The penny drops into the fountain with a depressed splash. A man looks down at the ripples, lost in his wavering reflection. He sighs. “I want to know what it would be like if I was never born.” He asks the fountain. The ripples continue, growing. A soft breeze rustles through the trees carrying magic with it. The man’s eyes match the ripples of the water. Mesmerized. Hypnotized. It reveals the answer.
The man sees his wife at her current age. She is happily married. To an accountant. Just like him. They have a daughter, age twelve, a son, age seven. Just like they do. She calls him Steven. His name. The daughter is named Sheila, the son Carter. Their names. His wife kisses Steven, calls him ‘Honey-Bunny’. His nickname.
The images fade. The ripples grow.
The man now sees the life of his best friend. He is best friends with Steven. They were roommates in college. Just like they were. His friend introduces Steven to the woman he would marry. Just like it happened.
The images fade. The ripples grow.
The man now sees his parents. Steven is their son. He is Steven. His parents still had Steven. Steven. They still had his brother. Greg. He still dies in the car accident. Mother dies from breast cancer. Father marries a young woman after.
The same.
The images stop. The ripples stop.
“Just as I thought.” A gun is pulled. He shoots it. Blood drips into the fountain. The water ripples.
The penny drops into the fountain with a depressed splash. Steven looks down at the ripples, lost in his wavering reflection. He sighs. “I want to know what it would be like if I was never born.” He asks the fountain. The ripples continue, growing. A soft breeze rustles through the trees carrying magic with it. Steven’s eyes match the ripples of the water. Mesmerized. Hypnotized. It reveals the answer.
Steven sees his wife at her current age. She is happily married. To an accountant. Just like him. They have a daughter, age twelve, a son, age seven. Just like they do. She calls him Steven. His name. The daughter is named Sheila, the son Carter. Their names. His wife kisses Steven, calls him ‘Honey-Bunny’. His nickname.
The images fade. The ripples grow.
Steven now sees the life of his best friend. He is best friends with Steven. They were roommates in college. Just like they were. His friend introduces Steven to the woman he would marry. Just like it happened.
The images fade. The ripples grow.
Steven now sees his parents. Steven is their son. He is Steven. His parents still had Steven. Steven. They still had his brother. Greg. He still dies in the car accident. Mother dies from breast cancer. Father marries a young woman after.
The same.
The images stop. The ripples stop.
“Just as I thought.” A gun is pulled. He shoots it. Blood drips into the fountain. The water ripples.
Insignificance.
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