The subtle billboard projected its display from above the street. It was hung down across one of the many towering walls of the business buildings, and those things stretched out for miles. "The Faces of Death" it read. "Critics give ****!" I muttered a grunt of interest. Perhaps, if there were time, I would catch the show after my walk. The streets and sidewalks were littered with papers, cups, napkins, old bags and rotted food. No one seemed to notice any of it anymore. I would have joined them in their state of complacent bliss had it not been for my natural awareness of such things. The things we forgot. Those tiny objects left behind, both the beautiful treasures and repelling horrors. The two conjoined together under the shiny surfaces of society. For better or worse, I had been aware of them. A lady in a red dress brushed past me. It was just enough to steal my balance as I stepped off the sidewalk, forcing my cell phone to leap out of my jeans and spin out into the street. I cursed under my breath. Don’t people look where they’re going? The phone skid across the bumpy road, and I could have sworn I could hear the smooth plastic case ruining itself as it was sliding across every inch of tiny, rugged stone. Unfortunately, but temporarily, forgetting reason, I leaped forward to save it from the passing tires, each car threatening to make my phone a crunchy little piece of road kill. I didn’t notice the Cadillac. Just a green blur in the distance. My hand snatched up the phone, and, by some miraculous instinct, I leaped forward. Behind me I could hear the car’s tires shrieking across the road, the horn blasting, and, of course, a loud voice uttering a series of curses. In a split second I had met the other sidewalk, but sadly for me my face was the first to greet it. The pain was momentary. "Jesus...." I muttered, standing up. I could feel the anger swell up inside me, so I didn’t look back. The idiot in the car was fine. I was also too embarrassed to admit my own stupidity. "That was a close one... One more inch and I would’ve made the evening news."
~ Overall - I really enjoyed it! "and those things stretched out for miles." Perhaps something like "structures" or something - the word ruined the flow for me as i read... "The streets and sidewalks were littered with papers, cups, napkins, old bags and rotted food. No one seemed to notice any of it anymore. I would have joined them in their state of complacent bliss had it not been for my natural awareness of such things. The things we forgot. Those tiny objects left behind, both the beautiful treasures and repelling horrors. The two conjoined together under the shiny surfaces of society." Wow! ~ I really liked this passage... "sliding across every inch of tiny, rugged stone" / "a crunchy little piece of road kill." / "uttering a series of curses." / "my face was the first to greet it" / Good description/ word choices... "Unfortunately, but temporarily, forgetting reason," Seems awkward to me - ruined flow. Quality stuff though! - Keep it up!
