Quiet Inner Demon
Just another teen here trying to get through school. This is the place I write and try to destress. đŤ¤
Quiet Inner Demon
Just another teen here trying to get through school. This is the place I write and try to destress. đŤ¤
Just another teen here trying to get through school. This is the place I write and try to destress. đŤ¤
Just another teen here trying to get through school. This is the place I write and try to destress. đŤ¤
They had been hiking with their class on a âfield tripâ to the local middle-of-nowhere, and Ana had gotten a blister on her heel. Slowly, the brunette had dropped behind her friends.
Kenan had noticed. Of course he had. He always seemed to be there, laughing, joking, flirting. The boy had slowed his pace to match the girlâs, and they walked down the trail in almost complete silence, broken only by the birds, crickets, and the occasional cowâs complaint.
Eventually, Kenan had run in front of the girl and waved his arms.
âDid you know I write music?â
A familiar grin spread across his face as Ana scowled lightheartedly. âNo.â
âYeah, I wrote a song about las tortillas de mi madre.â The boy slipped into his first language, and Ana nodded.
When Kenan didnât follow up his statement, Ana sighed and nudged his arm. âOk, so whatâs the en-â
âWell, I guess it was more of a wrap.â The boy inturrupted.
Ana looked away, trying not to smile. He kept pulling stupid jokes out of nowhere, and she found it harder and harder not to laugh as he grinned at her.
Kenanâs eyes widened with his grin as the girlâs shoulders started to shake.
âAre you laughing?â He danced around her, but she dodged, hiding her face. âCome on, I finally made you laugh and youâre going to hide your pretty face?â
Ana squeaked as Kenan twirled her around. The joyful look on his face sent her into another round of giggles.
She stumbled off of the path, and Kenan barked out a laugh. At that point, Ana had given up and was laughing to the point of tears, not at the joke, but the whole situation.
The air was full of laughter until Kenan froze. Ana started to get up, but he held out his hand. âStop!â
âWhy?â
âTake my hand!â
âNo way!â
âIâm not asking you to marry me, Iâm trying to save your life!â
âYeah, right.â She crossed her arms stubbornly.
âPlease, Ana.â His near-black eyes were bright, not from laughter like they usually were, but with fear. âThis isnât the time to argue.â
Ana shot a glance around, confused. She looked back at Kenan, and the panic written into his face resolved her doubts.
When the girl reached out, the boy pulled her gently back onto the trail. As soon as Ana was back on her feet, Kenan shoved her behind him.
âWalk. Slowly. Donât run.â He breathed, calmer now that she was out of danger.
Ana followed his quiet words, walking far enough down the path to be out of range of whatever Kenan had seen. When she turned around, he met her gaze before carefully backing up the path.
As he reached her side, Kenan grabbed her hand and started sprinting down the trail. After they had run about a hundred feet, Ana pulled away from his grip.
âWhat was it, Kenan?â
The boy turned to her and replied by opening his arms. In any other situation, Ana would have refused, but she saw something in his eyes that she had never seen before. For all his calm exterior, the boy in front of her was terrified.
She enfolded him a tight hug. He took the girl in his arms, heaving a sigh of relief as he accepted the comfort she offered.
âWhat?â Ana gently removed herself from the boy, keeping her hands on his shoulders to steady him.
Kenan repeated what he had mumbled a moment before, âRattlesnake. It was behind you.â
Anaâs eyes grew wide. âI- there- actually?â Her voice was shaky.
Kenan nodded.
The girl took a deep breath before smiling. âThanks.â She stood on tiptoes for a moment, leaning forward as she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
Kenan felt a shock running through him, originating from his face. From her lips. He stood stock still as Ana started down the path.
She turned around, tilting her head. âYou just gonna stand there til the snake catches up?â
Kenan shook his head and rushed to catch up with the girl.
Silence fell, but it was more comfortable than before.
âAna-â
He paused as she glanced at him. Meeting her gaze, he asked, âTake my hand?â
Ana chuckled, and Kenan shot a grin back at her as he felt their fingers interlace.
Livin' easy Lovin' free Season ticket on a one way ride Askin' nothin' Leave me be Takin' everythin' in my stride
Josh let the music fill his head. He nodded his head to the beat, humming the iconic guitar lines. His hand moved automatically, relying mostly on muscle memory.
Don't need reason Don't need rhyme Ain't nothin' that I'd rather do Goin' down Party time My friends are gonna be there too
He let his foot tap the ground to the beat as the chorus approached. Shifting the paper he had just finished filling out, Josh stretched, popping his back as he did so. He glanced at the clock, which read 6:23. Seven more minutes until official closing. Seven more minutes until he could leave.
I'm on the highway to hell On the highway to hell Highway to hell I'm on the highway to hell
The door opened, and Josh rushed to pause the music. If his boss caught him playing AC/DC in the funeral home, the teen would probably be fired.
__ No stop signs Speed limit Nobody's gonna slow me down Like a wheel Gonna spin it Nobody's gonna mess me around
The melody continued playing despite Josh trembling attempts to stop it. When he saw who had walked through the door, he heaved a sigh of relief and sunk back into his chair.
Hey satan Payin' my dues Playin' in a rockin' band Hey mumma Look at me I'm on the way to the promised land
âHaving fun?â Sandy peeked over the counter.
Josh winked at the pretty girl before drawling, âSooooo much fun.â
I'm on the highway to hell Highway to hell I'm on the highway to hell Highway to hell Don't stop me
âDidnât Mr. Cypress say not to play loud music? Specifically this song?â Sandy frowned.
âItâll be fine, thereâs no customers this late.â Josh answered as he pulled another form under his pencil.
I'm on the highway to hell On the highway to hell Highway to hell I'm on the highway to hell __ __ Sandy turned and shrugged, barely missing the look of shock on Joshâs face. The paper. Itâs- Sandy turned at the crash, eyes widening. Josh scrambled from where he had been sitting and sprinted out of the building, face pale. __ __
(highway to hell) I'm on the highway to hell (highway to hell) highway to hell (highway to hell) highway to hell __
Sandy glanced at the form that had left Josh in a state of shock and took a short, sharp breath at what she saw.
âJosh Turner,â it read, âAge: 19, DOB: 11/17/05 (3:57 AM), DATE OF DEATH: 01/07/25 (6:38 PM)â
(highway to hell)__ And I'm goin' down All the way __
Josh stood in the middle of the road, gasping, eyes wide, too exhausted to move as the semi truck bore down on him.
The last thing he saw was the driverâs eyes, shocked and terrified.
The last thing he heard was a screech from the brakes.
The last thing he remembered was the final line of the song:
I'm on the highway to hell
People-watching was always my favorite hobby. You could figure out so much just by looking at how people interacted or even walked down the street. Like that girl on the sidewalk, for example. She was a stranger to town, that much was obvious. Where did she think she was? We got quite a few strangers in our small town, but they were all workers at the local oil field, not slender, pretty brunettes. She stepped into the coffee shop, and I straightened unconsciously in my seat. I slumped back into my seat as I realized that she probably wouldnât see me. Though I always chose the table in the back for this specific reason, I couldnât help but feel disappointed. After the barista finished, the brunette looked around, nervously eyeing the tables of working men, many of them recently off work from the oil field. I impulsively beckoned her over, and, to my surprise, she hurried over with a relieved look. âHi, my nameâs Natalia.â The brunette quickly placed her coffee and car keys on the table before offering a hand to shake. âIâm Cora.â I inwardly flinched at the neglected sound as I shook her small, soft hand. I didnât have many friends, and my job in computer programming didnât allow for much conversation with coworkers. Natalia smiled and settled into the high-backed chair. âNice to meet you, Cora.â I nodded back, finding the words stuck in my throat. âDo you come here often? I wasnât sure what was good, so I just picked something off the menu.â âYeah,â I winced at the roughness and cleared my throat. âEverything here is pretty good, but my favorite is - is the uhm - macchiato.â I barely heard what she said next, and it was only when she looked at me expectantly that I realized that she had asked me a question. âOh, Iâm sorry.â I paused before deciding to go for it. âI must have been lost in your eyes.â To my surprise, Nataliaâs face turned a gentle pink. Leaning closer, I added, âYouâre cute when you blush.â Her face grew more red, and I grinned at her flustered reaction. Taking a drink of coffee, she spoke again, âI asked if you wanted to go to the park down the road if you had time today.â It was my turn to change shades. âO-oh- uhm - ye- yeah. Thatâd be cool.â Natalia beamed and stood up, grabbing my hand. âLetâs go then.â I threw my laptop and notebooks into my bag and followed her out the door, catching a wink from the barista and a few finger-guns from the oil field workers. I shot them a grin and a thumbs-up before running to catch up with Natalia.
My grandmother always told me, âYouâre such a sweet kid, Mary. Keep being you, darling, I wouldnât change a thing.â
I love her, but
I would always smile and agree, And just go back to read, My books, my only friends, Never wanting to reach the end.
my name isnât Mary,
We didnât even look alike, Except that we were both little tykes. Mary was loud, I was quiet, But grandma never seemed to buy it.
and Iâm still trying
She never bothered to tell us apart, And it chipped away at my heart. My smile started to fade, As more mistakes were made.
to run away
Now Iâm here, sitting alone, While Mary has such a joyful tone. Iâm happy for her, donât get me wrong, But I canât help wishing it was me all along.
_from the shadow of Mary. _
Some nights I lay silently on the grass and listen to the trees argue. And honestly, they talk about the most interesting things. Some of it, I donât understand, like fhrengs. What even are fhrengs? I always think to myself that next time Iâll be able to approach them. Next time Iâll talk to them. Only it never happens. Every time I try to stand up and go over to the glen, their voices fade into the wind. The words shift into a breeze drifting through their branches. Itâs like theyâre trying to pretend that they werenât there. Iâve never tried to bring someone else to listen with me before. I guess itâs because Iâm scared. Scared that theyâll think Iâm crazy and drag me to a hospital or something. You wouldnât do that, right? Come to think of it, Iâm planning on going out tonight. Is there any chance youâd go with me?
By day, we live in the world of light, In which nobody thinks odd the sight, Of shadows, following us everywhere, Listening to everything we say and hear.
By night, when weâre all asleep, Out of our beds, the shadows creep. Sometimes they go to our dreams, Delighting in the terrified screams.
But if they donât stick around, Many places, they can be found. In the garden, in the park, Having many a merry lark.
When morning comes, back they go, Into our beds, and it is so, That when we awake, they are there, Sometimes to comfort, sometimes to scare.
Yes, shadows can be our friends, But we should never even try to pretend, That they arenât real, Or that the darkness canât feel.
For shadows are so much more than they seem, And with secrets, do they teem. So next time you see your shadow, beware, For you never know what is lurking there.
- thereâs a panic attack, not super in detail, but I figured Iâd mention it. you have been warned -
âHow nice.â I smiled at my grandmotherâs words as I introduced my girlfriend. As my parents had passed quite recently and she had become my gaurdian, her opinion meant the world to me. âHow did you two meet?â Grandma leaned back in her recliner, ready to hear the story. Elena looked at me with a look I couldnât read. I chuckled as I walked around the couch and sat beside her. âWell, Grandma,â I paused, thinking. I knew this, didnât I? Surely I remembered how we had met. It was⌠It⌠I didnât know. Why couldnât I remember how I had met my own girlfriend? She was sitting right next to me, and I turned to look at her. Her eyes were unreadable as she stared at me, but as soon as she saw my glance, she put on a teasing expression. âAww, Joel. Always the gentleman.â She winked at my grandma, and the old lady smiled back. âWe met in the bus stop. When I forgot cash for my ticket, Joel offered to buy me one if he could have my number. I accepted, and here we are!â Grandmaâs smile could have lit up the whole town. She seemed genuinely happy, which drove the earlier confusion from my mind.
âYou two are such a cute couple!â My cousin, Christy, squealed.
Elena smiled at the girl. Her enthusiasm was adorable.
âHow did you guys meet? Was it true love at first sight? Tell me, tell me.â She pulled Elena by the hand over to her bed.
âSit down and spill the tea.â The girl demanded.
Elena laughed as she looked at me. âSave me?â
Holding my hands up with a grin, I backed towards the door as I shook my head. âNope.â
Just as I was leaving I heard an over exaggerated sigh, and Elena began, âWe were in this park, you see.â
I froze. I could hear the blood rushing in my ears, my heart pumping too much too fast. Elena said we met on a bus, but now she was telling Christy that it was in a park? The worst part was: I couldnât even remember where or when we met. If she was lying, I would have no idea.
A crash interrupted Elenaâs story, and the two girls peeked their heads out of the room to see what had happened. They were met with glazed, confused eyes.
Elena stepped away from Christy and offered a hand to help me up. I watched her, now unsure. She made eye contact, and I reached out to grab her hand. She helped me up with a smile.
âScuse me, sorry.â I quickly rushed to the restroom.
I didnât remember how or where we first met.
I didnât know her last name.
I didnât remember if she had family.
I didnât know anything about her.
My heart rate flew up, my breathing escalating. I knew this feeling, but I pushed it down.
_ Please, no. I donât need this right now. _ The panic attack didnât care. It took over everything in my body until I couldnât see or hear anything. I started sobbing as I collapsed into the corner. It seemed like forever, but the fog started clearing. In the back of my mind, I became vaguely aware that somebody was in the room. My eyes drifted up to see who it was. Elena. I scrambled away from her, and her face donned a confused expression. âJoel? Are you okay?â I squinted at her. She seemed genuinely concerned. Reaching out, I let her take my hand. âItâs gonna be okay.â Elena soothed, rubbing comforting circles on the back of my hand. I wordlessly shook my head. I wanted to ask a question, but my throat seemed to choke the words before they could get out. I eventually croaked, âElena.â She nodded and looked at my features, which were probably still wet from the tears. âWho are you?â My voice trembled as I asked. âWhen, how did we meet?â She sucked in a breath, shutting her eyes tightly. âIf I tell you, you wonât be mad?â I narrowed my eyes, but they softened of their own accord. âNo promises. Please. Just tell me the truth.â âOkay. Well, itâs gonna sound crazy, but just let me-â She placed her hands over my temples, and suddenly pictures began racing through my mind. One in particular was pushed to the front. It seemed as though I was watched from an outside perspective, but I knew that it was me.
⢠⢠â˘
I rose, gasping, from the dream. Memory? Whatever it was. Confused, I stared at Elena.
She looked down at her twitching fingers.
âWhat the hell, Elena?â
She took a deep breath in before meeting my eyes. âIâm sorry.â
Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes, but I shoved them away.
âSo you- you-â I struggled to say it almost as much as I struggled to believe it. âYou crash your weird ship thing, _murder_ my parents-â
She flinched and opened her mouth, probably to say some sort of apology, but I speak over her.
â- and then,â I throw my hands up in disbelief, âthen you have the guts to erase my memory and make me think that weâre dating!â
Elena let out a sob. She stood up, whispered a few words, and fled the room.
It took me a few moments to realize that she had said, âIâm sorry.â
A nervous smile, A whispered encouragement. Just waiting while the clapping fades.
Heart, too fast. Slow down the breathing. Cool and collected. Please.
Discussion from the actors That are already on stage, They chant, then fall silent.
A quiet step Before a confident persona Sweeps onto the stage.
A beat of silence Until a rough voice proclaims, âSo foul and fair a day I have not seen.â