Short stories & poems
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"We have to act on it soon before it's too late!" Achilles shouted, "I'm tired of waiting!" "But you must think! The prophecy-" "Damn the prophecy Patroclus! We have to act now or else we will all be dead!" "Achilles. I can't lose you too." His voice trembled as he spoke. "I need you" Achilles slipped over his tunic and sighed, looking away for a moment. "I have a meeting. We can discuss this after. I'll see you later, okay?" He said before kissing Patroclus' forehead and leaving the tent. He just sat there as he watched the boy leave. He clenched his fists and wiped his eyes. Achilles had always been too stubborn for his own good and rarely changed his mind once it was set. It made Patroclus mad but, at the same time, it was one of the things he loved most about him.
It was a rather warm day out, nicer than the past few. Patroclus made his way down to the creek in the woods and found a nice patch of shade underneath a tree, resting for a moment. "Hey," A familiar voice said. He turned around to see Briseis and nodded at her. "May I?" She asked, gesturing to the spot next to him. "Of course," And with that she sat down with him, facing the creek. "What happened?" She asked in a knowing tone. "What makes you think something has happened?" "I know you Patroclus. I know you only come down here when you need space to think." He chuckled at that, picking up a stone and throwing it. "I guess I do that a lot huh." He offered her a stone to throw. She gladly took it and chucked it into the creek. A few moments of silence passed between the two. It was comfortable nonetheless, the soft rustle of the trees and the water from the creek creating a comfortable atmosphere. "It's Achilles. He's seriously just thinking about barging in." "And you don't think this is a smart choice?" She asked. "It could risk us all death! I mean we could all die. He could die. I can't lose someone like him. I love him Briseis," She looked at him, her eyes soft and tender with understanding. She walked closer to him and kneeled, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Patroclus you and I both know Achilles would put you before anyone, even himself. It would probably be the same if you were in his shoes. He will only want whatever is best for you." "What if he dies? What if I die?" "He will give you death, and you will still love him for it," Patroclus stopped. He knew she was right. "Talk to him," She said. "He may not listen to others but I know he will always listen to you." He nodded and looked at her. "Thank you." She smiled back, squeezing his shoulder slightly. "Now go. Lover boy's waiting for you," He smiled and hugged her before running out of the forest.
We've always been taught about all the wonders of the world, their beginning and their end. I've always been fascinated by them, imagining myself travelling around the world to see them, photograph them to never forget them when the illness takes over. I saw all of them, except one, because she was destroyed a longtime before our era : the Lighthouse of Alexandria. I've always wondered about all the secrets that were destroyed, the lives it saw and what we will never know about it. I've always loved secrets, I was the best at keeping them. But my favourite one is the one with the stars I've watched for years in my teenage years. The one that were in his eyes. Dark blue eyes with white dots all over them. It looked, well I assume it still looks like that, like the sky on a summer night far from the city lights. His eyes saw me how I've never seen myself. All the secrets I told him, his eyes always remembered. I can remember the sadness that darkened his blue and made his eyes black and white like the galaxy. Oh! All the pictures I have of those eyes. I loved those eyes, still do, but haven't seen them for decades looking at me. When people ask me whose eyes are those, I often don't remember, but in those rare lucid moments I always answer : "Those eyes were my favourites things in the world, they should have been in museums, should have been seen by every persoon on this planet. They are my favourite wonder of the world."
Helen stared out at the rapidly darkening sky, eyes glittering like stars in an onyx night as she watched the red and amber stripes fade to a more mundane obsidian colour, as if someone had grabbed the batter to a dark chocolate cake and swiped it over a goldenly baked cake. “I don’t understand, I’ve never met anyone like you before!” She sat on the widows walk above her bedroom, legs dangling over the railing. Despite the danger a mortal might sense, she only felt a feeling of comfort. She could hear the faint noises of a television playing downstairs, and her father, Jerry, laughing at the football.
“You should be grateful for that.” Lucas mumbled quietly under his breath, unable to look at her even though he wanted to so badly. “Scions are both dangerous and helpful people, Helen. As you know, I’m from the House of Thebes, a somewhat descendant of Poseidon, as you’ll know from Hector who almost drowned you last night. Now, Helen. You may be stronger than us, but Creon is a huge factor in the House of Thebes. Menoceus looks nothing like him, but Hector sure damn does. His mother is just a mortal, but his father is a long gone man despite still being alive.”
“Helen…” his throat was strangled as he tried to turn to her. “None of my family knows what house you are, but you’re connected to Zeus, that’s for sure. Now, I know none of this coming from my tongue makes sense, but the Iliad should explain it better. And if you’re still struggling…well. Well find a way.”
“But, Helen, the truth is, you’re a scion now, you can’t hide into that shell forever. I get it, it’s a lot to adjust to in just a week. But these women and possibly tantalus is coming after you, you need to be protected.” His jaw clenched and a shadow crossed his forehead and to his eyes. “Just stay safe, Helen. And go to bed.”
“You won’t be cold?” She said quietly as she stood.
“No,” he lied, unwilling to add the part where he tells her how he truly feels. “I’ll be fine.”
“Goodnight, Lucas,” she said softly, her voice dreamy.
“Goodnight, Helen.”
And so the two souls, though trying to merge into each other and bind like soulmates, the mortal mind had more sensibility than the souls. So their bodies had silent arguments and shared scowls as they separated for the night, each in their own thoughts with sweet smiles on their faces.
It all came down to this moment. After weeks of contemplating, dreadful days and lonely nights, it hit her. She was either making the best decision of her life right now, finally some time to focus on herself, get a degree, attain some self love and respect, happiness and most importantly, peace. Or she could be making the worst decision, leaving him would mean losing everything , leaving him would mean public embarrassment as to why she did so, but most importantly, leaving him would be denying her undoubted love for him, it would be like a form of dismay. But she had decided. Trembling as she spoke, tears flowing down her red cheeks from crying all day and unto the park floor , where they first met, she decided to end it where it all began, finally she spoke “ I had a dream where we had to say goodbye, I don’t really know what it means but I think It was a sign from God. Goodbye my love, you’ll forever be my first love, but it has to end. I’m sorry” and those were the last words she said to him. They had no longer existed…
I was never good at confrontation, Leon had known this better than anyone.
It made sense that he wouldn’t say these words to be face because I likely would have broken his.
His use of the words pathetic and weak are especially prominent, he seemed to know the way to dig deep into my heart and tear it right out. I had not seeked his validation, but when it seemed like I had earned it felt pride. Now it was all crushed.
I crumple the letter and toss it into the fire, if he truly felt this way then I would prove him wrong.
In a dim dark room, we see a young man sitting chair and having his hands on his head, it looks like he is thinking about something important, then the room becomes bright and a voice comes from the door, "Babe why are you always making the room dark, it kinda creeps me" the man who was sitting now called Alen, get up on the chair and go to the door where the voice comes, it was a girl she had long green hair and was wearing big glasses and sleeping clothes and had two books on her hand, and then the man hugged her, and said, "I tell you many times, I just love the dark, I'm superhero you know." The girl looked at him and shook her head." still delusional aren't you babe, I advise you to stop reading so many novels" Alen laughed and changed the topic, "So what are you doing with those big books are you again studying those science, professors" he said teasingly and the girl looks at him in the eyes with annoying and pass him and lay down on the bed and opened her book, and then alen said, "Alright babe I'm going I'm saving people" the girl look at him in disbelief and said "whatever I think I will need you to go and see a therapist" and Alen said, "oh, come one don't be too harsh".
High above the city, where the winds are sharp and free, A realm of restless motion whispers ancient mystery. Skyscrapers pierce the heavens, reaching for the skies, While stars beyond their shining peaks gaze down with timeless eyes.
The streets below are rivers, flowing red and gold, A million fleeting moments in their currents uncontrolled. Yet up here in the silence, the noise begins to fade, And all the bustling chaos feels distant and dismayed.
The moon becomes a lantern, hung in velvet black, Its silver light a guardian, watching every track. The hum of life below me humbles and inspires, A symphony of dreaming hearts and flickering desires.
I watch the world in miniature, a tapestry of lights, A flicker of humanity in the velvet cloak of night. High above the city, where the earth and sky divide, I find a quiet solace and let my soul reside.
He was not sure what woke him. It couldn’t have been a noise as all he could hear around him was silence, a silence that instantly signified that something was wrong. He looked to his right, to the empty space beside him. He slowly slid his hand over, feeling the rumpled sheet, as a familiar scent, her scent, filled the air. Still warm. He blinked a few times, allowing his eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight filtering in through the thin curtain. He slowly sat up and looked around. He called for her. He waited, but no response came. Dread filled his stomach, rising up like bile. Somehow, in that very moment, he knew she was gone.
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