Dude in the Hoodie

by Bruce Morgan
(Clearwater,FL. USA)

It was just another quiet morning in the neighborhood. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and people were on their way to work as usual. Then, out of nowhere, comes this thick fog creeping along down the street. In the midst of the fog was this dude wearing a black hoodie on a white horse and carrying some kind of farm tool in his hand. He stopped at the Smith’s house and knocked on the door. Mrs. Smith opened the door and he walked pass her and went into the bedroom. He got Mr. Smith who was hanging from the ceiling as Mrs. Smith was muttering something about not being able to pay their bills.
His next stop was three doors down at the Williams' house. The door was already open when he walked in. The living room was filled with family members. Kids and grand kids were weeping for mother Williams who has been suffering with the big C for quit sometime. He walked in the bedroom, picked her up and started out the door when Mr. Williams shouted at him and said “you have to take me too”. He looked back at Mr. Williams and simply said “ it’s not your turn, but if you can see me, then your turn will be soon”.
His next stop was at the neighborhood supermarket, where two men had been arguing over a fender bender in the parking lot. The shouting match was soon followed by the sound of gun shots being fired. One of the men laid on the ground bleeding out. The dude in the hoodie reached down from his horse and collected him.
He then headed down to children’s hospital to room 301 which had Kim Johnson's baby boy Mike. The doctors and nurses were over him working frantically as the sound of the monitor flat lined. As he heads over towards the boy, Kim jumps in front of him with her cross and beads in her outstretched hand blocking his path. She yells “death, you can’t have my boy. He is a wonderful kid with lots to give this world, I beg you, take me instead”. With that she fell to the floor as the monitor once again started beeping. As she walked out with him looking back at her son she thanked the dude in the hood. He turns to her and said “I was not here for him”.
And with that, the thick fog rolled out of town just as fast as it came. It was not yet 10:00 am but the whole neighborhood was up and buzzing.