Taco Night
A Thursday Prompt story
© 2024 by Walter Reimer


Prompt: prospect



“Don’t look at me, I thought we were going for tacos,” Jimmy said to Dan. The donkey eyed the canine. “That was quite a wreck, though. Where’d that tree come from?” He paused, and when no reply was forthcoming, he asked Dan, “Are you listening to me?”

Dan glowered at him, which was quite a feat considering the amount of broken glass sticking out his face. Drawing a breath that was no doubt difficult because of the steering column that had driven into his chest, Dan growled, “I think we’re both dead. And you’re bleeding all over my brand-new ride, Jimmy.”

“I am?” the donkey asked, his voice gurgling.

“Uh-huh,” Dan said. “Probably because your throat’s been cut.”

“Oh. That’s why it hurts to talk, I guess.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.” There was a pause, and Jimmy asked, “So no tacos.”

“Ever heard of dead people eating tacos?”

“No.”

“So there you are.”

“Paramedics.”

“What?” Dan asked.

“Well, paramedics might come and rescue us, you know? If we survive, we can get tacos,” Jimmy said.

“Hey there,” said a woman’s voice. Dan and Jimmy turned, Jimmy’s head almost coming loose from his neck in the process, to see a young Doberman woman leaning against the crumpled remains of the passenger side door. She had a pleasant smile, warm gray eyes, and was wearing a black t-shirt with white lettering that read When You Least Expect Me. “Looks like you two are, well, dead.”

“We were on our way to get tacos,” Jimmy said.

“And we hit a tree,” Dan added unnecessarily.

The Doberman femme nodded. “Yeah, I can see that. I’m Death, by the way.”

“You look real nice to be Death,” Jimmy said.

Death smiled. “Aw, you’re sweet. Anyway, boys, I’d love to stay here a while and chat, but we really need to get going.”

“Where are we going?” Dan asked.

“The afterlife, of course,” Death said. “You’re both dead, you know. Can’t hang around here forever.”

“Are there tacos?” Jimmy asked.

Death flicked her ears and frowned at Jimmy. “Tacos?”

“Yeah, tacos. I sort of had my heart set on tacos tonight.”

She sighed. “I’m afraid there are no tacos where you’re going, Jimmy.”

And as Death escorted Dan and Jimmy’s souls to the afterlife, the donkey’s ears drooped as a future without even the possibility of tacos stretched out before him.



end