For this week’s post, I want to share with you another short story that I wrote during my Creative Writing class. We were asked to write a short story in a similar format as a story of our choosing. I decided to write my story similar to “The Hitman” by T. C. Boyle. If you have never read “The Hitman” I invite you to read it here.

I chose this story because it is written in an unusual style. Some of the paragraphs in the story are even made out of just one sentence. I wanted to take on the challenge of writing a story that could convey the message I wanted by utilizing a style that I am not used to writing in. I really liked writing this story and I hope you like the final product.

THE LONELY MAN

Birth

The lonely man has all odds against him from the start. His parents don’t want him. An abortion, the easy way out. The mom finally decides to have him to avoid the pit of everlasting fire. Dad leaves.

Childhood

The lonely man doesn’t have an easy childhood. He is bullied in school by those bigger than him. He tries to defend himself in vain. As he brawls more, he develops a taste for blood. He likes the fights, though he loses every time. He has no friends.

First Win

The lonely man grows suddenly taller and stronger. Those bullies from elementary school are now in high school. A different story is now in the making. The bullies try to pick on him again. After all, he won’t fight back, or so they thought. The lonely man delivers his first blow after receiving a punch in the face. The bully falls down, knocked out cold. His gang of bullies draw back in fear. He has his first successful fight. The bullies don’t mess with him again.

Mother’s Death

During the month of October his mother dies. Cancer, doctors said. He’s now lonelier than ever.

Maria

He meets Maria, who works at a dinner. He visits often, hoping she notices. One day, he finally builds up the courage to talk to her. “Hi” says the lonely man. “Fuck off!” says Maria. This breaks the lonely man’s heart. He won’t talk to another woman again.

Work

Graveyard keeper during the night, fighter at the local fight club during the day. He writes stories every now and then in between both. He loves the solitude of the graveyard and, in the ring, there’s no one by his side but his shadow. He makes some money, not enough to live comfortably though. I need another job; he says to himself every day. But the graveyard is lonely, quiet, peaceful. He likes that.

Babies

Those are the worst. People of all kinds are buried at the graveyard every day. When babies are buried, the lonely man hurts a bit inside. He steps away. Doesn’t want to be around when that happens.

Final Fight

The lonely man has an important fight. He prepares, and prepares well. The moment comes. He almost had the fight. One punch on the face, flashbacks from his childhood. He hits the canvas. Loses the fight.

Death

The night of the fight, the lonely man goes to work as usual. He sits down to take a deep breath, takes one last look at the graveyard; his sanctuary of peace and solitude. He collapses. Coroner says a blood clot in his brain took his life. He gets buried, alone. No family or friends there for his burial. He finally rests peacefully, among the graves, in the land of the dead, not so lonely anymore.

 

I hope you guys enjoyed today’s short story and I invite you to challenge yourself to write in a style you are not comfortable writing in. I have always said that it is amazing how, when you set your mind to it, you can accomplish things you didn’t think you could. After all, in order to grow, we need to get out of our comfort zone.

Happy writing!