[ WP ] The characters from one of your abandoned stories find out that you have given up on them .

`` Jarrod!? Oh my god oh my go oh my god.'' 
 
 I turn my head to see my wife drop our groceries and run over to me. I can see the worried look on her face as she leans over my broken body. 
 
 `` No, no, no, no, no.'' 
 
 I ca n't stand the look on her face so instead I focus on the stream of wine slowly making its way toward my face, red as it glistens, as it spills from the broken bottle. We almost never have wine, only on anniversaries and birthdays; I wonder why she bought wine today. I wonder what she wanted to celebrate. 
 
 `` Jarrod stay with me! Can you hear me? What happened?'' 
 
 `` Charlotte?'' 
 
 `` Yes sweetie?'' 
 
 She leaned in closer, her voice a soft sweet mix of fear, concern and care. God I love her, and god I hate to have her see me like this. 
 
 `` I was trying to fix the light... You know that one that does n't turn on?'' 
 
 I needed a ladder for the light, the vaulted ceilings meant even the fifteen foot ladder was hardly high enough. 
 
 `` I-I was trying to fix the light then I dropped the cover... and-and the ladder fell over and I landed on the tool box.'' 
 
 The last words were barely a whisper. Charlotte's eyes widened, they got impossibly large as she finally took in all my injuries. 
 
 `` Do n't worry I'll call an ambulance.... we-we'll get you to a d-doctor a-an-and everything... everything'll be fine. Stay here.'' 
 
 I almost wanted to laugh at that last part. Stay here. As if I could even walk if I tried. My left leg feels like its shattered, there seems to be a thousand shards of glass in my hands and back. I doubt I could even sit if given the chance. 
 
 `` Hello? I need an ambulance! I-I need one now!... It's my husband, hes fallen and he is hurt really bad.'' 
 
 Charlotte was at the end of the hall now, her voice fading in and out, as if someone was turning the volume up and down on a television. She looks so beautiful standing there surrounded by broken eggs and bruised apples. Standing in her dress, tangled curls framing her face as the sunlight dances over her entire body. 
 
 I can hear her almost shouting words into the phone but I ca n't make any of them out, is sounds as if my head has been submerged underwater. 
 
 I return my gaze to the thin stream of wine, it pushes forward, marching on as it mixes with my blood, turning both a darker shade of red. 
 
 `` Jarrod? Jarrod? Can you hear me? There's an ambulance on the way'' 
 
 I felt my eyes being closed by a force not my own. 
 
 `` Jarrod please stay.'' 
 
 Her voice broke on the last syllable, as is she turned her gaze to the floor and started to cry. 
 
 My heart broke a little as I drifted away, hearing the sound of Charlotte's soft sobbing and and distant cry of an ambulance that I knew was n't going to arrive in time. 
 
 I watch Charlotte as she rushes through the door and sprints towards the paramedics, crashing into one of them with such a force they both fall to the dry earth. The second paramedic extends her hand to help he up while the third is already on his way towards the house. Charlotte quickly grabs the other woman's hand hoisting herself up and kicking dirt in the face of the disoriented face of the paramedic she use as a crash pad just seconds ago. Hand in hand Charlotte almost drags the other woman towards my inherit forum. 
 
 The whole scene is playing out in front of me from a strange third point of view, slowly zooming out but getting more and more detailed. 
 
 Then everything freezes. 
 
 Two of the the paramedics preforming pointless CPR on my body, the third comforting Charlotte who is half way to the ground and half way through a sob. 
 
 Everything is still frozen when the strangest thing happens, the scenery around me starts to be replaced by outlines filled with the words used to describe them; trees are replace by the words strong, old, tall, green. The sky replaced with blue, deep, vast, warm. Charlotte a faded outline of herself full of words: sweet, kind, beautiful, strong, fragile, lean, smart, funny, selfless, and more words than I can even count. When new words stop appearing I close my eyes only to find when I open them once again I'm in my home. 
 
 Words everywhere, I look down at my hands and see the words selfish, charming, strong, weak, smart ignorant; for every good word there seems to be one bad. Where Charlotte is all good and has no counter balance I seem to be smack dab in the middle a muddle of words to make a complex person, then a new word appears conceited. 
 
 `` Jarrod?'' 
 
 I pull my gaze away from my hands to see Charlotte walking to me. Behind her the paramedics are in a confused clump. I ca n't help but notice how little words they have on them. Almost like they are n't much more than background characters. 
 
 `` Jarrod what's happening?'' 
 
 `` I do n't know.'' 
 
 `` Are you dead?'' 
 
 A new word appears on her face: concerned. 
 
 `` I-I think so.... but I'm not sure.'' 
 
 As soon as I finish that sentence a tall man walks into the room. Honest, professional, powerful, intimidating, sleek, all these wordsand more are scattered across his face and arms. 
 
 `` You all must be very concerned and confused right now, and I am here to explain this to you.'' 
 
 The man takes a deep breath and the word calming slowly appears on his collar bone. 
 
 `` You are all characters of an abandoned story. For what ever reasons your author has decided to stop writing without closure.'' 
 
 `` Characters? Story? Author? Writing?'' 
 
 I mutter the few words I grasp. 
 
 `` Yes, your whole life up to this point has been nothing but a story, but that does n't make it any more real. May I continue now?'' 
 
 All I can do is offer a weak nod. 
 
 `` As I was saying, your author has decided that she will no longer write your story leaving you here, and there in lies our problem.'' 
 
 `` Problem? What problem'' 
 
 The female paramedic asks. 
 
 `` Where to put you is the problem, you see, you all have a choice to make. You can either stay here and continue living how ever you wish for as long as you like. Or you could go to the land of discarded characters. I ca n't promise you happiness with either option but if you do n't enjoy life here leaving is your best option.'' 
 
 `` I'll go.'' 
 
 Says the female paramedic. 
 
 `` Really Lilly? Why?'' 
 
 The paramedic Charlotte had tackled to to ground asks. 
 
 `` I have no life here, no family, no pets, no anything. I mean we're obviously just a handful of background characters to their story.'' 
 
 The female paramedic, Lilly says in a rush, a new word appears: clever. 
 
 `` She's right David, just look at us collectively we have about thirty words and they have hundreds. I'm going too.'' 
 
 The second paramedic says. While the third, David just stare blankly at them while the words scared, fearful and lonely appear on his body. 
 
 The man clears his throat and stars again, 
 
 `` I'll be giving every character, round characters, flat characters, protagonists, and background each a key. The key will appear in your hand every time you consider leaving your story and joining the rest of the abandoned characters. Once and if you decide to leave your story all you have to do is stick the key into the nearest door and open it, but the door will only open if you truly want to leave.'' 
 
 With a wave of his hand keys appear in all of our hands. Lilly and the nameless paramedic look at each other and with a nod they grasp hands and walk over to our linen closet. David follows closely behind them shaking as he walks, the word nervous looks as if it's been hastily scrawled on the middle of his forehead. With her free hand Lilly puts the key in the lock and slowly turns it, the word brave appears on the back of her neck as she opens the door. She looks at the still nameless paramedic and says. 
 
 `` Are you ready Noah?'' 
 
 The man nods yes, they are nose to nose and he grins as the word memorized appears on his cheek and beautiful appears on hers. 
 
 `` Lets go'' 
 
 He says. Together, hand in hand they walk through the door, David in tow behind them. After Lilly and Noah disappear through the door it slams in David's face. 
 
 `` You ca n't go because you do n't want to.'' 
 
 `` But I do.'' 
 
 `` Then why did the door close?'' 
 
 `` Did you want to leave, or did you want to cling to the closest things for friends you have?'' 
 
 Words explode over his body, coward, scared, angry, sad, lonely, terrified and David only nods before running out of the room. The man turns his attention to Charlotte and I. 
 
 `` Now you two, stay or leave?'' 
 
 Charlotte looks at me and gives a small nod. 
 
 `` I think we'll stay, we have all that we need here and are happy.'' 
 
 I say watching a smile grow across Charlotte's face. 
 
 `` Well if you need anything just call me and I'll send someone who can help.'' 
 
 He says handing us a business card and stars to leave. 
 
 `` Wait one more thing.'' 
 
 Charlotte bursts out. 
 
 `` What is it.'' 
 
 A puzzled look spreads across his face. 
 
 `` What's your name?'' 
 
 `` Nicholas.'' 
 
 He says with a smile. 
 
 `` Thank you Nicholas.'' 
 
 `` You're welcome.'' The word grateful appears on his cheek and with that he was gone. 
 
 **** 
 
 Wow that turned out way different than I expected it to. I hope you guys liked it and I would appreciate any and all feed back ( including spelling and grammar errors ).
