Fiction

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BY COMMENTING
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article

Track Writer

Add to Favorites

by Lauren Alan
09/30/25
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

It took Paul a week to figure out how he would commit suicide. After days of sitting at his desk and jotting down ideas about how he would kill himself, he decided that he would drive over a cliff and into the ocean in two weeks. That would give him enough time to turn in his track uniform to the coach, return all his textbooks to the school bookstore, and give his favorite cassette tapes and baseball cards to Dina. He and Dina both really enjoyed listening to Survivor and Bananarama. They also loved the same baseball stars.

On the night that Paul gave Dina his favorite baseball cards and cassettes, Dina was confused. "Paul, I know you and I both like these musicians and these baseball players. I really appreciate you thinking about me by giving me all these things, but I already have plenty of these things."

"I want you to have these, because I love and cherish you, my little sister," Paul said as he drew his little sister close to him and gave her a big hug. After they disentangled themselves from the embrace, Paul got down to Dina's level and held her hands. "Besides, I'm not going to be taking these with me when I'm gone."

Dina was even more puzzled. "Paul, I know Princeton is a fancy school, but I'm sure they don't have anything against anyone playing Bananarama or Survivor cassettes. You could even use the Survivor song 'Eye of the Tiger' as motivational music when you're facing tough challenges such as the hard tests that I'm sure Princeton has." She playfully jabbed her brother's arm with her elbow. "I'm sure the people at Princeton are all right with baseball cards, too. After all, they do have sports in New England, too."

Paul sighed heavily. "I'm not going to Princeton," he said quietly.

Dina frowned. "Paul, don't be silly. I mean, sure, you've got to get your grades back up, but you're a smart guy. I know you can do it. It's still possible for you to get into Princeton," she insisted.

Paul didn't know how to tell Dina what he planned to do in two weeks. He gently squeezed her hands. "I just changed my mind, that's all. Please, sport, just take the cassettes and the baseball cards. It would mean a lot to me if my favorite person in the world would accept my favorite possessions as a present," he told her.

Dina thought for a minute. "Well, okay, Paul. Since you're my favorite person in the whole world, too, I'll accept your present," she agreed.

"Great. Come here." Paul wrapped his arms around his little sister and held her tightly. He could feel tears coming to his eyes. The choice to commit suicide was the most difficult decision he had ever made, but he didn't know what other choice he had. He had lost so much. Besides his sorrow over breaking up with Bridget, Paul was also deeply distraught that his grades and track performance had fallen to the point where he had to look up to see the bottom. As far as he was concerned, he didn't have a future on Earth anymore. As far as he could see, his only future was the eternal future in Heaven.

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR

Reader Count & Comments

Date

Read more articles by Lauren Alan or search for other articles by topic below.

Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)

Read more by clicking on a link:
Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You

...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19

Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38

LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE

FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.