFTER PRISON

Michael was 21 years old. He lived in an old town in Ireland. His education was poor there, and he didn’t know many people.
When he finished his studies, he graduated as a doctor, but work was very hard there. He worked in his hometown for 3 years, and in 1984 he moved to Dublin, but he didn’t find anything better.
Arriving at his new home, he decided to buy something to read in his free time. He went into a bookstore near his house and bought some books. Suddenly, a tall man, with a small nose and wide eyes appeared. He took a gun and shouted loudly.
“All of you don’t move! I want all the money!” he shouted to the assistant.
Quickly, he took the money and shot the assistant. He threw the gun to Michael, and
jumped into his motorbike, laughing.
A man heard noises and called the police. But when they arrived, they thought that Michael was the thief!
“Mr. Michael Brooks, you are declared guilty for the charges of murder and theft and condemned to 7 years in federal prison.
He was shocked. There was no option, so he had to stay in prison for 7 long years.
After seven years, the police let him free, but he wasn’t the same person he used to be. He looked more suspicious, and he looked right and left all the time. The prison had changed his character. But his mind hadn’t changed. He was angry with that thief in the bookstore, so he decided to look for him.
Years passed, and the thief didn’t appear. One day, looking for him in a fast food place, a girl recognized Michael.
“Hey, you are that man in the old newspaper! I’m Marie, you are… Michael?”
“I am” he said quietly.
For a moment, Michael went pale. He heard girl screams, and an evil laugh, but then Marie took him back to real life.
“Sorry, this happens to me all the time because I remember when that thief shot the assistant…”
Then, Michael told Marie his entire story. He told her too that he was planning to find the real thief.
“I’ll help you.” Said Marie I went to prison too and it is horrible. We’ll find that thief, believe me.
Michael smiled. They went to Marie’s home and they slept there, but as usual, Michael had visions and nightmares. It was the same vision he had in the fast food place. He woke up, and he dressed up. He went out to have some fresh air, and he went into a café. There he saw a face. He recognized it, and he couldn’t believe that it was the man he was looking for. He shouted to him and the man ran out the café.
They went into an alley near the café.
“Stop there!!! Don’t move!!!” He shouted, and he took a gun from his coat.
Michael didn’t stop, but the man shot him. At first, he thought that he was dead, but he was alive. When he opened his eyes, he found Marie. She was on the ground, with blood in her body. He felt very angry and started hitting the thief once and again. Finally, he fainted.
The thief was declared guilty for the charges of theft and murder, and condemned to 7 years in prison, but unfortunately, Marie died and Michael never saw her again.



Pen name: Mitexxxio VI
Category A