Saturday
8:32AM
Lonnie had worked too damn hard to end up this way—jobless, homeless. Five years ago, he relocated to Cali, chasing glory. When his plan crumbled, a few B-list celebs convinced him to tag along in Vegas, promising auditions. Turns out, they only wanted the cocaine he could get. Worse, they’d scapegoated Lonnie, discarding him like a used tissue. Without wages, meager as they were, and hefty fines for drug possession, he’s lost everything.
His stomach rumbles for food he can barely afford. Lonnie’s family labels him a failure; his therapist, a lost cause; the justice system, another burden. So much for the American dream. Or any dream. He’s sure by now his probation officer is fuming. They’ll search, but they’ll be too late. He tosses an empty pill bottle in a nearby trash bin. The prescription remained unfilled for weeks, not that it helped. With his remaining funds, Lonnie buys a Grand Canyon tour bus ticket.
“That’s our last one,” says the too-cheerful cashier. Lonnie only manages a grimace.
The previous day
Eve decides to celebrate her 50th birthday with a Grand Canyon excursion. She doesn’t research companies or pricing. She knows exactly which trip she’ll book. The last tour on Saturday, leaving from Boulder City, Nevada. She secures her ticket, then finishes packing her late husband’s effects. After Phillip’s death, she’s found it harder to let things go.
But today, Eve’s ready. She loads the car and drives to Goodwill. As she pulls away, she denies herself a second glance at the donations she’s left behind.
Saturday
11:30AM
The bus station lobby is hot, overwhelmed with people. Eve settles on a cushioned bench, fidgeting with her wedding ring. She wears her 20th-anniversary earrings and the flowy dress Phillip adored. Overhead speakers declare a thirty-minute warning for the West Rim Canyon tour. At departure time, she dons sunglasses, avoids eye contact, and displays her ticket. The uniformed attendant welcomes her aboard.
11:45AM
Lonnie’s seated in the last row. Back here he’s invisible. Forgotten. Like he’s been his whole life. But not for long, he assures himself, relaxing on the padded chair. Ten minutes into the drive, the enormous concrete arch of the Hoover Dam Bypass appears, resembling a stone rainbow in the callous blue sky. For one rash moment, Lonnie considers the steep drop into the Colorado River. He plants his feet and breathes deep through his nostrils. The bus safely passes the bridge. Less than two hours to Guano Point.
12:12PM
“A canyon tour, Mom? Sounds awesome. I’m super jel.” Eve’s daughter sounds distracted. She’s walking her dog and New York City’s racket thunders through the phone.
“It’s nice.” Eve gazes at the desert, where the earth feels tainted and numb.
“Sorry I can’t be there. Work’s keeping me busy and…” Her voice trails off, as it often does mid-sentence.
“I understand.”
“It’s been a year since…are you doing okay?”
Eve pauses, then: “I’m fine, honey.”
“Okay. I gotta run but, call you later?” A car honks. She must’ve picked up pace because she’s panting.
“Of course,” Eve lies. This will be the last conversation they’ll have. She swallows sadness like essential medicine.
They echo “I-love-you’s” before disconnecting.
“Good afternoon, ma’am.” The attendant smiles brightly. “You ordered the pasta?”
“Yes, thank you.” Eve accepts the plate. Spaghetti and meatballs, Phillip’s favorite. Tears moisten her eyes.
1:16PM
Lonnie’s devoured the herb-roasted chicken, side salad, and fudge brownie. An hour later, he’s still hungry. He asks the attendant for a snack.
“We have some snacks for purchase,” she says.
“That’s ridiculous. Your so-called meal was a snack.”
“I’m sorry, sir. We offer complimentary mints at the end, but I can get you some now.”
He glares. “I’ll pass.”
She offers the fakest smile he’s ever seen and continues tending customers. He can’t wait for the trip’s end.
1:40PM
Eve’s pulse jumps at the announcement they’re fifteen minutes out. She didn’t think she’d be so nervous. Humans survive days without sustenance, but a year without Phillip is worse than starvation. She can’t go on. At least, this way, when people question “why,” their anger won’t be directed at her. Eve clings to this scrap of solace as the bus veers onto Diamond Bar Road.
1:50PM
Lonnie shuts his tray and stands. Ahead, the canyon’s rusty walls are in full view. He slides out, the aisle before him like a red carpet. Struts past oblivious passengers marveling at the scenery. No one pays him any mind. And this time, it’s exactly what he wants. He digs into his pocket.
1:51PM
A skinny young man brushes past Eve. His jeans are torn, but not stylishly. His coat’s inappropriate for the weather. Though he’s not facing her, she recognizes him. The deadpan expression, the empty eyes. Guilt pricks her heart. Eve knows what’ll happen next, and she’ll do nothing to stop it.
1:55PM
The driver peers at Lonnie in the rearview.
“We’re almost there, sir,” he says. “Please take your seat.”
Lonnie spies the attendant in the mirror. She’s halfway to him. When their eyes meet, he pulls out a knife. Sunlight glints off the blade. She screams.
1:57PM
Clairvoyance is a gift, Eve’s mother said. All her life, she’s been told it’s her duty. But despite lifesaving power, this ability feels meaningless after losing Phillip to cancer. Eve will no longer bear the world’s burdens.
The hijacker tosses aside the slumped driver and jerks the wheel, racing to the open-mouthed cavern. Panic erupts. People try breaking windows. Some careen toward the maddened driver who aims for the edge and shrieks with primal rage.
But it’s too late. Eve’s vision showed no survivors. Her buying a ticket and taking a ride won’t change that. There’ll be no blame. They’ll suppose she never saw it coming.
As the bus dives into the chasm, Eve’s leftovers crash to the floor. A meatball splatters. Then, Eve’s body lurches upward. Her head slams the ceiling, rendering her unconscious. For her 50th birthday, Eve decides to join her husband; she doesn’t believe in death do us part.
2:15PM
A heavy dust cloud settles at the bottom of Guano Point, under the pitiless sky.
Chrissy’s work has appeared The Broadkill Review, SUSIE Mag, and The Storyteller. One of her unpublished novels, “Foul Play,” was a Suspense Finalist for the 2022 Claymore Award. She’s not sure why her writing gravitates toward the macabre. Aside from thinking up ways for her characters to die, she hikes, runs, reads, and drinks dark wine. She resides in Tennessee with her family, their talkative Husky, and a frenetic cat.