"That's a king over there! With gold," I said slowly. "The skeletons are taking a barrel of his gold?"
"Oh yes, the skeleton's grip does not discriminate. It doesn't matter if you are wise, old, a king, a peasant, or a clergymen. These here are the same skeletons you will find in your bottle."
"Shit." I slid down onto the ground and put my hands on my face. "I've hurt my family. My kids, my wife, and I've lost my job," I wept. "I don't even have a wife anymore, who am I kidding?"
"It happens to the best of us," she touched my shoulder with her bony hand. "I lost it all too, but I still didn't figure it out. I killed someone," she shook her head.
"Oh," I raised my eyebrows.
"With my car. I can't take it back now either. Damn it!" she pounded her fist into the barrel. "I told myself: Rose, don't let those skeletons in the bottle get a grip on you." She sobbed. "But they did! And the worst part, is that I don't even remember."
"Maybe someday you can make amends or something. Who knows."
"I am deeply sorry, and I'd like the chance someday to express that," she wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
"Everyone here looks like a walking carcass. It's awful. Those people are still trying to party," I motioned over towards a table of people trying to playing games and drink wine, but the skeletons were dumping the wine and taking their women.
"Some people are a bit slow to learn. Look at that guy," she pointed up on top of the hill at a blindfolded man. He is blind to what he has done. He has yet to see or own up to it. He's in denial, and he just won't see it." We both paused and watched the blindfolded man on his knees get beheaded by a skeleton with a big sword. "But, just because you don't want to see it, doesn't mean that it still won't get you," she cringed as the man's head rolled onto the ground.
"Ah shit," I hissed as I diverted my eyes towards my own feet.
"Please young man, if you ever get out of here - don't come back. It may not be too late for you. Pry those fingers from you. Release yourself from its grip and never seek out the skeletons in the bottle."
"Sometimes I can't handle things. It's my only escape," I shook my head.
"It can't be that bad."
"My father was killed in a tragic accident ten years ago. I never got to say goodbye," I cried. "We'd had an argument the night before." I paused. "Funny thing is, he was killed by a drunk driver, and I turn around and become a drunk. Oh, he'd be real proud."
"You have to find a way to let it go, or at least come to peace with it. If not, then both of you will have lost your lives in that accident."
"Ah," I yelped as a skeleton hand reached over the barrel and grabbed my shoulder. It's bony fingers dug into my flesh and picked me up. I felt helpless in it's grip and surrendered as he pulled me towards his net.
"No! Not now," the old woman stood up and swung a large stick at the skeleton and knocked his arm apart. "Get away from him!" The bones fell around me and another group of skeletons headed our way. "Please, just go. You don't have much time. Just head back the way you came and recall all the things you're grateful in your life with every step you take!" She screamed as the skeletons surrounded her. "Don't forget the things you love!"
I only heard a deafening silence from the old woman as I strained against the humid air towards the mounds of sand and yellow metal shields. I didn't look back.
"My children," I whispered. "My loving wife. Our wedding day," I gasped the hot air. "My health. My education. Oh how I love my children! I am grateful that they were born healthy and perfect," I yelled out loud as each step got easier.
The loud bell started ringing it's deafening bellow, but I was far enough away that I didn't have to cover my ears. I still felt it's rumble in my teeth, but it didn't hurt this time. I kept walking until I found the yellow shields I'd entered by. Beyond the shields was a vast darkness and desert. It was cooler and quieter there. As I gazed into it's depths, the sand beneath my feet began to swirl and break away. I started to fall, and I didn't try to fight it. I just went with it.
I woke up in my bed. It was my apartment. Everything was the same. "I am grateful for this life that I have," I said out loud as I carried a residual piece of my dream back with me.
"Oh crap," I said out loud as I wiped the sweat off my forehead.
When I caught my breath, I looked down in disgust at the empty rum bottle and beer cans by my bed. "Never again," I said as I tossed them all in the garbage.
The last thing I remembered was being pulled over by Mark. I think he impounded my car. It's okay, I deserved it.
"Six, five, zero, three," I said out loud as I dialed Mark's number. "Hey Mark," I said when he answered."
"Hello Victor," he sounded pleased to hear from me.
"Listen, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about last night."
"Last night? What about last night?" He asked.
"Um," I walked over to the window and pulled the curtain back to see my black BMW sitting in the driveway. "I took a good look at myself last night, that's all. And I’m really sorry. I have a lot of work ahead of me to pick up my pieces."
"Okay," he sounded confused. "That's really wonderful Victor. I hope you quit drinking that shit and get your life back. I know you have a lot to offer. But this is the last day of my two week vacation, and you just woke me up."
"Sorry man. Hey! Mark?"
"Yeah?"
"Um, you were on call that night of my dad's accident, right?"
"Yes," he said hesitantly.
"I know I never faced it before, but I'd like to know something."
"Okay."
"What was the name of the other driver? The drunk one that killed my father."
"Oh Victor," he said with a deep breath. "Rose. Rose DeWinctshyner was her name. She had twice the legal limit in her system, and she died at the scene too. She was seventy-seven years old. Nobody wins in these types of situations."
"Yes, Rose, I knew it! Okay, thank you Mark."
"Are you okay Victor?"
"Yes I am."
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