Trading a Foot

The car honked at me, so I hit its hood.

“I’m walking here!”

The driver stuck his head out the window, “Walk faster, slow poke!”

For that, I took a baby step then stopped. I kept doing it in front of him until he drove around me. What a piss ant. People like that are what’s ruining New York. I continued strolling around the neighborhood. After all, it’s my day off. What else am I supposed to do? I went into the gas station, “Yugi, what’s the lottery at?”

I went straight for the candy.

“Two hundred and thirteen million.”

I picked a new candy bar that I didn’t recognize, “What’s number twenty-four at today?”

“Sixty-three.”

I approached Yugi with the new candy bar, “Massive is a crazy name for a huge candy bar.”

“They're actually really good,” He ringed the candy bar.

“I’ll also take a number twenty-four.”

He pulled the lottery ticket, “Not trying to go big today?”

“I’m not feeling lucky today to go big.”

“Twelve dollars and forty-seven cents.”

I handed him fifteen, “Keep the change.”

I grabbed my stuff and headed for the door.

“Thank you, Mister.”

I went next door, where they have tables outside, to enjoy my Massive candy bar. Sounds absolutely weird saying the name of it. I took a bite. It Tasted almost like the Wish version of Snickers- if they were any good. I scratch the ticket. Ten dollars, eh.

I stopped the lady walking past me, “Lady, here you go.”

She studied the ticket as a smile grew upon her face, “Thank you, Mister.”

She walked away, and I threw away the Massive. I got up to go across the street. It was too late when I realized the speeding driver. Only it was worse. Someone pushed me out of the way enough to not kill me. I sat up to check on the lady lying in the road. I glance down at my leg. People started screaming for the ambulance as they crowded around. I was just amazed at how pancaked  my ankle was. I kept telling them I’m fine, check on the girl, but they just kept crowding. I laid back down as the sirens grew louder. I lifted my head far enough up to see if I was dreaming by any chance. Nope. Reality. Reality is today was my last stroll for a while.

I opened my eyes to the searing darkness. I was hooked on all kinds of machines. I glanced over at the lamp that was on. In front of it were crutches. I sat up to see once again if it was all a nightmare. Sure enough, my foot was missing. Something struck me as strange though. I squinted my eyes to see around in the dark. I couldn’t see no one. I did see a light peeking around the corner. I unhooked myself from the machines and grabbed the crutches. I went towards the light, and no one was stopping me from leaving. I got to the doorway and the light was from down the hallway. The dark hallway… I took a deep breath as I bear the pain. I walked myself down the hallway and around the corner. Only for another long dark hallway. I glanced back over my shoulder. The hallway behind me was in unseeable darkness. I bear through the pain of walking once more. An uncanny feeling sank into my stomach when I saw another extensive hallway of gloom. The light seemed uncatchable at this point, so I fell down.

“Only if you could run,” A lady said to me.

I looked up, “What good will that do? I can’t outrun this?”

“I could grant you legs.”

I stood up on one crutch, “I must be having a nightmare.”

“In return, you must give up everything.”

“Lady, you won’t be able to give me my foot back.”

“Take my hand,” She held out her hand.

“Where’s the nurse?”

“What do you have to lose?”

My heart sank because she was right. So, I took her hand. Her body flew backwards, and I held on for dear life as she took me with her into the light.

I opened my eyes to the bright blue sky. The same bright blue sky I thought I would never see again. I knew it was just a dreadful dream! I sat up to see both of my feet! I jumped up and danced with joy. My joy was slowly killed by the looks and whispering. Then, someone threw their drink at me, “BUM!”

Bum? I look down at my hand and body. What in the world am I wearing? I looked around. Yugi’s store! I went there and charged into the bathroom. I was dressed as a bum, and my hair was long and matted. I ran out of the store and down the block to my apartment. I searched my pockets for the key as I put the code in on the gate. One, one, nine, seven. The thing flashed red.

“What? No!”

One, one, nine, seven.

It flashed red, again. No, no, no. I couldn’t find the key. All of a sudden, it hit me just like someone's hot dog just did.

You must give up everything.

I fell against the fence as I sank.

“Are you alright, Mister?”

That lady looks oddly familiar.

“I have nothing.”

She held out a lottery ticket, “Buy yourself something.”

It was the lady I gave the lottery ticket to, but she looks older now.

I took the lottery ticket, “What year is it?”

“Twenty twenty-eight.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.”

She walked away. I headed back to Yugi’s store. I gave Yugi the ticket.

“Do you have a phone I can borrow, Yugi?”

“How do you know my name?”

“It’s me. The daily lottery ticket buyer for number twenty-four. I bought a Massive when I was in here earlier?”

“Is this some kind of joke? That man died years ago,” He threw my money at me, “scatt, Bum!”

“Died? What do you mean?”

“I said get out!”

I left without putting up anymore of a fight. The words of that lady echoed through my head. What in the world is happening?! I started pacing back and forth remembering every second of that appalling nightmare. A sudden flash of a car coming at me appeared in my mind. I jumped back so quickly that I fell. I watched a car speed by. I kept seeing my pancaked ankle. I saw another speeding car from the other direction. I got up and ran in front of it.

I woke up to blinding lights- and voices! 

“Can you hear me?”

“Yeah,” I replied.

“The amputation was complete. You did die during the surgery for a long time, so we’ll have to keep you here for a while. Just to make sure the lack of oxygen didn’t do damage.”

I rubbed my eyes clear and pulled my head up. I smiled. I’ve never been so happy to see my missing foot.

“Doctor, I think he’s delirious.”

The Doctor turned to me, “Push Ativan.”

I’m not delirious- I’m happy.