On a path made for two We both must walk forward. But I can't go with you, I must walk backwards. You see the excitement this new life holds. All I see is the fear of a new beginning. You are gravitated towards this new journey, But the nostalgia of my past gravitates me back. I wish I could go with you And see what new adventures lie ahead. But I must go back Back to where it all began. My childhood awaits me Because, how could anyone leave a child behind?
"WE WERE ON A BREAK!" "Oh my god if you say that one more time, I'm going to break up with you!"
The Grim Reaper chuckled as he watched one of his favorite episodes from Friends. He sat in his chair curled up into a little ball not ever wanting to leave. Grim's room was very dark with only the television being a source of light. There was much room for activity, yet he only had his tv, chair, and bed. It looked much like a prison cell, but at least prisoners had roommates.
Everyday before work, this was Grim's routine. Just watching tv. It was his only way to explore the world without having to see death at every corner. It was his only way of smiling. It was his only way to somehow have friends. Because who would ever want to be friends with the Grim Reaper?
He started to wonder if he should quit. Or if he should step outside during his time off instead of sulking at home watching Friends. Or if maybe there was someone out there who would be willing to be his friend.
RING! RING! RING!
No time for pondering, it was time for work. Grim slowly dragged his body away from his chair to the front door. He picked up his scythe and threw on his robe. Grim never bothered to turn off the tv because it gave him something to look forward to after work.
"Welcome to the real world! It sucks, you're going to love it," Monica shouted from the tv.
And off to work he went.
Snuggled into a calm residential neighborhood lived a young man, John. Of all the magnificent two-story houses that surrounded him, he lived in the tiniest one. With barely enough money to make a living, he still called this place home. In the backyard was a vibrant, thriving garden. Flowers from all colors of the rainbow filled the sight. Beneath the flowers were fruits which grew to perfection and vegetables that were grown for the most mouth watering meals. The lively garden had been in tact ever since John's mother sadly passed. He made it his life's goal to keep the garden alive in order to also keep his mother's spirit's alive. Every morning at exactly 6 AM before work, John watered the garden. And every night at exactly 9 PM before bed, John watered the garden. But even as water hydrated the garden day in and day out, it always stayed exactly the same. Underneath the house, however were bugs that would attack in the night. They would slurp all the water that had been provided during the day and hide when John would awake. John was repeating what he had done the day before with not a sliver of progression. But the bugs never used to be there. For they were born from the monster within the house. There were clothes covered in dirt scattered throughout the living space. Dishes and trash piled up to the height of the ceiling. Food scraps covered the floor becoming the new carpet. And the stench that flowed inside could kill someone the instant they opened the door. While John thinks he is keeping his garden alive, he is killing it all the same. His mother would be proud, but not at this. For, John is the real monster living in the tiny house.
The wind blows my hair. I’m standing on the edge again staring across the Pacific Ocean which stirs quietly with the wind. I watch as the sun closes it’s eyes and wraps a pink blanket around the clear, blue sky. The patch of grass under my feet feels soft like a hand made carpet. My hands dance gracefully with the air that flows with the wind. The world around me is finally paused from abrupt chaos and into momentary silence. How lucky am I to bask under nature’s glory?
The wind blows my hair once more and sends a whisper which spreads through my body. “You’ll be alright,” said the whisperer. And with those three words, my body finally relaxes after days under pressure.
It’ll be alright. We’ll be alright.
We made a deal Until you realized it wasn’t worth it I gave you my undying love, Yet you gave me nothing in return. I was just too blind to see Past your masked face. We made a deal Until you realized it wasn’t worth it What was forcing you away? What was leaving you so hesitant? I was standing right in front of you Yet you were nowhere near me. We made a deal Until you realized it wasn’t worth it Go ahead and leave. Go ahead and live your life. Whilst I live in a state Of your betrayal.
We made a deal Until I realized You weren’t worth it.
DING! DING! DING! The clock struck midnight. Ella had only mere seconds before she would transform back into her true identity. But what would her Prince say once he saw her? He had just waltzed with a girl of natural beauty and grace. When really his eyes were deceived by a magic spell which tried to make a desperate girl’s dream come true.
It didn’t matter now, Ella had to run. Her carriage that gleamed under the moonlit sky was awaiting her. As were her carriage guards for the knew as well that in a matter of seconds their true form would take shape.
So with one last lovingly look into her Prince’s eyes, she ran. Down the red velvet carpeted stairs and into her carriage. Within a blink of an eye, they were gone. The carriage zipped past the palace gates and through the sleeping city. The cold air began to crawl against Ella’s skin and she realized her beautiful ball gown was turning back into her dirty rags. She was turning back into the girl who she so badly wanted to part ways with. She was becoming Cinderella again, a name her stepsisters gave her.
When they pulled up to the front of the house, everything remained as it did just before Cinderella’s fairy godmother arrived. As she stepped out of the carriage, which was a pumpkin again, she felt an immense bit of weight pulling her feet down. To her surprise, she was blinded by the sight of her glass slippers. But why were they here? Was it so she could hold onto hope that her Prince would come and find her? Or was it so she could be taunted by the fact that she will never get her happy ending?
It was too good to be true. Cinderella took both glass slippers off her ice cold feet and shattered them across the concrete ground. This beacon of hope was now laying in a million different pieces. Each piece strong enough to shatter another person’s dream.
Poor Cinderella had to go back to a life of house maid chores. While her Prince would have to find a new girl. One with true, natural beauty and grace.
And so, Cinderella walked barefoot back into the house. After all, she was running late anyway. It was past midnight.
If victory had a literal taste, it would taste like blood. That pinch of an overpowering tingling sensation in your mouth which then sends shivers down your spine. For a moment, it feels refreshing. You close your eyes and take in that glorious pride basking in the winner’s spotlight. Until you realize, that’s your blood you’re tasting. It’s the victory of your own and not others. But you can’t hide the shame. So you gulp down the blood and painfully smile as it feels sharp going down. You’ve won, but at what cost?
The last bell echoed through the halls of the high school. The sound of footsteps eager to start an education vacation dramatically increased. For the Seniors, however, those footsteps were mere memories.
"Congrats class of 2023!"
Their mark will be the symbol of hope. But, who was the class of 2023? -The class who's Freshman year was ended abruptly -The class who never experienced a Sophomore year -The class who's childhood is filled with pure nostalgia -The class who changed it all, or at least that's how I see it
The Seniors stood across the football field that was once home to yearly pep rallies and homecoming games. Their caps and gowns flowed calmly with the wind. Confusion filled the air.
"Where to now?" One asks. "I guess it's our turn to figure it out." Says another.
And off they went. Off on their separate ways. A group of students who once saw each other for five days of the week for 12 years straight was now a memory.
Memories always last forever.
(Lila) May 1, 2024 God, I hate Noah! He is so annoying and I can't stand him! Today during our lecture, he locked eyes with me and smiled! What a pervert. I know that he is just trying to make me uncomfortable. From now on whenever he smiles at me, I will bring it up to our Professor. Hah, that'll teach him a lesson.
(Noah) May 1, 2024 Oh god, I hope our Professor didn't notice that. I read somewhere that if you smile at a girl, she'll like you. I guess not. Why doesn't she like me? Am I smiling wrong? I've liked Lila for 4 months now and I haven't done anything about it. I don't have the guts to confess, but oh how I want to tell her so bad. What if she rejects me? Maybe I should stop with the smiling and try something else.
(Lila) May 2, 2024 He should have kept to the smiling. I thought I couldn't hate Noah any more than I already have, but I stand corrected. Noah decided to sit next to me during our lecture today! I was so uncomfortable, but I couldn't move! All the other seats were taken by the time I decided I wanted to move. What does this guy want?
(Noah) May 2, 2024 I just want Lila to like me. Is that hard for her to understand? I tried sitting next to her today, but that just made everything worse. I can't seem to get her to like me, or any girl for that matter. Maybe I should just give up on her.
(Lila) May, 9 2024 He's gone! Noah stopped acting so weird around me! What a relief. I actually think he switched classes because he hasn't showed up this past week. Maybe our Professor noticed how uncomfortable I was and told him to leave.
(Noah) May 9, 2024 I had to leave. I had to get out of that class so I could make these feelings go away. It was so heartbreaking. But, maybe there is another girl out there for me.
(Noah) June 9, 2024 Turns out, there is another girl for me! Her name is Sandra and she is the girl of my dreams. I was swept away by her beauty and her personality. When we met, it was like finding the missing piece to my own puzzle. The everlasting feelings I had for Lila are all gone and I couldn't be happier!
(Lila) June 9, 2024 I couldn't be any more miserable. No it's fine. I saw Noah with this girl who I assume is his girlfriend. But, I'm not mad. Not at all. Or am I? Maybe the reason I was so uncomfortable was because I liked Noah.
Oh.
Well, that was the truth anyways. I was just too uncomfortable to tell anyone.
Not even you.
Cassie sat in the middle of the dying room while hugging her knees into her empty chest. The room was just as empty. The sandy wallpaper was starting to deteriorate off the wall. The thin curtain covering the single window was dressed in moldy food stains. This room, standing still on it’s last breath, was only lit by the lively light of reality seeping through the stained curtain.
Cassie hadn’t had any food or water in the last 3 months, long enough for her to become malnourished. She had been deprived of her essential nutrients. But the only item she found consumable was the heavy thought of death. The thought replenished her system with enough goodness to keep her alive.
But why? Why that single thought?
All at once, the walls began to close in on her. The air became thin. The light of reality began to darken. All that was left was Cassie’s malnourished body. As her heart beat began to pound the last bit of life she had left, the thought of being alive didn’t sound so bad.
The one nutrient she was missing came too late.
