Questions Of Love
September 5, 2021. Sunday.
Good day everyone. I hope you are all fine. For today's blog I will share with you what are the questions that are need to be answered for you to be clear at some things that are bothering you about love.
What is love? What do you feel when you’re in love? When do you know that he or she is the one? What will you feel when you met the one? How did you know that it’s the right time for love? What if we fight or have any conflict? What if we are not meant for each other? These are the questions that people tend to ask if they think they are experiencing it, if they are curious about it.
WHAT IS LOVE? For me, love is a feeling that no one can stop, it can pass through everything, even the tallest, widest, and even the strongest barrier you will know because if love knocks on your heart, there’s nothing you can do but just to follow what you feel. Each of us has our own concept of love, if you are going to ask a hundred people about what is love, probably you will gain a hundred of different answers. It is because we have different perspective in love since we have many ideas of love, there is the love for the family, love for yourself, love for the things that you value, love for your friends, and love from someone who is very special to you, but on this episode, we will be talking more on romantic love.
People also relate or compare love to the things around them such as “love is like a rubber band, held at both ends by two people and when one leaves it hurts the other” or “love is like a river never ending a flows but gets greater with time”.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE? You feel that you’re in love when everything is turning out to be positive, you spread positivity due to the happiness that the person is giving you, you feel so very passionate about everything, you tend to appreciate more about everything. Some people can’t sleep at night thinking about the person that they are admiring so much. Some people cannot control their emotions or sometimes it really goes out of control due to the romantic excitement that they are feeling everything they see that person.
WHEN DO YOU KNOW THAT HE OR SHE IS THE ONE? One time I asked my mom about how did she know that dad is the one, then she answered that it’s just she’s in love that even they were only together for a couple of months, she was sure that dad was really the one meant for her. It can also be that you will know that he or she is the one when you don’t want to lose him or her, that your love for each other has been tested through time, or even if you have been together for a short period of time and you accept all his or her flaws . Some people do believe in signs, so they tend to know if that person is the one if they will be able to see all those signs.
WHAT WILL YOU FEEL WHEN YOU MET THE ONE? My sister shared a story to me about how she met his husband and what did she felt when they met and first saw each other, she said that it’s not more of a spark but rather than more of a leap blood because the moment they shake their hands it’s like the world around them stopped for a couple of seconds and made her think that what if this guy in front of her is the one she will marry and be her husband. On the other hand, there are so many things that you can feel when you met the one, it can be a slow motion, fast motion, or maybe in other ways like being super comfortable with each other, or it can be you’re achieving to be the best version of yourself whenever he or she is around and many more.
HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT IT'S THE RIGHT TIME FOR LOVE? Well, there is no specific place and time for love, you just have to feel it, maybe wait for it but never expect a due date as if there is a countdown. Then when you feel it, you just grab it, there is nothing to be afraid in love. If being hurt is the reason why you are holding back, remember that being hurt is part of love, because everyone in this world has experienced the feeling of being heartbroken, but you need to have it not as a bad experience but rather have it as a lesson that you can bring and apply to your next relationship. For not being afraid makes you more of a mature person.
WHAT IF WE FIGHT OR HAVE ANY CONFLICT? In love, fights and conflicts is just normal, it is created to test every couple on how strong they are in handling hard situations like this. You have to put in your mind that your love is stronger than that problem. One of the things that most couple do to handle the hardship in their relationship is that they put trust on each other that even you are in a long distance type of relationship as long as you have trust and faith on each other, a simple problem can’t break you apart.
WHAT IF WE ARE NOT MEANT FOR EACH OTHER? If you are worried that what if the person you love is not the one for you, take note there are people that you will meet, you will be accompanying to but is not meant for you. Be thankful that he or she has been part of your wonderful life, that they have done a big part on your life for I believe that if someone disappears someone will replace, and it will be better than the other.
In conclusion, love is one of the most powerful things in this world, nothing can beat love, but love is not an easy thing as what the 70’s singing trio The Supremes says, “You can’t hurry love no you just have to wait” So enjoy everything before entering the kingdom of love. For as in general, love can be seen anywhere, at all parts of the world, so spread love not hate.
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A LOVE EXPERT, JUST MY OPINION AND POINT OF VIEWS ABOUT THE TOPIC. THANK YOU
Unsinkable Me
I am now a boat that will never sink because the man above the sky is my Driver.
Let's play a game! Think yourself as a boat and make the paddle as your decisions. How does it feel? I know it's not fun but you and a boat are way too similar. Let's start the game. A boat starts to move using a paddle but wait how did everything started? Okay here it is, it all started with a little wood that humans cut into pieces and build into shapes and finally put it together using a hammer and nails, then It's already built. As the boat runs it can encounter different things. First, you can go wherever you want. Second, you can witness the beautiful scenery of the sun in the day, the moon in the night, the living things under the water, the lands that stand still, and don't forget the sky that is filled with a fluffy crystal white like clouds. Third, you can be filled with water when the clouds started to rain. Fourth, you'll be happy as you go but then the woods that the humans used to build you as a boat started to get old. You feel weak as you continue to go. But even if your weak you need to go because that's how your life goes as a boat. Suddenly, a typhoon is unexpectedly coming to your place right now. You try to run back to find a safe place but then you cannot stop the big waves that are hitting you. They are so strong that you move in different sides, you turn, you jump, and you feel so worried because it's so powerful that you can't fight back. You the boat sink into the water and it's time to say goodbye. Game over! That's okay just let it be and move on. But wait! Did you ever think that you as a boat and your paddle buddy are not enough of the game? Yes, there's something missing about it. Are you thinking the way I did? Of course, I'm thinking of a human that is went missing. That human or person will control you, will be your driver, and never forget that he will take care of you so that you will be guided. Let's bring you back to life now. You are finally back on the game my fellow brother or sister. You start to move because his rowing the boat using your paddle. You feel comfortable with him. Triple of you travel together and step into different parts of the world. Even though calamities might come, it will never gonna affect you now, because he will gonna put you in a safe place and will not able to use you at that time just to get rid of those things that might harm you. After that you feel loved and create a better memories together. That human will not gonna use you sometimes but you feel okay with that because for you he will return. One day he was coming for you bringing a small box and try to move you out of the side of the seashore and go somewhere far. He stopped rowing when you guys arrived in the water that is not shallow already. You we're guessing right now that he is just watching the beauty of the ocean at this moment. Thus, he didn't after 10 minutes of sitting he stand up and pull out the things inside the box that he brought earlier. Without expecting you we're shocked when you saw what he is holding, it's a 10 pieces of dynamite and a small box of matches inside. You are asking now what he will gonna do. Questions are popping up in your mind "What might it be? Is he gonna use that to me? to himself? or threw that in the ocean? Oh crap! What's going on?". There's three options because we never knew people's way of thinking because it's always dynamic and sometimes mysterious or even miserable. He put a fire on the dynamite and threw it all in the ocean. What matters the most are the fishes that went up in the water that is already burned and dead. You saw the corals beneath the water that is completely broken into pieces. The blue like the peaceful sky water turns into a dying red like rosy rose. It burns in the eyes seeing how that human destroyed the beauty of the ocean. He just laugh on what he did and kicked every side of the boat. When his done using all the dynamites he sat down for a moment. You feel blue now and he started to row the paddles to go back to the place where he belongs. He left you in the corner for a month and you taught he already leave you. But he came back bringing one gallon of gas and a match. He look at you and say "goodbye stupid boat!". You were hurt and broken hearing those words from him because his valuable and owns a part of you. He burned you up and left. You die in pain and suffering. You became a dust and a memory. In my life I compare my self into a boat and my decisions are my paddles. But who's the human that owns me? Let me tell you this. I was happy in my life. I can control my self, I can do what I want, I can see, I can walk, I can touch, I can smell, I can breath, and everything that the human can do I can. I rule my own. There's guide from the law and my parents but I myself are God in my own, because I can control the things that I want to do. I can judge people and make my own definition of good and bad. But as I grow and experience the process of being mature I never noticed that I was deceived. Not just on my own but with the driver or the human that is controlling me as a boat. Never had I realized that there are two kinds that will control me as a boat and that is good one or a bad one. In short it's God who is the good one or the Devil that is the bad one. I was so blind that I was already controlled by the bad one. Because as I continue to grow up I finally notice the emptiness that I feel. I finally saw the wrong way of using my paddles. I used it for making myself happy without considering anyone and just considering all my ways even if it can hurt others. Until such time I realize that I need a good driver as a boat. I pray who would it be. It's no other than God. The one that is filled with kindness and love. My life started to change when I became owned by him. I started to learn how to give importance to others than to myself. I started to value the things that I have. I started to be filled with love in myself and share it to everybody around me. Even when big waves try to hit me, he doesn't just let me stay in a room that is safe. He make me cross the big waves in my life to make me bold as lion. I know in my heart and soul whenever he let me cross with those waves his already adding me up with strong faith and positive vibes. That became the reason that I don't have to be afraid because no matter what happen he is always my good and safest driver. He make my ways better than ever. Now that I have him. I can already tell myself that I'm the luckiest person on earth because I didn't just find a good driver to guide me in the right path but also I already found out the one that will lead me into the eternity of love, peace and Joy.
The Gift I Call Grandparents
***Grandparents love their grandchildren as unconditionally as the parents – and that’s a powerful thing.***
There's always asking me why. "Why I'm not living with my biological parents?" "Why am I living with my grandparents, since then?" "Why I am too close on them than my real parents?" "Why I love them more than may real parents?" "Why I love them more than myself and anyone else?" Those questions are easy yet it is hard for me to answer.
Grandparents are fun to be around. Not only do they spill pearls of wisdom but also fill our lives with abundance of love and care. The feeling of being around them cannot be described through words. The love and affection shed by grandparents is unmatched.
Grandparents are always ready to shower their love and care for their grandchildren. In fact, they are willing to do anything for them. When there grandchildren are young, grandparents take on the role of caretakers, playmates, stress relievers, storytellers and instillers of moral values. And, when grandchildren grow up, grandparents change themselves too and become friends, advisers, arbitrators, and pillars of support.
The love and affection that grandchildren have for their grandparents can’t be described in words. However, listening to what grandchildren have to say about their grandparents will help us understand how deep and strong their bond is.
My grandparents are different people, but they have unconsciously taught me from their best attributes and I will truly benefit from their love and attention throughout my entire life. My grandparents is my life, my grandparents are special because of their individuality and ability to always look on the brighter side. But to me the most special thing is that they all love me and always will. No one can take place in my heart, which special place they hold in our heart.
Fortunately, I have five loving, funny, compassionate, caring, and selfless grandparents who are a major presence in my life. My grandparents are my most favorite people I know in this world and I know a lot of people feel the same way I do, so here's some reason why.
**1. The bond you have with your grandparents is incomparable to anyone else.**
Seriously, I'm so close to my grandparents that it's hard to imagine having the same connection with my real parents. When I'm feeling down, I talk to them because they always know the right advices to say.
**2. The achievements that you have.**
There is no-one prouder than a grandparents of their grandchildren’s accomplishments and they get to boast more than you too.
**3.You'll just feel pampered around them.**
Not all parents pamper their children like me, but I know most grandparents does.
**4.They can always make you laugh.**
My grandparents are a bunch of goofballs in the most wonderful ways. Maybe it's because they've had years to develop their senses of humor, or maybe it's just because they're my grandparents. Whatever the reason is, very few other people can make me laugh so hard that I have tears streaming down my face.
**5. They can give you good advice.**
As a grandparents, their advice is after all based on a lifetime of experience.
**6.They Have Patience.**
Following on from them having more time, grandparents often have more patience. They aren’t living with the constant demands and requirements of a child, so they can be more patient with them, and give them their undivided attention.
**7. Give Life Lessons.**
As they are going older, they take it up as a great responsibility to inculcate good moral values to us. Share their experiences and stories with us to help us learn how to handle different situations in our life.
**8. They put in the effort to get close to you.**
Our grandparents will always make an simple but a precious effort to talk with us and keep the relationship close.
**9. When you have a problem.**
When times are hard, they are always be there to give you an advices that you would not forget. And sometimes all you can do is to hug it out to them.
**10.They took an amazing care.**
They are always there to offer the best hugs, and their welcoming home is often an escape from troubles.
**11.They are one of my best of friends.**
They are the most wonderful people to make friends with. They are loving, they are caring and they are unpretentious. They are there in times of sorrow and they are there in times of happiness.
**12. They are always there for you.**
If you ever feel alone with nowhere to go.You know where or whom you can turn to.
**13.They genuinely appreciate your presence.** and love your companion.
They will always greet you with a warm hug and precious smile when you got home.
**14. You will always be their precious grandchildren.**
Even if you treat them with no respect, no matter what, they will love and care for you the same until the end of time.
**15.Most importantly, they love you unconditionally.**
No matter what you tell them, they don't judge you. They truly want to help you with whatever situation you may have gotten yourself into, and I cannot express enough how grateful I am to have had my grandparents by my side when I needed them most. Unconditional love with grandparents is the cornerstone of secure, and stable. There are no limits on it, but it doesn’t apply to every relationship.
The love showered by our grandparents is innate and their mere presence helps in alleviating us. The importance they hold in our lives has given way to a special day set aside exclusively for them. We must love, care and most especially we must value their presence and efforts to be with us.
If you're as lucky as I am to have a close bond with your grandparents, give them a tight hug and a warm kisses or call them even their far away **just** to let them know how **much** you care, love and **blessed** to have a grandparents like them.
Nightmare
Chapter 12:
Natalie remained in her place. Her face was frozen in fear. All the color drained out of her skin leaving a white shell. Damion looked into her bloodshot eyes.
"......how......what?" Natalie managed to get out before Damion burst with rage.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Damion's face was red from anger and Natalie collapsed on the ground. Tears were streaming down her face as she looked at him.
"Why did you leave me there? Was I not good enough for you?" Damion asked his balling mother.
"...I....I.....I tried to make him stop.....but he wouldn't let me...." Natalie said through sobs. Tears were rolling out of her like a waterfall.
"I don't give a shit! At no point should you have abandoned your own kid!" Damion yelled. Tears were rolling down his face as he yelled.
"I....I didn't. You're dad did....he.....he was planning on getting rid of both of you...but I said for him not to take you two......but he took the first one he caught sight of.......which was you Damion.......and Elijah......your dad.......he......he died the night we were going to bring Damion back home........but it was too late.....and I tried to get you back Damion I did......but.....I........I couldn't...." Natalie explained in sobs. Damion looked at Elijah who's face had turned pale. His heart sank to the floor and his stomach opened a pit to swallow every last good emotion he had whole.
"Why would dad not want us? Why would he want to get rid of Damion and me?........he got rid of Damion first.....and that could've been me......what the fuck is wrong with him?" Elijah thought to himself.
"....But you're back now.....I can finally have you!" Natalie said walking over to Damion. She reached out to give him a hug before he pushed her away.
"Do you honestly think that after seven years, I'm going to act like nothing happened? Are you fucked in the head?" Damion yelled. Natalie was taken aback and she stared at Damion who was shaking his head.
"Damion please-" Natalie pleaded.
"Please what? You said dad took me away, and you let him. You went four years without me before you decided to get me back. Four fucking years. Is that how long it takes before you care? What about after dad died. You never came to get me. You waited until today where I came to you. You were never going to do shit and don't lie to me!" Damion yelled again. He began to step back and Natalie began to cry even more.
"I'm sorry Damion. Please forgive me." Natalie pleaded again. She was on her knees.
"Damion. Can you hear me out for sec?" Elijah asked as Damion turned to look at him.
"What?" Damion bitterly asked.
"You might hate mom, and really I don't blame you. But can you at least give her a chance. Even if you never forgive her. You can hate her for the rest of your life. But at least let her try and prove to you that she can be good to you." Elijah tried to reason with Damion.
"She had seven years for that. Why should I expect that she's suddenly going to change?" Damion asked with anger in his voice.
"Yeah, she was an asshole before. But how can she prove to you that she's different now if you won't let her?" Elijah asked. His heart was pounding, and more than not he wanted to slap Natalie for knowing that his dad was going to get rid of him too. But he wanted to give her another chance, and he knew that if Damion gave her a chance too, everything would be fine.
"I'm not forgiving her." Damion said crossing his arms.
"I'm not saying you have to. I'm just saying that you can at least let her try and gain your forgiveness. Even if you never do. Just let her try." Elijah tried to reason. Damion sighed and released dropped his arms to his sides. He turned to look at Natalie who was staring at him with hope.
"I'm not forgiving you.....but I guess I can let you try." Damion said looking down. Light filled her eyes and she hugged Damion. He refused to hug her back, but she didn't care.
"You're finally mine." she said shakily then tearing herself away from Damion.
"This is.....draining." Elijah said putting his hand on the back of his neck.
"Yeah it is. You're gonna stay right?" Natalie asked Damion. He shrugged and sighed.
"Well I'm not going back to my grandparents so yeah I'm staying." Damion looked at Elijah who slightly smiled.
"Well since you're staying, you can stay in Eli's room for tonight. I'll start to put the bedroom together tomorrow." Natalie said putting her hands on her hips.
"Alright. Night mom." Elijah said grabbing Damion by the arm and began to pull him up the stairs.
"Night boys!" Natalie said trying to be as happy as possible, but all Damion gave was a slight wave as they headed up the stairs.
Elijah grabbed some blankets and made a pallet on the ground for Damion. He borrowed some of Elijah's pajamas and the two decided to play some PlayStation before they went to bed.
"the guards are so annoying in this game." Damion complained while playing a one player game called Skyrim V.
"Well one, you're a dark elf which already makes you a target. And two, when you steal all of whiterun, you're gonna get attacked by guards." Elijah pointed out laying on his bed while watching Damion play.
"Whatever." Damion said rolling his eyes.
"Well you go ahead and play, It's past midnight and I'm gonna be a complete asshole tomorrow if I don't get some sleep." Elijah said beginning to pull up the covers.
"Oh...well I'll go to sleep then too." Damion said saving his game. As soon as Elijah closed his eyes, he could hear the faint sound of music. He stayed still to see if he recognized the song.
"Now the day bleeds."
"Into nightfall."
"And you're not here to get me through it all."
"I let my guard down."
"And then you pulled the rug."
'I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved."
Elijah recognized the song as 'Someone you Loved' by Lewis Capaldi. Then he noticed Damion was listening to it with earbuds.
"Hey Damion." Elijah whispered to him and he looked up and took out his earbuds after pausing his song.
"Yeah?" he asked in confusion.
"You're listening to a love song.....before bed?" Elijah asked raising an eyebrow.
"Oh c'mon. Like you never listen to music before bed." Damion asked with a small smile.
"Yeah. But not Someone you Loved." Elijah teased which made Damion roll his eyes.
"Whatever. I'm going to bed." Damion said rolling on his back and closing his eyes. Elijah smiled and turned the other way.
His thoughts consumed him, and for once they didn't make him feel horrible. He had a brother. Someone he could get close to without being scared because they were just a friend. He smiled at the thoughts, but that suddenly changed.
Elijah jolted up in his bed. He saw the glowing white eyes of the creature staring at him in the darkness of his room. They stared at each other and the creature began to walk towards him. Elijah looked at the creature, but by now he wasn't afraid of it. It gave him answers. It stared down at Elijah who looked at it with a stern face
"What?" Elijah said with a strong voice. It smiled at him. It reached it's long fingers towards him and grabbed his head like before. The piercing pain shot through him, but he refused to scream. He was placed in another dream-like memory.
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Elijah and Damion walked out of the big doors of the room, but was quickly stopped by a voice.
"You shouldn't do that." Natsuki said as she sat up on her light pink bed. Damion rolled his eyes.
"Natsuki. We'll be fine. And besides, your only here because your Noah's cousin. Not because you're related to Eli or me." Damion said looking at her with a smirk. Natsuki rolled her eyes.
"It's an invasion of their privacy. Besides, why would you want to go snoop on your parents anyway? All of our parents are boring. Just stupid lawyers." Natsuki said crossing her arms.
"Lawyers are one rich. And two we're weird ass kids. Now leave us alone would ya?" Damion asked and Natsuki frowned.
"Fine. But if you catch them doing something you don't want to see, don't come running to me." Natsuki said grabbing a light pink Manga book.
"Yeah, I don't think we will." Damion said almost dragging Elijah out of the room. The two started to walk down the long hallway with a maid passing every now and then.
"You didn't have to be mean to her you know." Elijah said walking along side of Damion.
"I wasn't being mean to her. She was just being argumentative. Besides, why do you care if I'm being mean to her or not?" Damion asked and Elijah shrugged.
"Being mean is being mean. Would've said the same thing with anyone else." Elijah said looking down.
"I find that hard to believe. You've had a crush on Natsuki since you met her." Damion said letting out a smirk.
"That....th-that is not true!" Elijah stuttered and then suddenly turned red.
"Yep. That's why you're the color of ketchup right?" Damion teased Elijah. He rolled his eyes.
"Whatever. Let's just not talk about this." Elijah said as they reached their parents bedroom door.
Damion looked over at Elijah and put his finger on his mouth telling Elijah to be quiet. Elijah nodded and Damion slowly opened the door. It was dark and you could barley see anything. Damion slowly slid through the crack of the door and Elijah soon followed. They tip-toed through the gigantic room and the stood still for a moment. A small light was shining through the cracks of a door next to them, and they nodded at looked at each other and began to sneak towards the door. They reached the door, Damion nodded for Elijah to go first. He smiled and peered through the small keyhole of the door. Elijah's stomach turned and his eyes began to spin. He screamed on the top of his lungs and lunged backwards. He was drained of color and all he saw was the image imprinted in his memory. He crawled backwards and hit his back against the king sized bed. He shivered and was rocking back and forth.
"What? What did you see?" Damion asked. He went over to Elijah and shook him. Elijah didn't talk or even look at Damion. His eyes were focused on what was in front of him, but all he saw was the image.
Inside the room was his dad laying on the bed without a head and his arms and legs were torn off and scattered across the floor.
"Eli! Eli talk to me! Elijah!" Damion yelled continuously shaking him.
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"What the fuck!" Elijah yelled when he snapped back into reality. His mind was still focusing on that horrific image. It wouldn't go away and it was sending chills down Elijah's spine.
"What?" Damion asked jumping up from his pallet. Elijah was in a cold sweat and was panting in his bed.
"I-It......it came into the room and....it....showed....me something.....tha-that I can't get out of my head." Elijah stuttered. Damion looked at him confused.
"Wait. That...that thing was in this bedroom...like....right here?" Damion asked spinning around in search of the creature
"Yeah, but that's not what I'm scared about." Elijah said, shivering in his place.
"Then what?" Damion asked sitting on Elijah's bed, still a little scared from the creature being there.
"It.....it was an image..o-of.......dad dead with his limbs cut off and scattered across the room he was in....and...and.....his....his....head....wa-was......gone." Elijah said. He clenched his eyes, but that made it even worse.
"That thing showed you that?" Damion asked with fear in his voice. Elijah nodded.
"Listen. It's just fucking with your head. It's not real." Damion said, but Elijah didn't completely believe him.
"I-I.....I don't know whether to shrug it off.....or...or to believe what I saw. It....it's not the first time it's shown me something o-of truth." Elijah stuttered. Damion raised an eyebrow.
"Something of truth? What do you mean by that?" Damion confusingly asked.
"That thing is how I knew you were my brother." Elijah stated. Damion looked at him in surprise.
"But.....but how?" Damion asked.
"It's been showing me these almost....flashbacks of a world where things were different. Like, Noah was my cousin....but that's impossible since mom and dad were single children.....and Natsuki was Noah's cousin.....but not related to me or you.....and you were my brother. Which that turned out to be true.....but we were in this huge mansion, and our parents were lawyers. They were extremely rich and....I don't know....but it seemed so real." Elijah explained looking away from Damion.
"Well it's like.....three in the morning so we should probably just go back to sleep and ask mom in the morning." Damion suggested and fell back onto his pallet.
"Okay." Elijah replied with a shrug and laid back on his bed. The image was imprinted in his memory and he couldn't get it out of his head. After about an hour, he finally was able to fall asleep, but it wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare.
Realization
Chapter 11:
"What?" Elijah asked with extreme confusion. What Natsuki had just said kind of scared Elijah.
"Am I dead? Of course I'm not dead I'm right here. I'm alive. Why would she ask that?" Elijah asked in his head.
"How are you even alive right now?" Natsuki asked with fear, backing away even more.
"Okay I need you to be more specific because I'm confused right now." Elijah said with his heart beating extremely fast.
".....That thing......it....it.....slit your throat.....yet your alive...." Natsuki stuttered. She backed into a wall which caused her to nearly collapse. Elijah had chills down his spine, and he moved his hand across his throat which was pouring out blood. Elijah felt like he couldn't breathe, but not from the slit throat, but from fear. He felt himself turn pale and he looked a Natsuki. He felt the world around him begin to darken and he passed out.
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He slightly opened his eyes and he saw bright white lights that blinded him. He strained to block the light with his hand while a shadowy figure appeared in his foggy vision.
"Are you okay?" he heard Natsuki say from above him. As Elijah's eyes focused, he saw Natsuki was less pale and smiling was at him.
"Am I dead?" Elijah scratchily said while slowly lifting his torso up from the uncomfortable bed. He noticed he had not left the school, but was in the nurses office.
"I thought you were, but luckily no. That thing only scratched your throat and it started to bleed and it look like it slit it, and I panicked so.....yeah." Natsuki said nervously. Elijah raised his eyebrow.
"So I'm not in a hellish universe?" Elijah asked which made Natsuki giggle.
"Nope! You're perfectly fine." Natsuki replied happily. Elijah looked around the area, which was cold and empty. That atmosphere seemed familiar to him, but he didn't read too much into it. He turned his head to see Natsuki who was looking at him with a smile on her face.
"What?" Elijah asked as she shook her head and realized that she was staring.
"Oh. Um...nothing....just.....spaced out." Natsuki said then suddenly became red.
"And I thought I was the daydreamer around here." Elijah said making her laugh. Elijah saw the extreme redness on her face and he cracked a smile.
"I think a tomato is less red than you." Elijah joked around which made Natsuki laugh.
"Oh shut up!" Natsuki said shoving his shoulder. Elijah laughed along and they met each other's gaze. Their eyes were wide and they were looking into the depths of each other's souls. Before Elijah knew, they had both closed their eyes and their faces were slowly moving closer to each other.
"So I heard you got attacked." Elijah heard Damion say as he walked in the door. Natsuki and Elijah jolted backwards and Elijah immediately felt awkward. The two tried to act normal and as if nothing happened.
"What?" Elijah asked putting his hand on the back of his neck in nervousness.
"You got attacked right? And apparently by the looks of your neck it was Freddy Kruger." Damion said nodding towards Elijah's neck. He looked around in hopes for a mirror to see what his neck looked like, but he was unsuccessful.
"It wasn't Freddy Kruger it was that thing we were talking to you about before Eli walked out." Natsuki said then giving Elijah a frown.
"Well I guess the claw marks kinda indicate a monster attack, but for all I know it could've been a setup to get me to believe you." Damion said leaning against the door.
"Well lucky you I've got a picture of it." Natsuki said grabbing her phone from her back pocket and opened it up on a photo, then handing it over to Damion. He glanced over the picture while and his eyes grew wide.
"Oh my god! This totally looks photo-shopped!" Damion said handing back the phone to Natsuki.
"It's not! I swear it's real!" Natsuki whined. Damion rolled his eyes.
"Everyone swears on things. Yet they never seem to follow through." Damion said crossing his arms. As soon as Damion said that, Elijah remembered what happened in his new dream-like memory.
He thought for a second, and his heart skipped a beat. He remembered Damion because they knew each other. His mom always said they were distant cousins and the last time he saw him was when he was six years old. She told him that he was taken to his grandparents and she never explained why.
"He really is my brother, isn't he?" Elijah questioned in his head and he looked over at Damion.
"You're talking about your parents when you mean by no one ever follows through right?" Elijah asked which made Damion raise an eyebrow.
"Uh.....yeah.....how do you know that?" Damion asked hesitantly.
"Because you live with your grandparents. And your parents took you to them, but never picked you up I'm assuming?" Elijah asked, knowing exactly where he was going with his interrogation.
"Yeah. That's what happened. My parents are assholes though." Damion bitterly said and looked away.
"Are your parents names Natalie and Adam?" Elijah asked Damion who looked at him confused.
"Yeah....how did you know?" Damion asked with a little fear in his voice.
"Because they're my parents too." Elijah said which shocked both Damion and Natsuki.
".....But......but how?" Damion asked shakily. He was shaking where he was standing and he went a little pale.
"When I was six years old my mom or Natalie told me I had a cousin which I recognized was you and she told me my aunt and uncle sent you to my grandparents. Every time I asked to know what happened to you, she'd evade the question. That, and both my parents were a single child. So you can't be my cousin if there's no aunt and uncle, and our parents have the exact same names. That leaves only one option." Elijah explained which made Damion walk forward some.
".......So you're my brother?" Damion asked with fear in his voice.
"That's what it seems like. So yeah. I am." Elijah said then shrugged which made Damion look down.
"They abandoned me though. For what?" Damion asked looking at Elijah in confusion.
"I have no clue. Mom won't say anything in depth like that to me. Except the part that the thing I've been telling you about killed dad." Elijah said which made Damion's eyes widen.
"Dad's dead?" Damion asked, tears began to well up in his eye sockets.
"Yeah. He died three years ago." Elijah said looking down. His heart was pounding the hardest it ever had.
"Yet mom didn't have the decency to tell me that my own dad was dead? What the fuck kind of parent is she?" Damion sobbed sitting down on the nurse bed that Elijah was sitting on.
"It's okay bro." Elijah said moving closer to him and wrapped his shoulder around him.
"Oh my god this is the saddest thing ever!" Natsuki exclaimed. She quickly sat on the bed and hugged Damion. He sniffled, then looked up and wiped his eyes.
"Schools out by the way." Damion said scratchily from all the crying.
"Why don't you come home to me and we can both interrogate mom. Are you up for that?" Elijah asked and Damion nodded.
The three of them got up and began to walk out of the nurse's office. They slowly walked out of the school and headed towards Elijah's house in silence. Natsuki soon departed which left both Elijah and Damion alone.
"I recognized you too by the way." Damion said with his head down. Elijah looked up at him and smiled.
"At least I wasn't the only one." Elijah said hoping Damion would smile. He let out a small smirk, then it faded as quick as it came.
"You still digesting everything?" Elijah asked Damion who looked up.
"It's just hard. Knowing that your parents left you, and your what thought to be cousin who's apparently your brother tells you your dad is dead. It's hard to process. So yeah I'm still digesting." Damion said looking down.
"I went through the same loss. And you know about Noah, and he was my best friend. And being the only one that knows the truth about how he died....that's hard too." Elijah said, hoping it would make Damion feel better.
He knew exactly what he was going through, being how he went through it himself. But maybe because he was younger, he didn't completely grasp the concept that his dad was gone until Noah died. Then, it all hit him like the strongest person alive whacked him in the face with all their might with a sledge hammer.
"All these thoughts and feelings I'm having.....maybe they're just me reacting to all this hurt. Maybe it's maybe just a phase of which I'll get over. Maybe I'll be okay!" Elijah thought to himself. He smiled at the thought.
"I'm sorry about Noah too. But everyone says it's because he killed himself.....but you and Natsuki are saying it's because of a creature.....who you said also killed dad......and that picture Natsuki showed me......was that....really that thing you keep seeing." Damion stuttered and began to shake. Elijah nodded.
"His mom found him hanging in his bedroom, but the thing is he was always so happy and didn't show a single sign of what might have made him do it. And I say that it's because of that creature because the night before he was hung, he saw something which looked exactly like that thing and I told him about what I had been seeing. Then, my arch enemy or bully got his faced bit off and was put into a coma. Noah watched it as it ripped him apart. So, my theory is that it hung him and made it look like a suicide. And that's why I don't want to get close with anyone. I don't want anyone else to get hurt. But Suki came around and I tried to push her away but I....just couldn't." Elijah explained. He grew a headache from all the drama that had happened the entire day. He was emotionally drained, but he knew he had to be there for Damion.
"Well I guess that's possible. I still feel bad though. Noah didn't deserve that." Damion said quietly while looking down.
"Yeah I know. I hate myself for it." Elijah said quietly then looking over at Damion.
"You said you couldn't distance yourself from Natsuki........do you like her?" Damion asked looking at him. Elijah looked down and took a deep breath.
"Yeah....I guess I like her.....I mean......we were seconds away from a kiss before you came in." Elijah said looking at Damion. He let out a small smile.
"Heh, sorry about that. Was just checking up on you. Which I'm glad I did because now I know I have a brother which is nice." Damion said which made Elijah let out a small laugh. They soon reached the house to where they entered and saw no one.
"Where's mom?" Damion asked as he looked around the small house.
"She's not gonna be back 'til nine." Elijah said starting to head up the stairs.
"Oh.....so what do we do 'til then?" Damion asked and began to follow Elijah.
"We can play PlayStation." Elijah suggested and reached the top of the stairs.
"Okay." Damion said then followed Elijah up the stairs.
They entered Elijah's room and Damion looked around at his room. He saw how Elijah's walls were littered with anime posters. Damion began to giggle.
"What?" Elijah asked looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
"You're such a weeb." Damion replied. Elijah laughed at the remark and smiled.
"Anime is life, leave me alone." Elijah said turning on the PlayStation. Damion laughed.
"And so is PlayStation." Damion said while grabbing a controller.
_____________________________________________________________
"Elijah I'm home!" the two kids' mom called from the kitchen. Elijah smiled at Damion and he smiled back.
"I'll grab you in a second." Elijah whispered to Damion and set down the controller and headed downstairs.
"Hey mom!" Elijah said happily as he entered the kitchen. Natalie smiled and looked at Elijah. She gasped at the claw marks on Elijah's neck.
"Oh my god! What happened to your neck?" Natalie yelled quickly moving towards Elijah.
"Mom, it's fine....I just.....ran into some feisty cats that clawed me." Elijah lied rubbing his neck.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Natalie asked Elijah moving her hand across his neck.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Elijah said and his mom stepped back.
"Alright honey." his mom said while she put away some groceries.
"Mom, I want you to meet someone." Elijah said beginning to back out of the kitchen.
"Oh? Who is it?" Natalie asked with happiness in her voice. Elijah smiled.
"Let me go get him." Elijah said while running up the stairs. He entered the room and Damion looked up at him.
"You ready?" Elijah asked him and he nodded. Elijah waved his hand from the door frame to gesture Damion to follow him. He quickly got up and followed Elijah down the steps. The two walked into the kitchen and his mom was turned the other way.
"Mom," Elijah started and his mom spun around and froze.
"Meet Damion. Or as I like to call him, my brother!"
Beautiful Pain
Chapter 10:
The entire day, Elijah's mind was focused on the memory he obtained. But he was still unsure whether it was real or just his imagination. The bell rang for lunch and Elijah walked out of the class unknowingly.
"Hey!" Natsuki said to him happily as she arrived at his side. Elijah snapped out of his daydream and looked at Natsuki.
"Hey." he replied looking back in front of him.
"So I wanted to ask you something." Natsuki said to him which caused Elijah to raise an eyebrow.
"Shoot." Elijah said turning at his locker.
"If I said I have a few friends that I accidentally told them about that thing.....and how you've been seeing it......and they want to kinda meet you......would you meet them?" Natsuki hesitantly asked. Elijah's heart skipped a beat.
"You told them? Are you crazy?" Elijah quietly yelled so no one over heard them. Elijah's stomach emptied into a pit. He felt it swirl around and turn.
"Well it kinda slipped and then they wanted to know if I had proof so I said you.....then they said they wanted to see you since they think you're fake. Please don't be mad!" Natsuki said shakily. He sighed and looked at her.
"I'm not mad just....I don't know." Elijah said nervously. His stomach ached and twisted into a knot. Natsuki looked confused at Elijah's obvious discomfort.
"Are you....nervous?" Natsuki asked tilting her head. He looked at her and shrugged.
"Well don't worry about it. I'll introduce you and all that stuff." Natsuki happily said smiling at Elijah who's heart was racing.
"Uh....okay." Elijah replied to Natsuki who was giving a giant smile.
"Yes!" Natsuki yelled in happiness. They walked down the hallway and into the cafeteria. She held Elijah's hand pulling him towards a table with a few kids sitting and chatting. Elijah's stomach wrenched with every step he took closer to the table.
"Hey guys!" Natsuki happily said to the kids breaking up any conversation they may have had. They look up at Natsuki, then they turn to face Elijah making his heart stop.
"This is Elijah. I told you he wasn't fake." Natsuki said to the kids while crossing her arms.
"Sup man." a taller boy said at the table. He had white blonde hair that was shaved on the sides and the top of his hair was longer and brushed to one side. He had ocean blue eyes that were staring at Elijah. He was wearing a plain white hoodie and black baggy jeans. He looked oddly familiar to Elijah, but he shrugged it off assuming that they may have saw each other sometime since they were in the same school. He looked at Elijah with a confused look which made Elijah start to question him in his head.
"Why is he looking at me like that?" Elijah was panicking eternally, but he didn't want to ruin it for Natsuki so he did his best to keep his cool.
"Hey what's up with the hood?" the kid asked and Elijah looked up to see he had his hood up.
"Oh uh....yeah." Elijah shakily said pulling it down. He looked back at the taller kid who smiled.
"You were Noah's friend right?" the kid asked Elijah which made Elijah feel even less comfortable.
"...Uh.....yeah." Elijah said slowly putting his hands in his pockets.
"Oh my god I'm so sorry!" a young girl said with empathy in her voice. She gave a saddened look at Elijah which made him feel awkward. She had yellow blonde hair that was curled down to her waist with a small pink and blue bow on the her hair in the back. She was wearing a navy blue short dress that was covered in little pink flowers.
"Uh....you don't have to be.....it's okay." Elijah quietly said continuing to stare at the ground.
"You're being so quiet." Natsuki said to Elijah. He turned to look at her and shrugged.
"It's okay man. It's not like we bite." the boy said looking at Elijah and smiling. Elijah swallowed down his awkwardness for a second and looked up at him.
"Yes. Because the first thing I thought of when I went up to you was 'oh fuck this bitch might bite me'." Elijah sarcastically said which made him feel more comfortable around the new kids. Everyone started to laugh.
"That was hilarious!" another girl said across from the other two kids. She had dark brown hair that was put into a high ponytail with a black ribbon put into a bow where the ponytail started. She had sparkling hazel eyes that were focused on Elijah. She wore a dark grey sweatshirt and a T-shirt that had a picture of Deku from My Hero Academia on it. She was smiling from Elijah's recent joke which made Elijah crack a slight smile.
"In case you were wondering, that's Kathrine," Natsuki said pointing to the girl with dark brown hair. "that's Abigail," she said pointing to the yellow blonde girl and she gave a small wave. "and that's Damion." Natsuki pointed at the boy who nodded his way.
"Well now it's a little less awkward." Elijah said looking around at the group of kids.
"Are you guys just gonna stand for the rest of the year or are you guys gonna sit down?" Damion asked cracking a smile.
"Oh yeah. C'mon Eli." Natsuki said grabbing Elijah's hand and pulling him to a seat at the table. Elijah's heart skipped a beat when she called him 'Eli'. It reminded him of the memory or dream.
"Don't read too much into it. It's just a coincidence. Just a nickname." Elijah thought to himself as he took a seat next to Natsuki at the end of the table.
"So we're shortening our names now are we Suki?" Elijah said shortening Natsuki's name. She smiled and rolled her eyes.
"Call me Suki all you want. It actually sounds cute." Natsuki said crossing her arms in confidence. Elijah rolled his eyes.
"So Natsuki or Suki told us you're seeing shit." Damion said to Elijah.
"You make it sound like I'm insane. Which I'm not." Elijah replied to Damion who looked at him with disbelief.
"Well it's not really everyday that you hear someone complain how they're seeing monsters and shit." Damion sarcastically said to Elijah which made him a little irritated.
"I know what I saw." Elijah pointed out. Damion rolled his eyes.
"I'll believe it when I see it dude." Damion said looking away.
"I believe you." Kathrine intervened. Her gaze moving between Damion and Elijah.
"So you're superstitious too?" Damion asked Kathrine who frowned at his response.
"I'm not superstitious. I just believe him. I mean, did you see the way he walked in here?" Kathrine pointed out which made Elijah get confused.
"The way I walked in here? I'm just bad around people. Not looking like I saw something.....despite the fact that I have......and earlier today I did.....so maybe I'm still stunned.....from that dream or memory thing." Elijah thought to himself.
"What do you mean by the way I walked in here?" Elijah asked Kathrine. She turned her head to face him and met her eyes with his.
"Well you walked over here with your hood up and everything and you were really quiet and you seemed nervous so I just assumed that you saw something." Kathrine shrugged. Elijah took a deep breath.
"Well I kinda did earlier. But....I'm really confused about it." Elijah said looking down. Natsuki perked her head up and looked over at Elijah.
"Wait. When earlier? 'Cause we were together the entire morning." Natsuki asked looking at Elijah confused.
"While we were walking. You were talking about something, then I saw that thing and it seemed so real that....I thought it was, but then I guess I snapped back to reality even though it didn't feel like a dream." Elijah said looking at Natsuki.
"Eli are you sure you weren't just daydreaming?" Natsuki asked Elijah which made him second guess himself.
"Maybe she's right. I might be completely over thinking this." Elijah contemplated in his head.
"You might be right. But we did see it chowing down on Dylan's face like a snack." Elijah said looking down.
"That's true." Natsuki replied then looking at Damion who rolled his eyes.
"This seems really scary." Abigail said looking at both Elijah and Natsuki.
"It's not scary because they're either insane or full of shit." Damion said looking at Elijah.
"I don't give a fuck if you don't believe me. Honestly, I really don't want you to believe me. The only person that I wanted to believe me is dead because that thing killed him. And the fact that I'm even interacting with people anymore is a big fucking surprise 'cause after all of that, I know in the back of my mind that it'll eventually go after anyone else I get close to. Which is why I tried to push Suki away at first but that didn't work. So don't believe me. I want to be left with just the one person that I'm still beating myself up about meeting because I know it'll hurt her." Elijah ranted. Every ounce of his body strained for him to not talk about anything else too in depth. He knew he had already said enough and he regretted it already.
"You've either got some major trust issues or you're going through some other shit that you're blaming this on." Damion said to Elijah after his tangent. Natsuki looked at Elijah with sadness in her eyes.
"Don't beat yourself up about it. Damion's just not one to believe that sort of thing despite the fact that it exists, but you at least have the rest of us." Natsuki said reassuringly. She put her hand on Elijah's shoulder and he quickly shoved it off.
"I can't do this. I need to be alone." Elijah said getting up. Natsuki got up and looked at him with confusion.
"Eli it's fine!" Natsuki yelled across the cafeteria causing everyone to look at her and Elijah who was walking out of the cafeteria. He continued to walk without a reply to the eager girl.
He went through the doors of the cafeteria and into the hallway. He didn't look back even though he could hear Natsuki running after him. The swirling pain began in his heart and with every step he took it grew worse and it spread throughout his body. His mind was cycling thoughts over and over in his head.
"How could you be so selfish. All she wanted to do was have a good day and you had to fuck it up by having everything revolve around you. Now you think she's going to hate you. You wanted to push her away and you think that you'll be free from this. But she's going to cling on and you know that. And because of that, you're even more selfish. Even more worthless. Even more heartless." his mind spun from the thoughts.
"Get out of my head." Elijah whispered while holding his head. He leaned up against the hallway wall. "Get out of my head. Get out of my head." he repeated as he leaned his body even more against the wall.
"Are you okay?" Elijah heard Natsuki ask. Elijah looked over at her and she had a worried look on her face.
"Yeah I'm fine....I just need some time to think." Elijah said looking down.
"Pain. It's beautiful right? Such beautiful pain." his mind went off again and he screamed at it to stop in his head.
"Then why were you repeating 'get out of my head'?" Natsuki asked like she already knew what was going on.
"Just......look you don't need to worry about me okay? Concentrate on yourself and everything will be okay." Elijah said continuing to look at the ground.
"That's the exact reason why I need to be there for you. You're obviously going through some stuff and the only thing that's gonna help that is talking to someone." Natsuki reassured moving closer to Elijah. He hated himself for releasing so much of himself out. He wanted to build up bigger and stronger walls that no one could penetrate. He not only needed people to close themselves off from him, but he wanted them to.
"I'm not doing this." Elijah said closing his eyes. His head hanging down so it was facing the floor.
"Please just talk to me." Natsuki begged walking even closer to Elijah. With every step she took closer to him, the hurt grew even bigger. Elijah looked up at Natsuki who was staring at him with hurt in her eyes.
"One chance. It's in the mind." the creature's voice echoed in his mind. He thought it echoed in his mind. Natsuki stared above Elijah and began to back away. Confused, Elijah slowly turned around to see what was behind him. The creature was staring at him and then at Natsuki. It snarled and walked through Elijah towards Natsuki. It walked through him. It sent cold chills through every nerve in his body. His mind clouded up and he was in another dream or memory.
_____________________________________________________________
Everyone was exiting out of the huge dining room and into the long halls of the mansion. The adults went their separate ways while the three kids headed towards their room. They entered a huge room which shocked Elijah at the size of it. Noah and Natsuki headed towards two doors and they entered the separate doors. Elijah couldn't move he was so shocked. It had to have been the size of the entire downstairs of his house without the walls. Three large beds were placed at one side of the room. Elijah headed to one of them and sat on the bed. He laid down and he began to fall asleep.
"Taking a nap huh?" he heard a voice that was kind of familiar echo from his side. Elijah jolted up and turned to see who it was. Damion was standing at the foot of the bed, resting his arm on one of the large beams that held massive drapes over the bed.
"I was 'til you walked in." Elijah bitterly said as he rubbed his eyes.
"Hey, no need to get salty." Damion said to Elijah which caused him to roll his eyes.
"Whatever. What are you doing in here anyway?" Elijah said looking around to see Natsuki and Noah were on their beds doing their own thing.
"I thought that it'd be fun if we stalked our parents in their rooms. See what they've been doing." Damion excitedly said.
"Our parents? Wait......what?" Elijah thought in his head.
"Ew. What if they're doing it or something." Elijah said in disgust. Damion rolled his eyes.
"Oh don't be such a baby. C'mon little brother. Don't you wanna be detective Eli?" Damion said smiling.
"Little brother? Little brother!" Elijah screamed in his head.
"Fine." Elijah gave into Damion's quest and they began to walk out of the gigantic room.
_____________________________________________________________
Elijah felt the chills he got from when it walked through him and he saw the creature edging closer towards Natsuki. He grabbed the creature and pushed it out of Natsuki's way. He had another dream-like memory. Only this time it felt even weirder. He knew he recognized Damion, but he thought of it as just a daydream.
"There's no way he's my brother. Mom would've told me......right?" Elijah hesitantly said in his mind. The creature smiled at Elijah and then sharp pains went through some parts of his body. He winced, then he noticed that the creature had disappeared.
"It went right through you." Natsuki said from behind Elijah. He turned around and she was pale white.
"It's fine. It didn't hurt me." Elijah said looking at Natsuki while she shook her head.
"No. No you're not." Natsuki said as she slowly started to back away from him.
"What do you mean by that?" Elijah said beginning to feel worried.
"Are you dead?" Natsuki shakily asked.
Backwards
The place was overcrowded. I tried to keep my cool with all my might but, it wasn't much. I could barely see the pathway ahead of me, even though it only existed in my mind. My eyes desperately focused on patches of cobblestone between dresses, coats, and shoes, attempting at solving the puzzle. But in the midst of the heavy passersby swirl, I began feeling dizzy. The human mass was turning me around like I was air. Nobody even said "excuse me" along the way. And then, I heard a crack. To become shorter by a little over an inch on one side at that same second. My right foot collapsed, and I immediately lost my balance. I outstretched my arms, begging a stranger under my hand to stop in my mind. I grasped his shoulder, but he didn't give me as much as a second to try and regain my steadiness. He slid out like a bar of soap, pushing me a little bit backwards in the process. So, I ultimately fell back. On a person that had no other choice but to catch me because otherwise, both of us would've landed on the ground. And possibly gotten walked all over.
- Oh, my! - he cried, catching me so skillfully that I not only stood in place, but also faced him, turned around for one last time that day. Hey, Napoleon!
Someone called out, before I even had a chance to say I was sorry. Making me aware of the fact that I didn't have to look for my target anymore. As he found me himself.
- Are you alright, miss? with setting me on the right level for the time being. He held one of his forearms a little more firm, allowing me to put the weight on him. It struck me that he wasn't so short after all.
He completely ignored the man calling him, and grabbed my hands. That helped
- Yes, I just broke my heel off. I'm so sorry for falling on you - I mumbled as fast as a machine gun would.
I knew I didn't have much time.
- Your heel? I have a friend in town who is a shoemaker. I'm sure he can repair it for you - he smiled and I asked myself if the fact his eyes were so blue should take
me off track so easily. - That would be perfect, thank you so much! - I said in a bit too high pitch. He chuckled.
- Here, let me help you.
He offered me his arm, then acted like my walking stick. - Napoleon! - somebody cried out again.
- I'm coming, I'm coming! - he smiled at me again. - Don't worry, I'll have my sister Elisa help you with running errands if it's needed.
I followed his gaze to a basket I was holding in my hand, and suddenly remembered why I was there. But I smiled back at him, and nodded with as much grace as that of an elephant.
Thank you so, so much, sir. He laughed.
- Oh, don't you "sir" Monica. me, That's right, I didn't forget you completely, huh? I stopped to look at him more closely.
Pretended I examined his face and eyes, then smiled in disbelief. - Napoleon Bonaparte? - I mumbled.
- The one and only!
We giggled just like back then, when we were kids. It's unbelievable! - I squeezed his arm.
-What brings you all the way here, to Brienne-le-Château?
My parents decided to move here, because of father's work. He didn't have enough clients back home. People couldn't afford spices. - I shrugged. He bursted out laughing.
- Oh, that explains why your shoes aren't the best! Hey! I made a resentful face.
- Ok, ok. I apologize for my painfully true comment. On a more serious note, times aren't the best for any of us.
- There you are, Napoleon! Would you please stop disappearing in the crowd on an occasion like today? A tall man, wearing a french uniform got to us.
- Pierre, this lady needed help - he said in a tone that suggested he didn't think of it much. - So you necessarily had to run into people to save her, huh? An hour before your dispatch? You could've ruined your uniform!
- You know how I am. Charming - he winked at him. - Monica, meet Pierre Dégus, my best friend. Pierre, meet Monica, the spark of my childhood years. - How do you do, miss? - He bowed. -
I've heard a lot about you. He looked at me, unsuccessfully trying to stop a wide grin from spreading.
- Oh, really? Unfortunately, I cannot say this back. - She first met me at nine years old, shortly after we first moved to France.
So, unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of knowing you back then, Pierre.
- Of course you didn't. I was buried deep into a monk's basement, writing for him.
Father Jean taught you how to write, you sneak! Anyway, Monica here broke off her heel, so I need to take her to Maurice.
- Oh, no, no, no, Bonaparte! There isn't a way you're going to make it in time, back for the dispatch.
He rolled his eyes.
- Relax, I'll borrow their horse if I have to. But Neige hasn't had a chance to get tired it. yet, and it's not far away, so I doubt it.
Pierre put his hand on Napoleon's shoulder.
- You do realize what will happen if you're late?
He looked him dead in the eye. - I do. That's why it won't happen. Like I said, it's not far. And Monica is a friend, who just got here. I can't leave her without help, her family needs her.
- Right, you're the noble man - Pierre snickered. - I got your point. But I'll be fine. Back in half an hour at most. Don't get a constipation while I'm gone. - He patted his back, then nodded at him.
- Right. Just don't tell me I didn't warn you. Miss. - He bowed at me, then walked away.
We moved forward to a stable. He got his horse all ready in a minute.
- I'm really sorry but we're going to have to ride one horse. I'm not allowed to touch Pierre's, because it doesn't take liking in me, and there's no one around I could ask to borrow theirs. And I don't have time to look for anyone.
- It's fine, I completely understand. I'm really grateful regardless of the riding conditions. What dispatch was Pierre talking about?
He froze for a second, then looked at me. - I'm going to serve in the war. I did good in school so they're sending me away with honors.
- War? - I pretended to be shocked. - Come on, Monica. You've seen my uniform. People don't get into army to standby these days. I'm sure you know that.
- But, what if...
- Oh, you women are just... Then it happens. I'd rather go, doing something right. With a purpose, how'd you reckon? - I reckon I just got here and you're leaving already. - I sighed. He gave me a faint smile.
- I'm not leaving till next week. That's still some time, isn't it? How about we meet up tomorrow at noon to go for a walk? I know a nice place. We could catch up on the occasion.
- That sounds nice, thank you. - My pleasure. Now, let me help you onto that horse. We're still running late.
One Chance
Chapter 9:
Elijah's forehead was poring of sweat. He was confused and scared at the same time. Everything that Noah said made Elijah think of him in a completely different light. During the nightmare he told himself it was all fake and it was his mind playing games on him. But Noah's cold words and his dull eyes were burned into his memory.
"It was my head. It was playing games on me. Noah isn't like that. And that thing.....it told me I know why it's doing these things.....I don't though. How do I know? If I knew I could've saved Noah.....but if I did know.....and I didn't save him.....then it is my fault." Elijah thought to himself.
The intense feeling of guilt burrowed into his mind and his body. He couldn't go back to sleep. Not after what he had just witnessed. He turned his head and saw the time "4:27" the clock read. Elijah fell flat on his pillow and sighed. He moved his hand across the surface of his nightstand and grabbed his phone. He turned it on and began to surf the web.
Elijah heard his alarm clock scream at him and he turned his head away from his phone and turned it off. He sighed and slowly got up. His mind was racing in thoughts about the nightmare he had. It felt so real that he couldn't help but think Noah was telling the truth. He wanted advice on whether to believe Noah or not, but no one would believe him. They'd all think he was crazy. "....Except for Natsuki" Elijah thought to himself and smiled. Someone who knew it existed and had his back. She could help him. Elijah felt excited in the first time in a long time. He finished getting ready and almost ran down the stairs. To his surprise, his mom wasn't in the kitchen. He looked around confused until he saw a note.
Elijah.
I got a call from work saying I had to come in early. I'll also be working double shifts so won't be back until around 9:00. If you're hungry there's leftovers in the fridge.
-Mom
Elijah put the note down on the dining room table and made himself some breakfast. Mid way through his cereal, he got a text from Natsuki.
xX_MagicHeart_Xx: Hey.
LoRd_cHuNGus: Sup
xX_MagicHeart_Xx: Since we're neighbors and all, wanna walk to school together?
Elijah was hesitant by the question. He felt that if he walked with her, Noah would be watching and would hate him more.
"Pull yourself together. Noah is gone. I know it's hard to swallow, but he's not going to be watching you or hating you." Elijah told himself. He took a deep breath and wrote back to Natsuki.
LoRd_cHuNGus: Yeah we can.
xX_MagicHeart_Xx: Awesome. I'll be by in a few minutes.
LoRd_cHuNGus: Ok.
Elijah put his phone down and leaned back in his chair. He finished eating his breakfast when Natsuki knocked on his door. He clumsily walked up to it and creakily opened the door. He stared up and down at Natsuki who was beaming while looking at him.
"Same hoodie? Really?" Natsuki asked skipping into the house.
"Why? Is that wrong?" Elijah asked raising an eyebrow.
"Well it's just you wore it yesterday. Shouldn't you at least wash it?" Natsuki asked walking closer to Elijah.
"What's the point? It's comfy and it's not like anyone's gonna actually care about what I look like." Elijah said cracking a bit of a smile. Natsuki gave him an irritated look.
"Oh well. Let's go so we're not late." Natsuki said opening the front door and stepping outside. Her pigtails waving back and fourth with every step she took. Elijah soon followed her out. Elijah through up his hood of his hoodie and walked along side of Natsuki. She looked up at Elijah and caught a glimpse of his eyes under the sunlight, which were dark and looked tired.
"You look exhausted." Natsuki said to Elijah. He shrugged at her which made her frown.
"A shrug? Really? Did you get any sleep last night?" Natsuki asked continuing to look up at Elijah.
"Yeah somewhat." Elijah replied. He heard her voice, but he wasn't paying too much attention. His mind was in a completely different world that his mind had created. One where his life was back together. He lived in this world for the majority of the time Natsuki was talking. "Oh shit she's talking." Elijah thought to himself and he snapped out of his fake reality. He looked over at Natsuki who looked confused.
"Were you spacing out? 'Cause I said your name like five times and you were just staring into oblivion." Natsuki said crossing her arms.
"Yeah I was spacing out. I'm sorry. Now I'm not spacing out and I can listen to whatever you were saying." Elijah said looking in front of him.
"Did you see that thing last night?" Natsuki asked which made Elijah become paranoid. His heart began to race and thoughts ran through his head like he was listening to an audio book.
"Oh shit. Did she see it last night? Did it come to her? If it came to her then it's planning on hurting her. And it'll be my fault.....just like Noah said."
"....Just like Noah said..." Elijah said aloud. He was unaware that he said it aloud.
"What do you mean by 'Just like Noah said'?" Natsuki asked. Elijah looked at Natsuki and sighed.
"Last night I got a dream where I talked to him. It seemed real and like I was actually talking to him, but he was different. Noah's always been happy and bouncy and he hated things that were sad. And when I talked to him he was dark and cold. He told me that he was suffering and he killed himself because he couldn't take the extra pain of knowing that creature existed. He said how his whole life he was concealing his own pain for me, and I was selfish because I put all of my shit on top of his own and he couldn't take it." Elijah clenched his eyes shut and Natsuki let out a sigh.
"You're doing this to yourself. Like you said, it was just a dream. You're mind was probably blaming you for that because you feel guilty that you weren't there for him. But it's just a dream and I'm sure that Noah wasn't like that." Natsuki said looking at Elijah who was still looking at the ground.
"That's not the only thing I saw though. I saw that thing. And I asked why it was doing this.....and it told me I know why.......I don't though....I don't understand anything that's going on except for the part that it's my fault." Elijah said without much thinking. He regretted saying what he did to Natsuki. His heart was pounding even more and his stomach opened up into an even larger pit that felt like a boulder was placed in it and it was sinking.
"Stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault. What's done is done and all you can do is try and stop anything else from happening." Natsuki said to Elijah. He felt weak and his body wanted to fall on the ground and not get up.
"Um....Elijah..." Natsuki shakily said. Elijah looked up to see the creature staring down at the two of them.
It smiled and tilted it's head. Elijah stared at it. Looking at all of it's details which made his skin crawl. It's black face slightly reddened from extreme burns on it's face. It's mouth curled into a smile on one side of it's face, but the other had a gaping whole through the cheek that showed it's teeth like a skeleton. It's wide blank eyes staring with one white pupil surrounded in black on each eye. Dark veins were bulging from the sides of it's face and body. It's long body thin and dark with it's rib cage showing through the skin, some of the bones shoved through the skin. It's arms and legs long and bony.
"Go go go!" Elijah said backing up then turning in the other direction and running. Natsuki followed Elijah and they ran down the sidewalk with the creature following them.
They took a turn into an alleyway hoping the creature wouldn't notice them, but it followed them into the alleyway. The two of them slowly backed up into a fence. The creature moved forward as they moved back. It stared into their eyes and looked as if they were it's breakfast. Elijah's heart was pounding even faster than before, and now it was planning on killing them. But he wasn't worried about it killing him, he was worried about Natsuki. He only cared for the ones around him, and how it would effect them. If that creature killed him, he would be glad. But he has to protect Natsuki. That was the only thing he wanted to do.
"You're doing this for a reason." Natsuki said to the creature. It tilted it's head and stared at Natsuki. It didn't respond, but continued to stare. Elijah stared at the creature, trying get enough courage to talk to it. He swallowed his fear down, and took a deep breath.
"You said I know why you're doing this. But the thing that doesn't make sense about that is that if I knew why, then I could've helped so many people. If I knew, then things would be different. Yet they're not, so how do I know why?" Elijah questioned the creature who turned it's head towards Elijah.
"You know why. Your mind knows why. It's in the mind." Elijah heard it's scratchy and deep voice say in his head. Elijah was stunned, not knowing how it talked to him in his head.
"...But how.....I don't know." Elijah stuttered. He was confused on what was going on, and why everything was happening. It was like his whole reality was flipped upside down.
"Don't you hurt him!" Natsuki yelled at the creature who was edging towards him.
"Natsuki don't!" Elijah yelled moving closer to her and standing like a guard in front of her.
"You don't have to protect me, I can defend myself!" Natsuki said frustratingly, trying to move away from Elijah.
"Even if you could, I can't see you get hurt." Elijah said still guarding her from the creature that was now a few inches away from Elijah. Natsuki struggled, but Elijah kept his guard up. The creature stared into Elijah's eyes, then grabbed his head. Elijah's mind felt like someone was squeezing it into a pancake. It pounded like a migraine causing Elijah to let out a scream. He held both his hands on the side of his head and fell to his knees. The world around him became a blur, and bits of memories that he didn't remember having came to his mind.
"Elijah!" Natsuki yelled at Elijah who opened his eyes wide, and was walking down the sidewalk with Natsuki. She was yelling his name and he shook his head to assure himself that he wasn't dreaming. He looked over at Natsuki who looked irritated.
"Finally. I've been calling your name for like a century." Natsuki said looking at Elijah who was confused on what was happening.
"Weren't we....didn't we....." Elijah stuttered looking around at his surroundings.
"Did you hear what I said? Stop blaming yourself." Natsuki said to Elijah, but he wasn't listening. He remembered being in an alleyway with that creature. He remembered the horrible pain from when the creature grabbed his head. Now, he not only remembers what just happened, but new memories. Memories that he was sure didn't happen played in his mind.
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Elijah was sitting at a table. It wasn't the one from the house he was used to, but a square brown one. He was sitting in a comfortable chair at the table, and he was staring at the grey wallpaper. He looked around and decided to get up.
He moved across what seemed like a mansion, but one he didn't recognize. He didn't know why he was in the mansion, but he was. People walked by Elijah saying hi to him and he replied to them. Despite him not knowing who anyone was or why they were in the mansion with him.
He continued into a large room with a few people he didn't know, but also a few who he did. Noah and Natsuki sat across from each other at a long table for meetings, and all of their parents including Elijah's dad were talking at the table. A few older men and women sat at the table talking with Noah, Natsuki, and Elijah's parents. There was an empty seat that was waiting for Elijah to sit in it. Everyone looked at Elijah as he slid into the empty seat.
"Hey Eli!" Natsuki happily said to Elijah.
"Hey." Elijah replied with the same happy tone as Natsuki had. He felt a smile spread across his face as he sat at the table.
All of the adults stood up and shook hands with each other, and everyone's parents began to leave.
"C'mon kids. We're finished." Natsuki's mom said gesturing for the three kids to follow her.
They all got out of their seats and followed the parents across the mansion.
"Hey Eli. Wanna ditch dinner and play some PlayStation?" Noah asked Elijah who looked at him and smiled.
"Yeah totally." Elijah replied.
"Noah we have to be at dinner. Our parents said so." Natsuki said to Noah who rolled his eyes.
"Well Eli and I are gonna ditch it. And you're not gonna boss me around." Natsuki rolled her eyes at Noah's statement.
"Just because you guys feel like ditching doesn't mean you should. We're family and we should spend quality time together." Natsuki replied.
"We're only cousins though. It's not like we're siblings." Noah argued back at Natsuki who crossed her arms in irritation.
"Okay, let's just stop fighting. We'll just ask if we can skip dinner, and if not then I guess it's another boring dinner." Elijah said to Noah and Natsuki as they entered the dining hall of the mansion.
"Fine." Noah and Natsuki said in sync.
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"You're spacing out again." Natsuki said waving her hand in front of Elijah's face.
"Oh....um...sorry." Elijah replied sympathetically. He looked over to see Natsuki frowning at him.
"That's like the third time you've done that." Natsuki complained as they reached sight of the school.
"I'm sorry I'm just really spacey." Elijah said looking down. His mind was still trying to process the memory he had.
"Cousins? We can't be cousins.....there's no way......but he never said Natsuki and I were......just Natsuki and Noah....yeah.....that's what he meant." Elijah thought to himself. But the more he thought about it, the more he felt weird. When he first met Natsuki, he found her somewhat familiar, but didn't know how or what. And Noah Elijah had been best friends with all his life. His mom said their parents met when Elijah and Noah were babies, but she never told him how or when. He was confused and wanted answers. Nothing made sense anymore, but a voice kept echoing in his mind.
"You know why. It's in the mind." The creature's voice echoed like an endless playlist. But somehow, Elijah felt like he knew more than before, but he didn't know if it was the memory or not. It could've been a dream for all he knew.
Elijah and Natsuki entered the school without saying a word to each other. Elijah's mind was occupied on figuring out what was happening, and why his world was being messed up the way it was. Elijah walked through the hallways of the school and into the classroom where he sat at his usual seat.
"You only have one chance." Elijah heard the creature say in his head.
"One chance."
You Know Why
Chapter 8:
Elijah opened his eyes, expecting the normal screams of his alarm or the sight of his poster littered walls. To his surprise, he couldn't hear or see those. He was surrounded in a black abyss and everywhere he looked seemed endless. He felt his heart begin to pound, fear welling up inside off him. He slowly stood up, looking around at the endless void. He was standing on a black tile floor that reached as far as he could see. He didn't understand anything that was happening. "Is this a dream? Why am I here?" he questioned in his mind. He was afraid to speak, for the possibility that someone was there. Someone that would hurt him.....or his mom....or Natsuki. The thoughts caused his heart to pound even more. He was confused on where he was and why he was there.
"How?" a familiar voice said from behind Elijah. He quickly spun around and his heart stopped.
"Noah?" Elijah asked shakily. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Noah was dead, yet he's staring into his blue saucer eyes.
Elijah scanned his body, noticing things he hadn't seen before. He was wearing a thin denim jacket with a dark blue hood. He had baggy dark blue jeans accompanied with a lime green shirt beneath the jacket. He had a thick dark red and bruised ring around his neck from when he hung himself.
"How are you here?" Noah asked with no life in his voice. It was as if his bubbly spirit had been ripped from him and he was left with a cold empty shell.
"I don't know.....this is a dream right?" Elijah asked. His mind spun with confusion on what was going on. "This has to be a dream......right?" Elijah thought to himself. Noah stared deeply into Elijah's eyes. Noah's once lit eyes were dull and blank. The light in his hair became dark and dead. He looked like he just walked out of a grave.
"To you it may be, but to me...to people like me....this is a prison. A prison for the dead." Noah bluntly said, his voice still ringing in coldness.
"A prison for the dead? What do you mean? Are you really here? Am I actually talking to you?" Elijah shot questions at Noah. He stood there with a blank expression and shook his head.
"If it weren't for you I'd still have a life. I wouldn't be in this hell." Noah said coldly, his pale eyes turning darker from what looked like anger. Elijah stood there confused. He had been blaming himself, but there was still a small part of him that had a little bit of hope it wasn't because of him. But after Noah saying that, that bit of hope had been torn out of him.
"Noah I know you're mad but-" Elijah started before Noah interrupted.
"You had to tell me about your stupid problems about that thing that keeps following you around hurting everyone you have contact with. You telling me that thing was hunting you caused it to go after me." Noah spat at Elijah who remained frozen in his place.
"Noah I'm sorry. I didn't know it'd kill you. I know I can't take that back and I'm suffering for it. Go ahead and punish me along with it. I deserve every last ounce of pain this world has to throw at me." Elijah said looking down. He felt the usual burning sensation start in the pit of his stomach. A lump in his throat grew as he said this. Guilt overpowered every other emotion he had in his mind.
"Of course. 'Oh I feel this. Oh I feel that'. You always bitch about your own issues and how you're feeling, yet you never ask about anyone else around you. Has it ever occurred to you that that 'happy and careless' personality was a lie?" Noah air quoted the 'happy and careless' part while coldly spatting at Elijah. He was shocked by what Noah said.
"He has been lying about his personality? Why? How long had he been doing it?......or was he always like this and I've been too caught up in my own life that I didn't even notice." Elijah thought to himself. Questions built up in his mind along with even more guilt.
"How?......Why?" Elijah stumbled on his words, the shock taking over his body."
"I lied because you were so caught up in your life I knew you wouldn't actually care enough to worry about me so I faked it. My whole life I've been lying for you. And then you forced me into your creature mess and caused me to be so paranoid that I killed myself. And it's all your fault." Noah said walking towards Elijah. He closed his eyes, refusing to look into Noah's empty eyes. "This isn't real. It's just a dream! This isn't real!" Elijah yelled in his mind.
"Get out of my head you son of a bitch!" Elijah yelled opening his eyes at Noah who opened his empty eyes wide and let out a sinister smile.
Elijah closed his eyes. He knew this wasn't Noah. Noah wasn't like this. Besides, it was a dream. A dream his mind was creating to dig deeper into his self pity and guilt. Elijah opened his eyes to find Noah had disappeared. Elijah spun around in search of the dark Noah. He felt a dark presence appear from behind him. Chills ran down his spine and he knew in the back of his mind what it was. Fear over welled him. He didn't want to turn around. He didn't want to see it. His mind screamed to stay in the spot he was and not turn around, but his body said otherwise. He slowly moved his body to look behind him. He faced it. The creature that had hurt and murdered so many people. Elijah stared deep into it's dead stare.
"What do you want with me? Why are you doing this? Why did you kill everyone else but me?" Elijah questioned the creature as it hunched to the side, it's neck craned to the side, staring deeply into Elijah's fear filled eyes. A dark smile spread across it's dark face. It slowly edged towards Elijah.
"Answer me." Elijah spat at the creature. His body shaking with fear and his mind spun. The creature came to a halt when it was only a couple inches away from Elijah. It slowly moved it's head downwards.
"You know why." it scratchily said. At that moment, Elijah jolted up in his bed.
Last Day Of Men
I watch their future unfold with omnipotent clarity while they wreak dread havoc upon their world. No remorse or sadness do they feel, as they crush all things to dust with their passing. They slash at the mother who gave them life and they strip bare all her raiments in an endless pursuit of power. They strip the soil of nourishment, leaving behind only parched ground where once fertile earth had sustained them. Disinterested, the eyes of man look on as their mother wastes away, her skin dry and cracked, falling from emaciated bones. They scurry about with preconceived notions of importance, and edicts that were writ by them, to assuage themselves and prove to themselves their godlike importance. Self serving, they take no notice as their mother falters and diminishes while man conquers and consumes. To slash and burn, to rake uncaring claws across her bosom, secking the very marrow in her bones and the flesh from her body.
As tired infection spreads, and weakens their mother, they watch with indifference as that plague slowly consumes her. They watch with disinterest as her tears turn sour with the black taint that spreads from their soulless tabernacles. Myth and worship they create to further their parasitic ideals. They poison the very wellsprings of life from whence they came, uncaring and with a malignant zeal borne not of these realms. Wielding archaic machines, the humans scour clean the lungs of their splendid mother, and turn away as she gasps in vain of the poisonous clouds that remain. They look on as she lies like a beggar clothed in rags of filth and detritus. Still, she reaches out to her offspring. With broken hands and wasted bones, she yearns to protect them and nourish them. To shield them from their dread enemy. Themselves. To sacrifice herself even, she languishes upon the barren altars of old where once men worshipped her as a God.
Now the mother prays for her children and beckons to the ancient and unknown gods of her dim pantheon for their salvation and redemption. She cares not for herself, but only for the offspring that have destroyed her and consumed her with such cold indifference. For her time is at an end, her beauty is failing, her nourishing bosom is dried up and the breath she breathes has become pestilence. Hollowed out and barren, her children have flayed her raw, leaving nothing but a husk. Her children, those ravaging humans, turned to the sky whilst she perished, with nary a thought or a prayer. They did not notice the last color draining from her dry dusty bones, nor did they weep. Only they thought of themselves and what lay beyond her ruined body. Where else could they reap and harvest and consume? They looked to those old gods for salvation and begged and pleaded until eventually they set out to find them.
To the old gods they looked for salvation, for respite, but only one of their children had ever cast its gaze upon men. For those dim deities were as indifferent as mankind always they looked out into the empty voids. Watching in endless, cold silence. Only their mother had reached out from ageless dark eons and gave them life where there was none and gave them sanctuary in those endless black gulfs. She nurtured them and protected them from the terrifying expanse. She coaxed them from their sanctums beneath primordial seas, to grow and sculpt her as they saw fit. She gave them the tools they needed to harness all things and forge their existence however they desired.
Her dim brethren drifted across the great voids, and never again did they look back toward their dying sister and her children. They left her alone in the endless black sea and eventually drifted beyond even her remote memory. In some distant future, those men had stripped their mother bare and left her alone, gone in search of her brethren beyond those limitless black gulfs. She watched them depart and sighed her final breath. At long last, her children had consumed her to the very last. They left one day as the Earth died, gone in search of their mother's kin, out there across the endless dark ocean.
Stronger Than You
Chapter 7:
The bell rang and Elijah sighed and slowly moved out of the classroom. Elijah faced the ground beneath him as he walked through the crowded hallway. He tried his hardest to focus off of the hurt, which to his luck slightly worked, but not completely. He got to his locker and began to put his stuff inside of it.
"You look sad again." Elijah heard a girl say next to him. He jumped and jolted his head towards the girl who frowned at him.
"Oh c'mon. I'm not that scary am I?" Natsuki said folding her arms. Elijah's tense face loosened in relief.
"No it's just you snuck up on me." Elijah said, taking his hand off his chest.
"Well if you weren't daydreaming, maybe you'd have noticed me." Natsuki argued. Elijah raised an eyebrow.
"Well daydreaming makes me not think about school, and you legit popped out of nowhere." Elijah said, regretting saying the part about Natsuki popping out of nowhere. It reminded him of Noah, which made his stomach turn.
"Okay one, I don't pop out of nowhere. And two, you look like you're gonna puke." Natsuki said to Elijah. His face was pale, and had the look of nausea.
"I'm.....I'm fine." Elijah shakily replied. His stomach began to settle, but since his mind wasn't focused, his stomach started to burn from his pain. Elijah tried to focus on talking to Natsuki, hoping the burning would go away.
"Are you sure?" Natsuki asked, slowly walking over to Elijah. She looked into Elijah's eyes, which made him feel nervous and awkward.
"Um...yeah....yeah I'm fine." Elijah said nervously. Beads of sweat dropped off his face, causing Natsuki to give a confused look.
"Why are you sweating so much?" she asked tilting her head in curiosity. Elijah's eyes widened and he looked away from her.
"Oh um......nothing...I'm just....hot.." Elijah stuttered. Natsuki raised an eyebrow.
"Hot huh? Well why don't you take off your hoodie." Natsuki asked staring at Elijah's black hoodie that was laying on his body.
"Oh...um...I'm not hot anymore." Elijah said to Natsuki who rolled her eyes.
"Whatever." she said, completely aware of Elijah's attempt to find a reason of his sweat.
"So I'll see you next class okay?" Natsuki excitedly said to Elijah.
"Yeah." Elijah awkwardly said. He looked down to avoid eye contact with Natsuki.
She smiled and turned in the other direction. Elijah turned the opposite way of Natsuki and walked down the hallway. He made a right and immediately wished he hadn't. He felt chills run down his spine and goosebumps appear on every inch of his body. Dylan was laying on the floor while the creature that killed Noah and attacked Liam was clawing at his body. It bent down more to where it's head was centimeters away from Dylan's face. It opened it's mouth to the size of Dylan's face and took a chunk out of it. Elijah bent over and puked on the ground. It just ate him. Not just his face, his head. The creature noticed Elijah and quickly turned it's head around. Elijah forced himself to look up. It's head was turned all the was around. It's body soon followed and it stood up. It's white pupils staring Elijah's eyes. He couldn't move. He just stood there, staring at the creature who slowly edged towards Elijah.
"Hey Elijah what are yo- What the fuck is that?" Natsuki yelled from behind Elijah. The creature turned it's head towards Natsuki. It snarled and started to move towards her.
"Run!" Elijah yelled at Natsuki who didn't think about asking why.
She booked it down away from the creature where Elijah followed her. They both entered an empty classroom and ducked beneath the classroom door.
"What was that thing?" Natsuki shakily asked. Her face extremely pale from the fear.
"I don't know exactly, but it keeps coming back." Elijah replied to Natsuki who looked at him confused.
"What do you mean by it keeps coming back?" Natsuki shook as she sat on the floor.
"That thing has been in these nightmares I've had since I was ten. And every time they do, someone either gets hurt or dies." Elijah explained. Natsuki looked at Elijah with sorrow and fear.
"Who all has died and gotten hurt?" Natsuki asked. Elijah didn't want to tell her, but he didn't have a choice. She needed to be protected and she needed to know the truth. Elijah took a deep breath.
"A week after I started getting the nightmares about that thing, my dad got in a car accident and died. But only a few days ago is when I found out that my dad got in a car accident because of that thing and after they wrecked, that thing started to tear apart my dad limb from limb. Afterwards they went away and they came back about a week before my best friend Noah committed suicide last Friday. However, I don't think he committed suicide, but that thing killed him making it look like a suicide. But before Noah died, my bully Liam was out into a coma by that thing. I don't understand it though. It hurts and kills everyone around me, but it never hurts me. I should've never let you into my life. It's just gonna kill you and I'm gonna be left with nothing but hurt." Elijah explained putting his head into his knees. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." he repeated before Natsuki put her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't be sorry. If you were alone on this I don't think you would've made it. And your dad and Noah didn't die because of you. You didn't deliberately go over to them and stab them or something. It's not your fault and stop blaming yourself." Elijah shook his head.
"You don't get it. You need to get away from me before it does something to you." Elijah said with his face buried in his knees. It caused his voice to be muffled and almost unheard.
"I'm not going anywhere." Natsuki replied. Elijah looked up and turned over to face Natsuki.
"Please! Get away from me! I'm begging you." Elijah begged at Natsuki who shook her head.
"No. I can protect myself if I have to and you need me. You're breaking, and losing the people around you is hard. My older brother died a few years ago from cancer. But we can't control these things, we can only be with each other in the time of need. Elijah this is your time of need. Trust me. It's better to be with than without." Natsuki said to Elijah who stared into her eyes. He shook his head and got up from the floor.
"You may be able to protect yourself, but that thing is stronger and faster and a lot more terrifying than you. I don't want you getting hurt, and it seems that it only comes when I'm around. So if you won't stay away from me, I'll just stay away from you." Elijah said grabbing the handle of the classroom door while Natsuki quickly jumped up.
"You can't do this to yourself." Natsuki protested. Elijah turned his head to look at Natsuki's face.
"I'm doing this for the sake of your life Natsuki. I would rather you be alive and away from me than dead and close to me." Elijah said opening the door and quickly walking out of it. He closed his eyes, having to leave behind a friend. She ran after Elijah and started to walk when she got close to him.
"Don't do this to yourself." Natsuki said to Elijah who continued to walk down the hallway. He didn't reply, just walked down the hallway and into his next class.
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Walking home was hard for Elijah. He was again alone, but he also did this to himself. But he knew that Natsuki's life was more important than his. He already had his mom who was close to him, but he couldn't keep his distance from her. But he could from Natsuki, and he would do it for the sake of her protection. "You can't do this to yourself. Don't do this to yourself. I can protect myself." her voice echoed in Elijah's mind "Yes I do have to do this. And even if you could protect yourself, doesn't mean you should." Elijah replied to her in his mind. Even though he knew she wouldn't hear him. He walked up to his house and opened the door. He clumsily sets down his things and walks into the kitchen when his heart skips a beat. Natsuki and her parents were sitting at the table talking to his mom.
"Oh there he is. Hi Elijah. These are our new neighbors." his mom said to Elijah who looked around at the three guests. Natsuki looks at Elijah and smiles.
"Yeah, we met at school today." Natsuki said to his mom and she smiled.
"Oh, well that's good. You two can be friends that live next to each other." Natsuki's mom said looking at Natsuki then to Elijah.
"Well why don't you two go and do something while we talk." his mom said looking at Elijah.
"Good idea Natalie." Natsuki's mom said almost pushing Natsuki out of the chair she was sitting in. She got up and walked over to Elijah.
"Well you can't avoid me now." Natsuki said smiling at Elijah.
"Whatever. My room's up here." Elijah said nodding at the stairs. He started to walk up them and Natsuki followed.
"So what are we gonna do?" Natsuki blurted out. Elijah turned around to face Natsuki.
"What do you mean?" Elijah asked with a raised eyebrow.
"What do I mean? Oh I don't know, how about a creature tried to kill us today?" Natsuki said almost yelling.
"Okay chill out." Elijah said with his hands raised above his head like a criminal getting arrested.
"Look, I don't know what we need to do. I mean....it just pops out of nowhere and I don't know how to handle it." Elijah said putting his hands in his hoodie's pockets.
"How about figure out what the hell it is and why it wants to attack us." Natsuki suggested in a frustrated manner. Elijah knew she was just scared, but her irritation was making him feel uncomfortable.
"It's not after us, it only came after you because of me." Elijah spat. Natsuki rolled her eyes.
"Like I said, I can protect myself. Just.....figure out what that thing is since it's so fond of you and we'll deal with this stuff later." Natsuki said crossing her arms and looking away.
"I'll find out." Elijah said softly. He could feel the tension from Natsuki in the air and it was making him feel even more uncomfortable. They stayed silent for a while until Natsuki broke the silence.
"You like anime?" Natsuki asked looking at a poster of Tokyo Ghoul.
"Uh...yeah." Elijah replied laying on his bed. She turned around and stared at his PlayStation 4. She looked over at Elijah who was looking at her, then the PlayStation. Elijah sighed and got up and turned the PlayStation on.
"How did you know?" Natsuki asked looking at Elijah with curiosity.
"No one can resist the powers of the PlayStation." Elijah said causing Natsuki to raise an eyebrow.
"The powers of the PlayStation? I swear you watch people play GTA under your covers at night when you're supposed to be asleep." Natsuki laughed which caused Elijah to smile.
"Not just GTA. GTA fails." Elijah corrected Natsuki who laughed and the two began to play.
_____________________________________________________________
"I'll see you tomorrow." Natsuki said to Elijah as her and her parents left. They walked out the door and as soon as the door closed, Elijah's mom or Natalie smiled and walked over to Elijah.
"So how do you like Natsuki?" she asked Elijah.
"She's cool and everything it's just that.....if she gets too close there's a high chance she's gonna die. I want to be friends with her, I just can't let her get hurt." Elijah replied looking down and holding his hand on his arm.
"Elijah. What that thing does isn't something you can control." Natalie said to Elijah putting her hand on his shoulder.
"It ripped apart Dylan like it did Liam. And when I saw it, it stood there looking at me. Then Natsuki saw that thing, and it started to go after her. We ran into an empty classroom and it didn't find us. The minute it saw her, it started to go after her. It saw me, and nothing but a stare. Why does it not hurt me, but the ones around me?" Elijah clenched his eyes shut and put his hand over his eyes.
"You need to stop blaming yourself. And Natsuki will be okay. Trust me." Natalie explained to Elijah who refused to look at her. He sighed and walked into the kitchen. He looked at the oven clock which read "9:03".
"I'm going to bed." Elijah said starting to walk up the stairs.
"Without dinner?" Natalie asked looking at Elijah with curiosity.
"I'll eat tomorrow. It's fine." Elijah said hurrying up the stairs.
"Good night!" his mom yelled as he entered his room.
"Night." Elijah yelled back.
He put his pajamas on and laid in his bed. His mind circled around thoughts that lingered in his mind. Whenever Natsuki was around, he felt happy. The pain his mind created was numbed when she was next to him. He liked the feeling, but knowing in the back of his mind that her life is in danger whenever she did so much as look at him caused his happiness to turn into guilt. He was full of regret remembering how he gave her his number. How they were becoming friends. He wanted to do nothing more than protect her. He wanted her to be safe. His mind added a new horrible thing he was to it's repeated playlist. Killer. The words repeated, but now all he heard was Killer. His mind spun. He hated himself even more for letting her in. He was weak, and because of that an innocent girl was going to die. He put his face in his pillow and clenched his eyes shut.
"Get out of my head!" he screamed in his pillow. "Get out of my head. Get out of my head. Get out of my head." Elijah repeated in his pillow.
"You think you can consume me. You think you can control my mind. You think all these things, but I know what I think. I think I'm stronger than you. No. I know I'm stronger than you. I will defeat you. You're the reason I'm keeping myself away from Natsuki. You're the reason I think of myself the way I do. You're the reason why I think of ways to kill myself. I'm stronger than you. Get out of my head. Just get out of my head." Elijah thought to himself. This thought causing him to go to sleep.
Whatever it Takes
Chapter 6:
Sunday was like the day before, nothing but pain and suffer. Monday came around and Elijah was quite glad, because it could take his mind off of the world around him. The only things during the weekend that allowed him to do so was music and PlayStation. Elijah sighed as he slowly got ready for school. He wore the same black hoodie he had been wearing that whole weekend. It was usually what he wore when he was upset. Because of that, he didn't expect to take it off soon. Elijah sighed and slowly moved down the carpeted staircase and into the kitchen. His mom had already made him some breakfast which Elijah quietly dug into.
"Still not talking?" his mom asked Elijah who was looking down at his bowl of cereal.
"What's the point to?" he asked not looking up from his gaze downward.
"Well you have to eventually. What about school? What will you do if the teacher calls on you to answer the question?" she asked with a tone of confidence, as if Elijah couldn't evade the situation.
"Answer the question and go about my day." he replied leaving his mom irritated.
"You know what? Fine. Don't talk. But people are gonna realize that you're not okay. And when that happens, you're gonna run to me asking for help. And of course I'll help you, but an 'I told you so' will be given." his mom said to Elijah who shrugged at her statement.
"Okay." he replied taking his bowl to the sink and rinsing it out with water. He looked at the oven clock which read '7:02'.
He walked out of the kitchen without another word to his concerned mom and grabbed his bag. He slowly reached the front door creakily opening it.
"Bye Elijah." his mom said to him waving a small hand.
"Bye." Elijah replied without looking back.
The bus had arrived and Elijah shuffled into the bus that was so condensed, it was like he was shoved into a sardine can. He sat in an empty seat towards the back of the bus and rested his head against the window. His body ached and his stomach was burning. He wanted the pain to go away, but it never did.
"This seat taken?" a girl's voice asked from Elijah's side who he looked up at. A shorter girl stared into his eyes. Her eyes were silver and had a tint of hazel in them making it a perfect combination. They were slightly slanted, showing she was of Asian decent. She had long maroon hair that laid on her shoulders. She was wearing a lavender colored sweater that was fuzzy and warm. She had dark blue skinny jeans that her lavender chucks covered at the ankles. Elijah nodded at the girl who sat down next to him. She looked at Elijah who continued to rest his head on the window.
"Hey why so gloomy?" the girl asked Elijah who looked over at her.
"It's nothing." he replied while sitting up in his seat more and looking down.
"It doesn't seem like it? I know people when they get sad, and this is definitely it." she said to Elijah who sighed. He didn't want to tell a girl he just met the things he was going through. He wanted to get to know her first that way he could determine whether she was trustworthy or not. But at the same time, he was terrified to let her into his life. Even as an acquaintance, he couldn't take the risk of the creature killing her. However, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he had someone that could keep his mind off other things.
"I'll tell you once I know I can trust you." Elijah said truthfully, not completely sure of her reaction. He expected her to roll her eyes and leave his side or yell at him for not trusting her.
"Not one to trust easily huh?" she asked which Elijah looked at her with confusion.
"Uh....I guess you could call it that." Elijah replied to the girl, still refusing to look at her. The girl smiled.
"I'm Natsuki by the way." she said to Elijah who finally looked at her. She released another smile causing him to let out a small smirk.
"Elijah." He replied to the girl named Natsuki who let out her hand in hopes of a handshake. Elijah shook her hand.
"Wow, you have a firm grip." she said after he let go of her hand and she held her hand in her other.
"I didn't hurt you did I?" Elijah asked, his heart race in fear.
"Of course not. Just a firm grasp, which is really cool." Natsuki said to Elijah which caused him to calm down.
"Oh okay. I just didn't want to hurt you." Elijah replied to Natsuki who was playing with a strand of her dark hair. Elijah looked down and messed with the sleeves to his hoodie.
"Aww! That's so sweet. I bet you have a girlfriend." she said to Elijah letting out a big smile.
"Girlfriend? You're like the only girl I've talked to that hasn't called me a dork or made fun of me in some way. There's no way in hell I'd ever get a girlfriend." Elijah said to her. She raised an eyebrow.
"Okay. Two things Elijah. One, you're not a dork and I don't know how anyone could think that. And two, I'm sure if you tried hard enough, you'd get any girl you wanted." Natsuki reassured Elijah who continued to look down.
"I'll try when they come back from the dead." Elijah whispered underneath his breath.
"What?" Natsuki asked causing Elijah to look up at her.
"Oh...um....nothing...it's nothing." Elijah stuttered hesitantly. His heart began to race again. "Did she hear me? Oh god what if she starts wondering who they are? Shit shit shit shit!" Elijah started to panic when Natsuki shrugged.
"Okay." she said and she leaned back in her seat.
"Wait....you're not curious or anything?" Elijah asked with a confused look on his face. He didn't know why she didn't ask him what he said which caused him to be confused.
"Well I know you muttered something under your breath, but if you didn't want me hearing it then it's none of my business to interrogate you" Natsuki pointed out.
"Oh.....I just kinda assumed that you'd ask since....you know....everyone else does." Elijah said looking away from Natsuki.
"Well I'm not like everyone else. They're all gossipy and pitch perfect. I mean, I'm pretty preppy, but I'm definitely no mean girl." Natsuki replied, which made Elijah feel a little better.
"If you were, you'd already have thrown lipstick at me or something." Elijah said looking at Natsuki who let out a toothy grin.
"Lipstick? Wow I can actually imagine that." Natsuki let out a small laugh which caused Elijah to unknowingly smile. "You're pretty funny." Natsuki said to Elijah who looked down and suddenly became red.
"I....uh.....wouldn't go as far to say that." Elijah said to Natsuki who smiled again at Elijah.
"You're so red right now." she laughed while Elijah turned his head in the other direction so she couldn't see his blushing face.
"Um....uh...." Elijah stuttered unable to find any words. He felt this tingle inside his stomach that fought against the burning. The pain he normally felt wasn't as bad as before, but still there. The endless loop of things he was stopped playing in his head. He felt an emotion that he hadn't felt since before Noah died. Happiness.
"It's okay Elijah. I'm just messing with you." Natsuki said to Elijah who was even more red out of both blushing and embarrassment. She messed up his hair with her hand causing it to stick out in all different directions. Elijah looked up at Natsuki who smiled when she saw his hair.
"You look beautiful now." Natsuki said to Elijah about the mop on his head. He shook his head around and brushed his hair back in place with the tips of his fingers. Natsuki frowned.
"Oh come on. It looked amazing!" Natsuki whined looking at Elijah's neat hair.
"Well if I were to keep it like that, I don't think I'd make it out of school without at least a wedgie." Elijah said to Natsuki who rolled her eyes.
"Well you have me to protect you." Natsuki said lifting up her fists.
"Natsuki, don't take this as me being against women or anything, but you're a girl and I wouldn't let you protect me. If anything it'd be the other way around." Elijah said to Natsuki who's eyes lit up.
"You'd do that? Even though we only met like twenty minutes ago?" Natsuki asked Elijah who nodded. "You're so sweet!" Natsuki said hugging Elijah.
The warmth against his body sent pains shooting through him again. The playlist of things he was began again, and the burning in his stomach grew larger, along with the tingly feeling he had when Natsuki complemented his humor. Elijah didn't know what to do. Hug her back, or back away. He decided to hug her back, which made him hurt even more. Now inside his head was a piercing scream that overrode all other thoughts in his head. Natsuki ended the embrace and Elijah's mind was still screaming, but it was becoming fainter. "Why hurt more when people care? Why hurt at all?" Elijah thought to himself and Natsuki looked at him with confusion.
"Is something wrong? You look like you did when you were leaning against the window." Natsuki asked Elijah worryingly.
"Oh..um....nothing. I'm fine" Elijah said to Natsuki who frowned at his evasion to her question. The bus came to a halt as it appeared in front of the school.
"Well I guess this is it. Hey, what grade are you in? Maybe we'll have the same classes." Natsuki said eagerly as Elijah looked down.
"I'm in 9th." he said to her as her eyes lit up even more.
"Me too!" Natsuki exclaimed as she pulled out a piece of paper from her backpack. She handed it over to Elijah for him to inspect. "These are all my classes." Elijah looked through the schedule and heeded the classes he had with her.
"We have English and Science together." Elijah said handing back the schedule.
"Maybe we can be study partners or something." Natsuki said, bouncing in her seat from excitement.
"Yeah. We could" Elijah replied to the happy girl, as everyone got up from their seat to leave the bus.
"Guess I'll see you at English and Math. Lunch too maybe?" Natsuki asked Elijah who smiled at her idea.
"Yeah." Elijah said, his heart felt as if it was being compressed between to pieces of metal. He acted as if everything was fine.
"Alright. See you then!" Natsuki said getting up from the seat they were both in, slowly making it to the front. The two got off the bus and they waved at each other as they departed.
"Why? Why did you have to let her in Elijah? Now she's gonna be close to you, so then she's going to die. You're going to kill her. It's all going to be your fault. Push her away. Save her from you torment." his mind went off as he walked through the school halls.
He knew he'd hate himself for befriending Natsuki, but he needed someone to talk to. Someone who thought of him as a friend, and not a dork. Elijah shook his head, hoping Natsuki would be safe. He knew that if that thing came near her, he'd do whatever it takes to save her. Even though he failed to save Noah, he felt as if he could have redemption. A second chance. He just hoped that this second chance he has he wouldn't fail her. The thought of losing someone else made him hurt even more. His stomach felt as if someone put a flaming rock inside of him. Burning and sinking. His heart never ceased to stop squeezing, neither did his mind stop the screaming. He took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down. He focused on determination, and that he's do whatever it takes to take down the thing that's tearing his life apart. Whatever it takes to save the people he had left to care about. He grabbed his things from his locker and slowly walked to the beginning class of the day, in hopes that eventually this pain will go away. He focused more on his determination. Spacing out into a realm where his life was all together, but his mind showed him small frames of his broken life. He sat at his desk and and laid his head down as he waited for the teacher. The screaming continued, his body aching from the hurt. But this pain, although it felt as if it were all real, was just the hurt his mind played. Replaying his pain on his body over and over, creating Hell in his body. Hell in his mind. He knew that was all it was. A living nightmare. But he forced himself to not focus on the pain. To focus on his fixed realm. To focus on another reality. It worked, until the teacher came in and he had to snap out of his trance. He looked up at the teacher, and began the nightmare of a school day.
Endless Loop of Pain
Chapter 5:
Elijah opened his eyes when he heard his alarm scream at him to wake up. At first, he couldn't remember anything that happened except for him turning his alarm clock off. Memories of the day before flooded into his mind and he grumbled turning over on his bed. He laid his cold face on the sweaty pillow beneath him, wanting the world to swallow him whole. He felt as if everyone in his life is gone because of him. The creature that's been following him has taken everyone from him. The thought made him clench his eyes shut. He screamed into his pillow which caused it to be muffled and unheard. Elijah panted as he turned over on his bed and laid flat on his back. He looked around his room, wanting it all to go away. His stomach sank and his heart felt like someone was squeezing it. His mind flooded in thoughts that made him not want to be awake. He wanted to go back to sleep, and never wake up. He slowly breathed as he thought about these things. Every inch of his body ached from the ever lasting pain that he felt would never go away. It just lingered there, holding onto the last little bit of light inside of him to swallow it whole. Take away the last little bit of him that cared. Elijah sighed, his mind causing him to hurt even more. Elijah looked at the time. "9:13" it read. He slowly got up, despite every bit of him screaming for him to not do so, but he knew that if his mom saw him like this, it would break her too. He only cared for his mom, not for himself. He needed to act like everything's fine so his mom doesn't worry. He needed to stay strong, even though he was slowly dying inside.
Elijah walked through the cold hallway, thinking of nothing. His mind on a repeated playlist of all the horrible things he is. Worthless. Heartless. Selfish. Evil. Liar. Breaker. Monster. Horrible. Nothing. They repeated, over and over. Elijah breathed in, but his body wanted him to collapse, and stop breathing. He continued to breath. He didn't collapse. His whole world was falling apart and he had to act as if everything was fine. Elijah slowly threw on some other pajamas, his body telling him to stop. He went downstairs to greet his mom, though his mind told him to go back to sleep.
"Hey honey." his mom said to him as he walked into the living room. She was sitting on the couch looking at something on her phone. Elijah sat in the lazy chair his dad used to sit in. As he sat in it, his stomach burned. His mind swirled in the repeated words. Worthless. Heartless. Selfish. Evil. Elijah closed his eyes and tried his hardest to space out. To think about anything except his life.
"Elijah!" his mom snapped to get his attention. Elijah quickly opened his eyes and looked at her.
"Are you okay?" she asked Elijah who was pale and cold. His eyes dark and his face unreadable.
"I'm fine." Elijah weakly said. His body slowly sinking into the large deep brown chair.
"It doesn't look like it. You can talk about it if you-" his mom said before Elijah snapped.
"I'm fine!" Elijah regretted saying that. Especially after his mom looked at him in shock. She leaned back a little and stared at him.
"You've never snapped at me before." his mom said looking at Elijah with fear. Elijah's face became saddened and he took his darkened gaze away from his mom and looked the other way.
"I'm sorry. I'm such a horrible person." Elijah quietly said looking down. His eyes becoming blurry.
"You're not a horrible person. Why would you think that?" his mom asked, scooting over on the couch to be closer to Elijah.
"Don't you get it? Everything bad that's happening is because of me. That thing is there because of me. I'm the one it wants, and it used dad and Noah to do that. They're both dead now, and it's my fault. If I never intervened in anyone's life...if I didn't exist....this would've never happened. If I don't exist....it won't hurt anyone else." Elijah weakly said. His voice stuttered showing his crushed soul.
"Elijah. None of this is your fault. That thing I know killed your father, but that is its fault. Noah committed suicide, which is his fault. Do you see where you don't fit in this?" his mom pointed out to him. Elijah wanted to make the argument that Noah didn't kill himself, but was too weak to say anything.
"I do though. I should've never told Noah about that thing. Now I'm paying for it. And that's okay, because I deserve to be punished. Just not in a way where innocent people have to die." Elijah said. His voice cracked here and there, but he refused to let himself cry. Crying was for people that were sad for a good reason, but he felt his punishment wasn't good enough for a tear. He thought he needed to take all the pain in and suffer because he was being punished.
"Elijah you're not being punished. You didn't do anything wrong. Noah knew about the thing because you trusted him. And your father has been gone for years now. Way before you started getting those nightmares." she said to Elijah who was straining with all his might to not shed a tear.
"That's where you're wrong. I've had those nightmares for a long time mom. It started the night before dad died. That can't be a coincidence. They then went away for a while, then they reappeared this past year off and on. Then they started becoming an everyday thing right before Noah died. That's not a coincidence. I can't do this. If they start coming again, I don't know if it'll hurt you. You're all I have." Elijah stuttered and cracked while speaking. His mom leaned over and hugged his dying son. Elijah still refused to cry, but feeling his mother's warm embrace made pain shoot through him like a crowd was repeatedly stabbing him. Like they were burning him alive like the witches in Salem. His mind echoed all the horrible things. Worthless. Heartless. Selfish. Evil.
"You're going to be okay Elijah." his mom said to him, continuing to hold him in her warm arms. Her sweater sleeve brushed up against Elijah's black hoodie. She brushed her soft hand against Elijah's wool-like hair. Elijah wanted to scream. His heart raced, but every fast heartbeat was another dose of pain. Elijah tried to ignore it, but it wouldn't go away. He clenched his eyes. Sweat rolled down his forehead from the strain.
"Why don't you sleep for the rest of the day. You need it." his mom said to him, breaking the warm embrace that Elijah felt was the only thing that kept him warm. His body went cold and the pain grew more intense. Elijah was too weak to talk, so he nodded and got up from the soft chair. He walked up the creaky stairs and into his cold room. Everything was the same to him. He looked at his walls littered with posters from Star Wars to Full Metal Alchemist. He laid on his bed and stared at his door with a poster of Sans from Undertale on it. Elijah stared into Sans' one lit blue eye. The eye staring back at him and into his soul. Elijah's mind raced in the thoughts again. He needed to take his mind off of it, so he grabbed his phone and headphones and scrolled through his playlist. He needed something to keep him on another emotion. One that was still there, but the pain made it so he couldn't feel it. He played a song called You're Going Down by Sick Puppies. The music started, causing a small hint of rage come through his hurt.
"Define your meaning of war.
To me it's what we do when we're bored.
I feel the heat coming off of the blacktop and it makes me want it more.
Because I'm hyped up out of control.
If it's a fight I'm ready to go.
I wouldn't put your money on the other guy if you know what I already know"
"It's been a long time comin'.
And the tables turned around.
'Cause one of us is goin'.
One of us is goin' down.
I'm not runnin'.
It's a little different now.
'Cause one of us is goin'.
One of us is goin' down."
The music blared in Elijah's ears, causing his mind to focus on the music and lyrics instead of his hurt. It caused it to be numb for a small large bit of the song, and Elijah enjoyed it. Soon enough, while the song went on in his headphones, Elijah dozed off into what he hoped a painless sleep.
Broken on the Inside
Chapter 4:
Elijah's heart stopped. He felt his face turn completely white, and chills ran down the back of his spine. The back of his neck burned from the fear and shock. Elijah couldn't talk or move. He stood there, staring at his mother who looked at him with a sad face. His eyes couldn't move away from hers he was so weak.
"Elijah?" his mom asked with a low voice. Elijah didn't reply.
"Honey sit down." she said looking at the chair in front of her. Elijah unknowingly complied, even though in his mind he was still standing there.
"I know this is hard to take in." his mom started, talking in a calm manner.
"How?" Elijah asked shakily, his voice rattling from the lump in his throat. His best friend was dead. The real world isn't some game where if you die you'll come back. Once you're gone, you're gone forever.
"From what his mom said, she went upstairs to wake him up for school and found him hanging from a noose." His mom looked at him with an even sadder look. Elijah knew she felt bad for him, but his world had flipped upside down.
"Noah wouldn't kill himself." Elijah pointed out. His voice was still shaky, but he knew that Noah wouldn't kill himself. He was always so happy.
"Well he did Elijah. I know you're in denial right now-" his mom started when Elijah cut her off.
"I know Noah mom. He was the happiest person I knew. You don't go from being super happy to suicidal in a day!" Elijah started to get mad.
Elijah had the sense that his mom was lying. He knew there was no possible way Noah would kill himself. Then, a thought came to Elijah's mind. "What if that thing killed him making it look like a suicide. Noah caught it trying to kill Liam, but didn't because Noah told his mom and they went outside before it could." Elijah thought to himself. That was the only thing that could kill Noah.
"I don't know Elijah! But I do know that he hung himself, and that is considered suicide. But if you're in denial, I'm not going to say anything." his mom said to Elijah who was still terrified and sad, yet angry. Angry at his mom for thinking his happy best friend would kill himself. She knew him well, and the fact she believed it was a suicide caused his blood to boil. "Unless she knows about that thing and won't tell me about it." Elijah theorized in his head.
"I'm not in denial. Noah didn't commit suicide. He was murdered, and I don't care if you don't believe me." Elijah said getting up from his seat.
"You're in denial!" His mom yelled to Elijah as he shakily walked up the stairs.
"Even if I was, I don't give a shit!" Elijah yelled back slamming his bedroom door behind him.
His chilled, sweaty back pressed against the hard wood door. Elijah slowly slid down the door into a sitting position. his head only a few inches away from his knees. His hot breath filled the now cold air. Elijah knew he wasn't crazy. He knew that his mom was connected in this somehow, but couldn't figure out what it was. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He concentrated on the small things his mom did after he woke up from a nightmare, or when someone died....like his dad. Then, he noticed something odd that his mom did. Little bits of memories showing this popped into his head.
_____________________________________________________________
Elijah walked into the living room to find his mom sitting on the couch reading a book. Her eyes concentrated on the small words on the pages. Elijah tilted his head.
"Mom, can I talk to you?" Elijah asked his mom who slowly lifted her head from her book. She released a faint smile and set down the novel on the wooden coffee table in front of her. Elijah smiled and sat down next to his mom. "What's going on honey?" She asked the small 10 year old who was playing with his sleeves.
"Do you know what happened to make dad wreck the car?" he asked, looking into his mom's now less light eyes. She let out a small frown.
"Why do you want to know that?" she asked him, looking a little unsettled.
"Because I want to know why dad had to get in the accident." Elijah answered with a small voice. He looked down, leaving his slightly long hair fall in front of his small face.
"I'll tell you another time. I have to cook dinner." his mom said, evading Elijah's question. She quickly got up and left to go into the kitchen, leaving the younger Elijah quietly sitting on the soft couch.
A year went by since the younger Elijah asked why his dad got into the accident. He had never stopped being curious, he just knew his mom seemed a bit unsettled by the question. Elijah walked into his mom's room to find her lying on her bed watching a romance movie called 'Twilight'. She looked over to see Elijah standing in the doorway.
"Mom, I've got a question. And can you please answer it?" Elijah asked with desperation. His mom gave him a confused look.
"Okay....what's the question?" his mom asked, sitting up a little more on her grey blanketed bed. Elijah walked over and sat at on the bed towards the end.
"What made dad crash the car?" Elijah asked his mother again. And like before, his mom gave him a frown.
"You keep asking this." she said to Elijah with a soft and sad tone.
"That's because I want to know." Elijah replied. His eyes widened with curiosity, his eyes fixed on his mom's.
"It's getting late Elijah. You should probably go to bed." she said to him while looking at the time.
"But you need to answer my question." Elijah complained.
"I will another time." she said to him getting up and pulling him off the bed. Elijah complied, but was still curious to ask his mom the question he had been pushing to the back of his mind for two years.
"You said that a year ago!" Elijah pointed out. His little mouth pouting at his mom.
"Bed Elijah." she said to him pointing to his bedroom. Elijah sighed and nodded. Heading towards his bedroom, his question still unanswered.
____________________________________________________________
Elijah opened his eyes, knowing that something had to have happened that his mom didn't want him knowing about. How his dad crashed the car. Elijah was even more eager than the years before to know what happened. He had a reason to know. Elijah felt determined, and quickly got up from his seated position and opened his creaky door. He swiftly walked down the stairs and into the dining room. His mom sat in a chair facing away from Elijah. He saw her body jolting up and down every few seconds. Her soft hands in her face.
"Mom I need answers." Elijah said to his mom from behind. He was standing up straight, representing his determination. His mom wiped her eyes with her sweater sleeve. She turned around to face Elijah. Her face littered with red blotches and her eyes bloodshot red.
"I already told you all I know about Noah." she said while sniffling.
"This isn't about Noah. This is about the question I've been asking you over and over, yet you evade it anyway possible." Elijah said looking at his sobbing mother in the eye. She widened her eyes, completely aware of what he's talking about.
"Why do you want to know so badly? Is it because of those nightmares? We can get medicine that'll help-" his mom started, when Elijah interrupted.
"No. This is because I want to know. He's my dad, and he died in a car crash for what? It could've been a deer for all I know. Or it could've been someone else. I don't know. But I need to." Elijah said, looking deeply into his breaking mother's eyes. His mom sighed.
"Okay. I'll tell you." his mom said wiping more tears from her eyes.
"We were driving home from a date. It was late at night, and your dad wanted to take a new detour he found. It was a dirt road and it was in the woods. He then thought he saw something in the woods, but I told him it was probably just an animal. Then when you dad was drinking some soda, this.......thing was in the middle of the road. I told him to stop the car, but he swerved and he ran off the side and flipped the car. I was unconscious for a little while, but then I woke up. Your dad wasn't in the car, but that thing was......tearing him apart. My phone was in my bag which was underneath me so I called 911. When the police got there, that thing was gone. But I could never forget it......ripping his body like a cat and a scratching post." Elijah's mom gave up talking and began to ball her eyes out.
"Was the thing black, and slightly see-through. It's head completely to the side with no eyelids, just big white pupils surrounded by black. It's body deformed, looking like it was ran over at some point?" Elijah asked his mom, who was pale and shaking in fear.
"....yes." his mom said shakily. Elijah walked over and hugged his mother.
For years, the two of them had acted as if everything was okay in their lives, and have treated life as normal as possible. But both were too blinded to see how they were both dying inside, breaking from all the pain and fear that had been haunting them. His mom cried into Elijah's shoulder, as he sat sat on his knees so his mom could reach him from the chair. Elijah forced himself to stay strong for his mom. He understood why she didn't say anything. That creature was behind what tore his family and life apart. He wanted revenge. But for right now, comforting his mother was all he wanted to do.
After a few minutes, his mom got up and left to get go to bed early. Elijah was left with all the shocking facts that the day had given him. The beginning of the day was the best, but towards the end, it was the worst. He heated up some frozen pizza, then went upstairs to his room to do his homework.
The day ended, and Elijah was getting prepared for bed. He went to his mom's room to say goodnight, to find her already fast asleep in her bed. Elijah gave a faint smile, and walked across the carpeted floor and into his room. He closed the wooden door and slowly walked to his bed. He laid down on his back, facing the dark ceiling. "I will take my revenge on you. You will not go unpunished. You killed my dad. You killed Noah. You fucked up my life. Now I'm going to fuck up yours." Elijah said to himself as he closed his eyes, forcing his broken self to sleep.
The Breaking Point
Chapter: 3
He closed his eyes and he forced himself to fall asleep. He turned over and covered his head with his pillow and faced down.
"C'mon. Fall asleep already!" Elijah said to himself in irritation. He sighed and turned to where he was laying on his back looking up at his ceiling.
"The one time I need to fall asleep is the one time I can't." Elijah complained to himself. He turned his head to look the clock which read "9:02".
After a long hour of staring at his dark walls and spacing out, Elijah finally fell asleep. Yet he didn't have any nightmares and he ended up waking up to his alarm clock.
"Wha???" Elijah started when he looked at his clock that said "6:31" and was beeping annoyingly.
"Shit!" Elijah quietly yelled to himself as he hit the stop button on the clock. He laid on his back and put his hand on his forehead.
"Is this what you're gonna do to me world?" Elijah said to the ceiling while slowly getting up. He sat on his bed and rubbed his eyes.
"Morning sweetie." his mom came into his room and sat down next to him. "Did you sleep okay?"
"Yeah. For the first time too." Elijah said tiredly.
"See? I told you they'd go away!" his mom said happily while getting up. "I'm making breakfast so I want you down soon."
"Alright." Elijah replied to his happy mom as she almost skipped out of the room. "Well she seems happy" Elijah thought to himself.
Elijah got ready and went downstairs for breakfast and felt energized for the first time. He was still disappointed that he couldn't find the creature in his nightmare, but the more he thought about it, the more he didn't much care for finding the creature. It got rid of his worst enemy and didn't even bother to hurt Elijah. He thought maybe it was on his and Noah's side. Elijah smiled at the thought and sat down at the kitchen table.
"Well aren't you a happy one?" his mom said smiling while putting the food on the table.
"I'm nightmare free, energized, and my bully is in the hospital. It's like my birthday!" Elijah said happily while taking a bite of his eggs.
"Oh yeah. Speaking of Liam, we're gonna go see him today." Elijah almost spit out eggs.
"What!" Elijah yelled. He was shocked that his mom would have him go see Liam.
"Yes. He's a kid just like you and it's only polite to see him in case he wakes up." his mom said in a strict manner.
"Mom. If he wakes up with me there, he'll probably scream at how much I'm a dork and strangle me." Elijah complained.
"Look I know he's your bully, but he's still in a coma." his mom said reassuringly, hoping Elijah would give in.
"Exactly. He's in a coma. So why are we visiting him again?" Elijah pointed out. His mom sighed.
"Do you really wanna not go that badly?" his mom asked him.
"Duh!" Elijah replied.
"Okay fine. We won't go okay?"
"Thank you." Elijah said relieved he didn't have to see Liam.
"I'm disappointed in you." his mom said looking at him and shaking her head.
"I don't care. There's no way in hell I'm seeing Liam." Elijah said unsympathetically. His mom shook her head and the two finished eating in silence.
"Bye Elijah." his mom said with a disappointed tone. Elijah knew she was still upset that he wouldn't see Liam, but he didn't care.
"Bye." Elijah waved at his mom and got on the school bus.
He entered the school with in a good mood. He got to his locker and grabbed his things without anyone ganging up on him. To his surprise, Noah didn't come to him and walk to class with him. Elijah didn't think of it as a big deal. He walked down the hallway and into class. He sat at his usual seat which was next to an empty seat that Noah generally sat in. Noah wasn't there either. "Where is he? He probably got sick. He's fine" Elijah thought to himself.
"Okay class, we're going to begin...." the teacher started. The first couple of classes were long, but Elijah's good mood got him through them. The bell rang for lunch and he got up and headed to his locker to put his things away.
"You're the reason he's the way he is. Aren't you?" a voice said to him from behind. Elijah closed his locker and turned around.
"Answer us." Dylan said next to David. They were unusually close to each other.
"Okay one, I have nothing to do with Liam. And two, you guys look gay when you're close like that." Elijah pointed out. Dylan and David looked at each other and quickly moved away.
"Oh c'mon dork. You know what you did, and lying to us isn't gonna get you out of us kicking your ass." Dylan said cracking his knuckles. By now, Noah would've intervened and yelled at Dylan, but he was still absent.
"Like I said, I have nothing to do with Liam." Elijah said getting irritated.
"You asked for this." Dylan said and the two guys started to walk towards Elijah. His eyes widened, then he darted across the hallway. Dylan and David followed him. Elijah ran into the cafeteria where a few teachers were so they would see Elijah getting chased.
"You are so-" Dylan was shouting when he realized Elijah led them to the cafeteria.
"Dylan! David!" one of the teachers yelled. "What are you two doing?" the teacher started to walk over to them. Elijah smiled and walked over to the lunch line. The school day ended and Elijah cruised out of the school still in a good mood. Dylan and David were given detention and Elijah got out of a fight. His day was going great and he felt like nothing in the world could ruin it.
"So you got Liam suspended, then got Dylan and David detention? You're so cool!" a Junior kid said to Elijah as he walked past him.
"Thanks." Elijah said happily. It was the first time someone other than a friend told him he was cool.
He strolled down the sidewalk heading towards his house. He was smiling while spacing out. His thoughts carried him to another world. A world where everything was perfect. Elijah walked up the steps to his house and came in.
"I'm home!" his voice echoed across the small house. He put his backpack down and entered the kitchen. His mom was sitting at the table with a disturbed look on her face.
"Honey sit down please." she said to Elijah nodding to the chair in front of her.
"Okay." Elijah shrugged and slipped into the chair. "What's going on?" he asked happily.
"Noah's dead."
In The Mind - Chapter 2: It's Real (Horror)
Elijah walked out of the school even more exhausted than he felt in the beginning of the day. It was a Thursday, and Elijah dreaded the next day coming. He heard that Liam got suspended for the rest of the week, and since Dylan and David were only there because of Liam, they got off with a warning. Elijah started to sweat, knowing in the back of his mind Liam's already planning his revenge on him and Noah.
"So. You have a plan on how we're gonna go against Liam and his gang?" Noah happily walked towards Elijah, looking at him with curiosity.
"No. I thought that we'd just think of it on our way home." Elijah said then tripping on the sidewalk and almost falling forward.
"Well would you look at that? The fuck that got me suspended tripped on air." Liam said from behind Elijah and Noah.
"Are you just hiding in the bushes or something? Because you legit popped out of nowhere." Noah asked with sass, turning to face Liam. He stood up straight to look more intimidating.
"No. I only live in your nightmares. Isn't that right Elishit?" Liam tilted his head at Elijah who was standing behind Noah.
"Why would you be in my nightmares? Nightmares are scary, unlike you." Elijah pointed out, causing Liam to get mad. He squinted his eyes and stared intensely at Elijah. He then let out a psychotic smile that sent chills down Elijah's spine.
"After what I do to you, I will be." Liam said charging at Elijah. He toppled him over and Liam raised a fist, prepared to hit him when Noah kicked him in the side of his head.
"Fuck!" Liam yelled as he toppled off of Elijah and held his head. He quickly jumped up and went to fight Noah, when the vice principle screamed at him.
"Liam Miller!" she ran at Liam then pulled him by the ear.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snapped through gritted teeth.
"They're assholes mom!" he yelled, his ear being cut through by the vice principle's long fingernails.
"Mom?" Noah asked whispering into Elijah's ear.
"I guess so." Elijah shrugged then he stopped. Both Noah and Elijah turned to look at each other. Noah let out a mischievous smile.
"We have dirt on him." Elijah said to Noah who's eyes widened in excitement.
"He can't mess with us now!" Noah exclaimed, almost jumping in the air.
"Even if he does, we have the fact he's the vice principle's son. No one's gonna think of him as highly." Elijah said then smiling along with Noah.
"Best. Day. Ever." Noah said in spaces. The evil smile that spread across Noah's face represented his excitement.
"Okay! Okay!" Liam yelled at his mom who let his ear go. Liam held his ear while looking away from Elijah and Noah.
"Sorry..." Liam whispered looking down. His eyes focused on his feet from embarrassment.
"Louder Liam." the older women said tapping her foot on the ground resembling her impatience.
"Sorry! There. Happy?" Liam yelled, spreading his arms out then dropping them to his sides.
"Car now." his mom pointed to a silver Toyota Corolla. Liam rolled his eyes and stomped to the car, aggressively slamming the passenger door.
"Well Liam may not be sorry, but I am. He never listens to me or respects me so hopefully he'll respect his father enough to understand beating people up isn't a good thing. Especially kids younger than him." the vice principle said to Elijah and Noah.
"It's fine. He does this all the time it's not like it's anything new." Elijah said nervously putting his hands in his pockets.
"Now you boys stay out of trouble okay?" she pointed at Elijah and Noah, causing Elijah to think of an old Grandmother.
"Okay." the two of them said in sync.
_____________________________________________________________
"Well at least we don't have to deal with Liam anymore." Noah said skipping down the sidewalk from the joy of what they saw at the school.
"Yeah." Elijah said with his hands in his hoodie's pockets, walking along side of Noah.
"Wait........what the hell?" Noah asked. He was no longer skipping and was turned around facing an alleyway.
"What?" Elijah stopped and turned his head in Noah's direction to see what he could've seen.
"Oh..um...nothing....just thought I saw something." Noah said slowly turning back around like he didn't really believe what he was saying. His face was paler than usual and his eyes not as bright with happiness, but dark with fear.
"Well if it makes you feel any better I thought I saw something earlier too." Elijah said to Noah, who turned his feared gaze towards Elijah.
"Oh yeah. In the school?" Noah asked.
"Yeah." Elijah nodded.
"What did you see?" Noah asked adjusting his glasses. His skin a little less pale.
"Well........kinda what I saw in my dream." Elijah said quietly then second guessing himself once he said it aloud. It made him want to claw his eyes out, but he knew he saw something in the corner of his eye.
"What did it look like?" Noah asked interested.
"It was black and tall...and it's skin was so thin it was almost see through...and it had no eye lids just....eyes that stare at you without closing." Elijah said looking down. The world was slightly spinning the more he thought about the creature. He looked up and met Noah's large eyes, which went from saucers to planets. His skin was covered with goosebumps and he was even more pale than before.
"What?" Elijah asked with a little fear in his voice. Goosebumps began to appear all over his body.
"......well....that's kinda what I just saw. It ran into that alleyway and.......it was staring at me while it ran. It's head completely to the side. Is that what you're having nightmares about?" Noah trembled in fear. His skin so white, Elijah felt the need to wear sunglasses.
"Uh...yeah." Elijah said looking down again. The world was spinning even more and he felt the urge to throw up. He put his hands on his knees and started to breath from his mouth.
"Are you okay?" Noah asked walking closer to him.
"Yeah....I'm fine." Elijah said shaking his head a bit and raising it. "Let's just go."
"Okay." Noah shakily said walking with Elijah down the sidewalk.
Noah got to the street of his house, and slowly part ways with Elijah. He was still dizzy and felt sick, but he continued to walk home. He spaced out and thought of what happened to Noah earlier. "You see. I'm not insane. These dreams are more than just nightmares. They're real. Noah's seeing that thing too." Elijah thought to himself. He reached his house and opened the door with his key.
"Mom? You home yet?" Elijah yelled across the house and his voice echoed.
"I guess not." he said to himself.
He went into his room and set all his stuff on the floor and laid on his bed. He didn't have the energy to think or to move. He closed his eyes and everything was black.
_____________________________________________________________
"Henry!" a women's voice echoed across a small field. She started to run through the field and towards a man in his late 40's who's name was Henry.
"I'm right here Miranda." Henry said to the women who kissed him on the lips.
"You're always running off into the fields without telling me." the women named Miranda said tilting her head and pouted.
"I only come here for the beauty of the land. It's quite perfect during the sunset like this moment." he said sitting down bringing Miranda with him. She laid her head on his shoulder and Henry moved his hand through her hair over and over again.
"You're right. It is beautiful." Miranda said to Henry who closed her eyes and let the setting sun hit her eyelids.
"It quite is." Henry said who sighed and closed his eyes.
"Aaaaaaaah!" Miranda screamed as Henry felt her head slide off his shoulder in a matter of seconds.
"Miranda!" Henry yelled seeing her being dragged by some animal thing into the forest.
"Miranda!" he yelled again chasing after her. The animal thing began to run with his lover and Henry used every ounce of strength he had to chase after her.
"Henry!" Miranda screamed over and over. The creature dragged her further into the woods causing her voice to become more faint.
"I will find you!" Henry yelled running though the forest trying to find Miranda. He could no longer hear her voice calling his name. Only the crunching of leaves and sticks beneath his feet.
"Miranda!" he called out to her. He stopped and stood on the cold ground. Sticks began to snap and leaves began to crunch behind him.
"Miranda?" he asked and turned around. He saw the animal thing staring at him with big open eyes. It's head turned completely to the side and it's black body blended in with the darkening sky.
"What are you?" Henry asked slowly stepping back and the creature started to run after him. Henry turned around and ran as fast as his fatigued legs could carry him.
____________________________________________________________
"Shit!" Elijah jolted up on his bed. His head was pounding and his heart was beating a mile a minute.
"God, for the second time in a row now." he said to himself as he slowly got up.
He was still uneasy from the dream he had just then. Sweat pored off his face and he was a little shaky. He sighed and went downstairs to find his mom on the phone.
".....what do you mean by that?.........okay...........what?.........." his mom said on the phone. She was walking around in the kitchen making dinner.
"Oh okay......yeah.........talk to you later........bye." she said and hung up. It took her a couple minutes to realize Elijah was in the kitchen.
"Oh hi honey! I saw you were taking a nap and didn't want to bother you. Sleep good?" she asked with melody.
"No." Elijah said flatly. He rubbed his right eye with the palm of his hand and moved his gaze towards his busy mom.
"More nightmares?" she asked with a slight sigh.
"Yeah." Elijah said grabbing a glass of water.
"Like I said this morning. They'll be gone soon." his mom walked over to him and patted him on the shoulder.
"What time is it?" Elijah asked looking around for his phone.
"Um..." she started grabbing her phone from her pocket. "7:43" She said putting her phone back in her pocket.
"Okay." he said sitting down at the kitchen table. He saw his phone was on the table and grabbed it. He turned it on and saw that Noah called him three times and texted him eight times. Confused, Elijah went to his messaging app and saw all the texts.
4:09 p.m
Missed call from NoahDaMan
NoahDaMan: Hey man! I just saw liam get into another fight outside my house!
NoahDaMan: He looks really mad. Like hes gonna explode lmao XD.
4:36 p.m
NoahDaMan: Theres a whole crowd outside now!
NoahDaMan: Dude u should so be here rn I mean srsly!
5:14 p.m
NoahDaMan: Omg dude liam just got jumped and is knocked out. His face is so bloody man.
NoahDaMan: He looks dead........its quite scary....
6:44 p.m
Missed call from NoahDaMan
Missed call from NoahDaMan
NoahDaMan: Look, liam was just taken to the hospital and my mom said that we had to go to be there for him, but hes in a coma
NoahDaMan: His face is so messed up he looks like mashed potatoes like...its creepy
"Holy shit." Elijah said to himself reading the texts.
"Language Elijah." his mom said cutting up some peppers.
"You know that kid Liam who's always a prick to me?" Elijah said with impatience in his voice.
"Yeah?" his mom said without paying much attention.
"Well he got beat up and is in a coma now." Elijah said looking at his phone. He didn't like Liam, but he also felt bad that he was in a coma.
"Oh my god! Are you serious?" She asked turning around to Elijah.
"Yeah according to Noah. He said it happened like right outside his house." Elijah said looking up.
"I feel bad for him." his mom said finishing up dinner and putting the food on plates.
"He was jerk to me, but I feel bad for him too." Elijah said truthfully. His mom set the plates on the table and they began eating.
They finished eating and Elijah went upstairs to talk to Noah who called him twice during dinner. He went into his room and sat on his bed while calling Noah.
"Finally!" Noah almost screamed in the phone.
"I was eating dinner." Elijah said staring at his Star Wars poster.
"Look, I have to talk to you about something. It's serious." Noah said with a tone of fear in his voice. Elijah seemed confused.
"What's up?"
"When I told you that Liam got jumped in the street, I kinda lied." Noah said with even more fear in his voice.
"What!" Elijah almost yelled into the phone.
"Okay. I was doing my homework when I heard Liam bitching about whatever and I at first ignored it. Then I heard him yell 'What was that!' and I walked over to the window and I saw him twirling around trying to find whatever he saw....and then......it.....it came and it......" Noah stuttered through the last part.
"What Noah! What did it do?" Elijah asked with impatience in his voice. He knew he sounded harsh, but he needed to know. His anticipation caused his heart to pound extremely fast.
"It...it came to him from nowhere and.....bit his face off. He was screaming and that thing kept clawing at his face and body...and I......I was terrified so I grabbed my mom and told her the story I originally told you and when we got outside....it was gone." Noah said. His voice trembled as he said it.
"First, it comes to us and doesn't do anything, and now it just ripped apart Liam? What the hell does it want." Elijah asked keeping his voice from quivering in fear.
"I don't know and also don't want to know." Noah said with his voice sounding even more scared.
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll figure out what we're gonna do." Elijah said trying to calm Noah down even though he was terrified himself.
"Yeah...okay." Noah said with a little ease in his voice.
"Bye man."
"See ya." Noah replied and hung up.
"What does it want. What!" Elijah thought to himself. He was scared and mad at the same time. He didn't like Liam, but he wasn't one to wish harm onto anyone. He may joke around here and there, but when it comes to someone getting hurt, he's usually the one helping people not get hurt. He wanted to find out what it wanted and how to stop it no matter what. He was desperate, so he lied down on his bed and to greet the monster himself, he forced himself to sleep.
In The Mind - Chapter 1: Just a Weird Dream (Horror)
"Aaaaaaah!" the child screamed in his bed.
"Elijah!" a woman's voice echoed across the halls of the small house.
She entered the child Elijah's room to find him sitting up in his bed sweating. He was panting and his hot breath filled the room with heat.
"Again mom. It happened again!" Elijah said panting, running his damp hands through his chestnut brown hair.
"Honey this is the fifth time now." the concerned mom said and sat down on his warm bed.
"Yeah I know....I don't know why it keeps happening!" Elijah said putting his face in the palms of his hands.
"It's okay. They're just nightmares. I'm sure that in a few weeks you'll be nightmare free." the mom said to Elijah rubbing his back.
"Okay." he said with a sigh and put his hands down. He looked at his clock. "5:09" the clock read.
"Well I might as well just get up. School bus will be here in two hours anyway." Elijah said hustling out of his bed.
Elijah slowly brought himself to his feet, and clumsily walked to the bathroom, quickly closing it. He breathed heavily and quickly walked over to the bathroom sink. He put both his sweaty and cold hands on either side of the sink and looked up. His head only a couple inches away from touching the mirror, enough for him to focus on the little details of his face. The 13 year old wasn't bad looking, but not perfect either. He had little freckles that sprinkled his face hear and there and slightly pale skin. His eyes were a mixture between light blue and a faded grey, making the perfect combination. Elijah sighed and leaned forward, resting his hands on his acne littered forehead.
"Why do they have to happen all the time?" he whispered to himself.
He finished getting ready and he headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. His mom had made him a bowl of cereal and she was eating some toast. She was already ready for her work. Elijah sat down and began to eat without saying a word.
"So.....did you finish all your homework?" his mom asked meeting her brownish hazel eyes with Elijah's.
"Yeah." Elijah said tiredly, peeling his gaze away from his mother's eyes and to his food.
"Okay.......have you talked to Jordan in a while?" she asked with an obvious effort to try and make conversation.
"Mom he moved away three months ago and he hasn't called or texted me since then so no." Elijah looked up and said with irritation.
"Look. I know it's been hard ever since your dad died and you've been getting those dreams, but I'm really trying here okay?" She said to Elijah and grabbed his free hand and held it. She gave a faint smile in hopes Elijah would do the same.
"Mom, I'm fine. You don't have to keep bringing stuff up." Elijah said yanking his light hand away from his mom's grasp.
He hated it when his mom brought up his dad. He died three years before from a car accident and whenever anyone mentioned it, he wanted to punch the person in the face. He didn't need a reminder of the loss in his life.
"Alright." his mother said with innocence in her voice. Her long black hair brushed up into a ponytail swung as she looked away from Elijah.
He looked at the time and it said "6:03". He still had an hour before the bus came so he went upstairs to play some PlayStation. He turned it on and began to play a game called Grand Theft Auto V. The online session was almost empty so the lag wasn't too bad and he could play without getting killed by another player every second. Before he knew, he heard his mom calling him to grab his stuff for school. Elijah turned off his game and went downstairs with his bag.
"Bye honey. Have a good day okay?" his mom said kissing him on his forehead.
"Mom. Asking to have a good day at school is like asking a guy in a wheelchair to have a dance party with you." Elijah said smartly. His mom looked at him and laughed.
"Well have fun dancing with wheelchair people." she said back as he walked out the door.
_____________________________________________________________
He got to school and was barley noticed, which Elijah was surprised about because he was usually eaten up by other kids.
"Hey man!" a kid wearing a thin flannel called to Elijah waving his arms around like an idiot.
"Hey Noah." Elijah said giving him a quick glance as he went through his locker.
"So. You find out what we're gonna do for the science fair?" Noah asked him excitedly. Elijah gave him a questioning look.
"Science fair? Are you that much of a nerd?" Elijah asked putting his bag in his locker.
"I'm taking that as a no." Noah said rolling on his heels.
"I mean come on. I know it's mandatory, but we don't have to think about it every second! Like....we can just wait 'til the last week and then come up with something online. Like a volcano or something." Elijah said turning around to face Noah. His dirty blonde hair messily laid on his head. His big square glasses rested on his pale skin, causing his sky blue eyes to seem like saucers. He had freckles sprinkled across his face, but they were barley visible from where Elijah was standing. Noah frowned at what Elijah said.
"A volcano? Seriously. That's so unoriginal! Don't you wanna stand out?" Noah complained folding his arms in irritation.
"No. Because when you stand out, all the bullies jump at you the second they get a chance. And besides, I'm way too tired to be thinking about the science fair." Elijah said leaning on his locker.
"Too tired? Did you get a nightmare again?" Noah said smiling mischievously.
"Oh shut up! It wasn't a nightmare just a.....weird dream." Elijah said turning red out of embarrassment.
"A weird dream huh? Well weird dreams don't have components of dead people and monsters." Noah said moving his arms around to imitate the monster. Elijah slapped his arms down.
"I said shut up!" Elijah said almost yelling at him. Noah rolled his eyes.
"Look. I may be a nerd and like educational things, but you're having reoccurring nightmares. I'm just saying that that isn't exactly 'normal'." Noah said air quoting the 'normal' part.
"It is normal. People have dreams, some have weird ones like me okay? Now please just shut up about it already!" Elijah said with an aggressive tone from irritation. His blood was boiling because of anger. He knew that it was embarrassing, but Noah didn't have to make fun of him because of it.
"Alright alright!" Noah said putting his hands up in defense. "I'll shut up!"
"Good." Elijah said. He grabbed some books before he was knocked to the ground and all his books went flying. Noah was knocked down too.
"Aww. Would you look at that? The dork squad!" an older kid who was a Senior said while laughing at the two kids on the ground. Two other guys walked up behind the Senior who pushed Elijah and Noah.
"Yes Liam. We're dorks. It's not something I haven't noticed." Elijah said bitterly at the first guy named Liam.
"Listen you little shit!" Liam started grabbing Elijah by collar of his hoodie and pinning him to a locker. His intense dark brown eyes focusing so hard on Elijah, it could've burned a hole through his head. His golden hair in the style of a mullet flew back and forth as Liam gave an aggressive smile. "If you talk like that to me again, then you won't have a mouth to talk with! You understand?" Liam said harshly tilting his head some to give a more intimidating look.
"Shut up Liam!" Noah yelled at Liam pushing him to the ground. The other two guys started to laugh behind him.
"Shut up you fucking morons!" Liam yelled at the other two guys then getting up and shoving them. Elijah and Noah laughed to themselves.
"Finally. Liam gets pissed off at his two goons." Elijah whispered into Noah's ear. Noah quietly laughed. Kids around the hallway were circling where Elijah, Noah, Liam, and his two guys were to see Liam and the other two guys fight each other.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" kids chanted as Liam threw a punch at one of the guys and he hit him in the jaw. Then the other guy kicked Liam in the shins sending him to the floor.
"You son of a bitch Dylan!" Liam screamed at the guy who kicked him named Dylan.
"That's what you get for fucking with us." the other guy said confidently to Liam still laying on the ground holding his shin.
"Oh yeah? Well just know that I made you David! You would be nothing but a dork just like those two idiots!" Liam yelled at the other guy named David. "So either you walk out on me, or we settle this like men and you don't laugh when I'm talking. Got it!" Liam said standing up. His eyes were almost glowing he was so mad.
".....Fine." Dylan said putting his hands in the pockets of his baggy jeans. His bright green eyes focused on the floor. David shrugged crossing his arms and not looking at Liam either. His ginger hair in a curled mop on his head.
"Good." Liam said getting up and dusting himself off. His denim jacket slightly ripped from falling on the floor.
"Oh come on. Really? That sucked." kids who were circling around them said disappointed while walking away.
"Shut up!" Liam yelled at all the kids that left. None of them payed attention to Liam's outburst.
"I heard there was a fight." an older women's voice said from behind Liam, Dylan, and David. It was the vice principle of the school standing next to a small Sophomore girl with pigtails and glasses. The vice principle stood in heels that were laced around her ankles. Her long black skirt barley brushed the laces of the heels. Her white button-up tank-top slightly showing through a long black sweater. Her dark ash-like hair pulled into a tight bun on the top of her head. The small wrinkles around her eyes pushed back from the bun. She intensely stared at Liam with her eyes as black as an endless abyss.
"Uh...there wasn't any-" Liam started before Noah suddenly blurted out "Yeah the three of them kinda beat each other up then disappointed everyone by not knocking anyone o-" Elijah widened his eyes and quickly covered Noah's mouth. Noah tried to talk through the palm of his hand, but was unsuccessful.
"Is that true?" the Vice Principle looked up and stared at Liam intensely once more.
"That kid's an idiot and doesn't know what he's talking about." Liam said with a sour attitude. His anger showing through his attempt to be chill.
"He's lying! I saw them hitting each other!" the Sophomore girl squeakily said, pointing at Liam, Dylan, and David. She quickly hid behind the vice principle's back as she poked her head out a tiny bit to see what was happening.
"Principle's office now you three!" the older women said harshly then turning around gesturing for them to follow. The Sophomore girl quickly hurried in front of the vice principle and out of the range of Liam's reach.
"This isn't over dorks!" Liam said aggressively to Elijah and Noah then turning around and the three guys followed the vice principle.
"Great. Now they're really gonna be after us. Nice going." Elijah bitterly said, squinting his eyes Noah.
"Well I wanted to see them get in trouble." Noah whined in defense. His saucer-like eyes widened in innocence.
"Yeah? Well now they're gonna get suspended for a day or two and during that time they're gonna spend all their time trying to get back at us somehow." Elijah said putting his hand on his forehead. Noah sighed at Elijah's irritation.
"You're right. I'm sorry okay? Let's just get school over with and hope that Liam and his goons don't jump at us as soon as we walk out the school doors." Noah said making hand gestures while he spoke.
"Okay." Elijah said with a bit of sourness to his voice. He grabbed his stuff from off the floor and walked down the hall with Noah.
Before they got to class, Elijah saw a tall black thing dart across the hall from the corner of his eye. He jumped and turned around. Nothing was there.
"What?" Noah asked turning around to face Elijah, seeing sweat pour off him like a waterfall.
"Oh..um....nothing. I just thought I saw something, but it's probably just my exhaustion." Elijah said rubbing his eyes and looking back at the hallway. "Let's just get to class." Elijah nodded at the door in front of Noah.
"Okay." Noah carelessly said shrugging. Elijah followed him into the classroom and began the slow school day.
In The Mind (Prologue)(Horror)
The night sky hovered above the trees in the forest, and the owls hooted among the silent void. The fog reached its cold fingers through the abyss of dim light brought by the moon. It was the dead of winter and all the leaves were on the ground left to rot. Hurrying through the forest, was a man of his late 40's carrying a lantern. His warm breath hit the cold air making it glow as he continued to run. He stopped to catch his breath and he put his head in the palm of his hand. He shook his head and moaned.
"This cannot be happening. Why her lord." he trembled to himself.
Foot steps began to creak through the forest and the man yanked his head up, his face turning pale. He began to run through the forest and the cold air hit his face as he ran. The creature behind him growled as it edged closer and closer to the man. Never did he look back to see what the horrid creature looks like, but kept running in hopes the creature might give up on him. The man stumbled as the ground beneath him collapsed and sent him falling in what seemed like a bottomless pit. He hit the cold ground on his back and he felt too weak to get up. He refused to let the creature follow him down the pit and kill him, so he forced himself up. As he lifted his back off the ground, sharp pains shot through his back and he sucked in air through gritted teeth. As he slowly stood up, he looked up to see if the creature was still there, but to his luck it wasn't.
"Oh thank the mighty lord for my life." the man said to himself.
He looked around where he fell to see if he could find his lantern, but it was shattered and unlit. He grabbed the broken lantern to see if maybe he could still use the inside of the lantern without the glass, but it didn't work. Next to where the man hit the ground was a branch, and he went over to it and grabbed it. He ripped a piece of his shirt off and wrapped it around the branch. He then grabbed a flask from inside his jacket pocket and poured it all over the shirt piece, then taking a drink himself. He put his flask away and grabbed a lighter in his other pocket and lit the newly made torch. It burst into flames and it lit a small area around him just enough for him to make his way through the cave. He saw a tunnel to the right of him and he started to walk towards it. The tunnel lit as he walked through the cave, but there was a creepy feel that absorbed him the more the man walked through the cave.
He reached a small intersection where one tunnel led to the left, and the other to the right. Without much thinking, he took a left and walked down the cave where there was an even creepier vibe coming down the tunnel. The man kept his focus on his determination to get out of the cave than on the creepy vibe, but the feel was making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He heard something roll towards him as he walked down the cave and it stopped at his feet. The man wanted to scream and run away, for it was the head of his wife that the creature had taken. Her pale face frozen on a scream and her eyes glued open. He covered his mouth and tears ran down his face like a river. He took a deep breath and passed his dead wife's head and continued to walk down the cave, still crying from the disturbing thing he had saw. Now more than ever, he wanted to not only get out of the cave, but kill the creature that took the love of his life away. Anger and despair raged inside him and he wiped the tears off his face with his free hand and clenched his fist. He walked faster through the cave and he found another left and right intersection. He took a right this time and walked down the tunnel with his heart beating extremely fast.
He continued to walk and walk until he saw out of the corner of his eye the small light of dawn. He jolted his head to where he saw the light, and it was a tunnel leading to the outside. The man got outside and breathed in the fresh cold air. He looked around to see he was still in the forest, but the creature wasn't in sight. He wanted to hunt it down and rip its head off so it could feel the pain of what it did to his wife. His blood began to boil and he started to walk through the woods.
"Hey! Wanna kill someone? Why don't you kill me!" he yelled in the forest to grab its attention.
He heard twigs snap around him and leaves crunching. His heart rate grew faster from both fear and excitement. He grabbed a knife from the inside of his boot and prepared himself to fight the creature. The noises stopped.
"Scared huh? Well you should be!" he screamed at the end to make sure it hears him.
The noises from before began once more and the man prepared himself to fight. The noises however only grew louder, and it seemed like there was more than one creature. The man's excitement grew less and less as the noises grew louder and closer. Soon, he looked around and he saw that he was surrounded by at least ten creatures staring down at him. One by one, they started to edge towards him, and he backed himself into a tree. All the creatures snarling at the man and he looked at them with intense fear. The creatures reached their long black hands at the man. He shook as he held his knife. He got enough courage to throw the knife at one of the creatures where it hit it in the eye. The creature let out an ear piercing screech and stumbled backwards. The other creatures looked at him with intense fury, and ran at him. The man closed his eyes and all fear welled up to his throat as the creatures grabbed him.
"Aaaaaaah!" the child screamed in his bed.
...
The Fisherman's Daughter
There once was a beautiful girl who knew two things very well indeed. The first was that her looks would make her her fortune, and the second was the sea. For her elderly father was one of the sailors on board the Argo who travelled to retrieve the Golden Fleece. He told her many tales of those days and taught her the secrets of the oceans. Often they would sit together on the beach by firelight and hear the waves calling whilst he recounted his stories. She would listen intently and next day go out in the rowboat to explore. She always wished to be as adventurous and bold of spirit like her father. She knew it was not thought comely for a maiden to crew a ship, but she could dream. Her aspirations as she grew changed, and she then became fixated on finding herself a ship's captain. He would whisk her off on his trading expeditions to far off countries. She would have great stories to tell her father and she'd finally live. But her father would laugh at her aspirations and say sweetly to her, "child your milk soft hands could never tend to the ropes and rigging. Your beauty would be a distraction to any sailor on board and the envy of the sirens. They would lull the men to their deaths in a fit of jealousy. No child, you'd best stay on shore and wed a Prince instead." But she didn't take heed, and she fuelled her desires and made her wishes be known to all who would listen.
There were many men of Iolcos and their mothers who heard of her aspirations. Either they sent their sons to woo her or else they saw her beauty and went so willingly. Her father was a relatively rich man having been an Argonaut and he was much respected too. Indeed when she came of age there had already been many fine proposals put forward. Her father was pleased there was so much interest, especially from fine strong young men who were already sailors or fishermen. He trusted men of the sea. However, his daughter was not to be bought with fine words and promises of help with the nets and vessels. She'd made her mind up only a ship's captain would be good enough. It was the least she deserved, after all, her beauty was becoming legendary. Her complexion was flawless and her chestnut hair shone like burnt copper. Men noticed her figure and her haughty manner, and they smiled. They were used to taming the wild seas, and the ocean was a harsh mistress until you took a firm hand. Each man thought he could tame her and win her love, and they didn't stop trying.
By the time she was eighteen Helena had many admirers, but she was still spurning them all. They'd spoilt her with jewels and gifts in an effort to sweeten her nature. She now had a sizeable little fortune and she'd dream of using it to run away. She knew her father to be a great traveller himself, and she felt she deserved nothing less. Whilst the men who came calling saw a small flourishing fishing business, and a fair maiden waiting to equally be taken, they met with little or no success. For sure some caught Helena's eye for they were fit and strong, handsome or well schooled, but none were sea captains and none had the promise to become so. She argued many times with her father over offers of betrothal. He wanted her to settle down and give him grand children, to forget all these notions of sailing the world. Many times he blamed himself for his folly in treating her like he would a son. Now she was headstrong and had that wild spirit sailors possess before they find out what a cruel life the seas can be.
The time came one day after another fair offer was rejected and her father became angry. "You won't be young and beautiful forever Helena, you need to think of the future." "But father I am," she declared loudly. She was feeling exasperated, and though she knew ultimately a parent decided such matters, she wished she had free will to choose. "I'm better than these would be suitors father. I'm able to navigate the seas by the stars, I can speak three languages and have my own little nest egg of savings. My beauty hasn't left me yet and I can find myself a great man. Just let me go to the city and search." "Oh no Helena, impossible. I won't let you out of my sight. It's a dangerous world out there and a woman alone is a tempting target for every rogue and would be charlatan." "Then come with me!" she insisted. "How can I? I've a livelihood to continue with and may I remind you it's what keeps you in pretty dresses and with the potions and lotions to aid you in keeping those beautiful looks. I won't be put off Helena. You will marry someone soon and I'd sooner I chose someone you liked. You will come to love them like your mother and I did. Bless her soul, she was a beauty much like yourself." Helena changed the subject. She had no desire to marry who her father chose, and she knew talk of her late mother always made him sad. She loved her father, but she felt she knew best.
That night under the glow of a crescent moon Helena made a fateful choice. She knew she couldn't hold her father's decision off much longer and she knew the offers from local men would keep coming. There would be a propsal her father would accept on her behalf and her dreams would all be over. She wasn't intending to bend on this, and her loving father wouldn't meet her half way. So she dragged the little rowboat along the beach and into the calm sea. It wasn't wise to sail in such a little craft by night, but she was used to the sea round here. She knew the rocks and tides, the swells and currents like she knew the back of her hand. This was the night she'd take action. This was her chance to leave and live and decide for herself. She'd brought along some provisions and all her jewels. She affixed the lantern to the helm and rowed off into the dark towards her dreams. This was a momentous occasion. She'd miss her father and her life here, but it was so small and she dreamed so very big. If she could just row to the nearest city further along the shoreline she could make it to a large port. From there she was sure to net herself some rich and handsome sea captain who'd fall in love with her. She'd be able to persuade him better than she could her own father. She felt sure of her destiny and that this was the only path open to her. So she rowed into the black of night and kept the North star always in view. If she could make it round the coast she'd be half way there to freedom and adventure.
Sadly as she turned the cliffs towards her intended destination, the seas weren't as familiar to her as she had hoped. They raged more violently than she had ever known, and they pushed her stronger than she could row. She drifted further and further off course and away from the coastline. It was a good deal far away by the time she was so exhausted she fell dangerously asleep. And when she woke she found it was still dark. She'd been washed ashore a tiny island of rock and the sea was receding just enough to keep her dry and able to step out. The rock was slippy but firm underfoot. Helena kept calm but judged her position to be far from her home, and far from her intended future. This was a place unknown to her and as the sea claimed more she couldn't see anything or anyone around. The salt spray ruined her hair and the cold wind froze her smooth pale skin. She felt isolated and afraid and she shouted out into the night. "Hello. Hello is there anyone out there? Oh Poseidon, please hear my prayer. I'm a daughter of the sea, please won't you tell me what remote island is this have brought me to?" you There was the call of the gulls and the roar of the waves that filled her ears. She could wait and maybe she could set sail again and try her luck, or trust to fate with her limited provisions. But either way surely her days were numbered if she had drifted too far from land or another boat. "Please Posideon I bed you, screamed desperately into the night," where am I? What island do I find myself stranded upon?" She hoped by knowing she could plot a course back home or forwards into the unknown. Then she heard it on the Northerly gale, a voice on the chill air. "Daughter, you stranded yourself girl. " You're at home on the island of Pride."
Lost Horse: The Story Of My Pony
My pony in the photo. It was taken about March this year.
Well, technically she wasn't horse. I had a white pony when I was between the died because my my first named Milky ages of 6-8. She dad shot her. He did it because she was blind in one eye and the crows ate her socket out. It's and completely horrifying, I know.
I don't remember her more than maybe a little bit. I only know because I saw photos of me riding her and my dad told me the history ... terrible and tragic.
I remember riding her very few times. Probably not more than 10 times in the years I had her, though I now regret it. We had two other horses - a gray adult mare named Star and her black foal. I don't even recall his name.
But this story isn't about Milky or them. It's about the first horse I had events with worth talking about, smiling about, being proud about and remembering. Her name was Cheeky.
When I was barely 16 years old, we first got her. She was a dwarf or semi dwarf pony, about 11 hands at the shoulder, yet my 16th birthday present. I remember feeling unhappy that my dad's friend arranged her to be bought to our sheep farm - for free - (because of her being so small.) I was and am quite short. But did they really think I couldn't ride an almost normal sized horse at age 16?
She arrived a few months late and with a moderate hoof injury. She had blue eyes, a gray and black coat, and a black mane. She was quite or very fat and about 4 inches lower than my 5'2 height, except when she raised her head.
The first day she arrived, I gave her a syrup and butter sandwich to calm down her nerves. I used to feed Milky that. That and the fact that she had green teeth was about the only thing I remember about her.
Cheeky was fairly docile at the beginning, as far as I remember. She just showed an over abundance of cheekiness right from the start - she wouldn't go to her new little camp on our farm - at all, for say, the first 20 minutes.
Apparently, that was why her name was Cheeky! Her previous owners gave it to her. Me and my dad and older brother, Dries, had to chase her - by foot - to make her go into the camp.
She just hated being petted or caressed on her face, and very oddly and even sadly to me, never looked me directly in the eyes when I stood very close to her. Her eyes were powder blind-like blue.
The first few times I rode her, she didn't really want to move much. A pat on the behind got her to canter off in a bolting manner, but I was so scared when she did that that I probably accidentally halted her - she usually or always stopped about 10-15 seconds later.
At first, Cheeky thought the juicy apples and carrots I gave her might be poisonous. She was also suspicious, yet kind of loving of the syrupy sandwiches I gave her. But then she began biting me accidentally at the speed she gobbled down those apples in two seconds.
For the first few months, I didn't ride her much at all. And then I basically stopped riding her. Like twice a week or once in ten days and sometimes more often, I'd walk 400 m to her csmp to offer her a snack.
Cheeky always stood at attention, ears pricked, staring attentively and directly at me with her baby blue eyes when she saw me. She soon - or later - began approaching me IF I had a snack, but always started bucking, jumping around and threatening to kick, blue eyes wide as saucers, if I dared look like I might mount her. She DID kick me a few times. I seldom even tried to mount Cheeky out of sheer terror, nevertheless actually rode her at all. The idea of falling off her was literally my worst horror.
Cheeky, at first, breathed and blew nervously on my hand when I came near to hand over a carrot, and snapped her head away little nose. when I wanted to stroke her
My older brother Dries - 19, at the time - however, could saddle her up quickly, jump on her and get a fairly fast gallop and a canter out of her for a few kilometres. Despite the fact that he's 5'9 and about 150 lbs, he could ride her at a gallop for a little more than 2 and a half miles.
He in the first 3 months or so - often demonstrated to me how to sit the run, by rocking your torso up and down, but I didn't get the hang of it. I didn't want to get the hang of it and now, I am ashamed of myself. Even back then I think I was.
Then, about August of the year I got her - I got her in like January or February - I started to try to saddle her up, mount her, get her out of the camp and move her forward at a slow walk.
Cheeky ran away every time I approached her in the wrong way, old horse saddle and rope halter in hand. She was especially terrified when I made any noise at all, like the clinging of the stirrups as it swang back and forth when I walked to her. I almost always got her saddled up, mounted and got Cheeky out of the camp quickly after that in the end, though, because I was so determined to start doing something with life.
She couldn't easily move away more than about 20-100 metres from the camp at a walking speed. It may have taken about 15 minutes to get her 300 metres away. Soon I started the habit of riding her in circles around the house. She froze about four times a minute. She'd often stand still in one place for what felt like 10 minutes.
Later that year I got to stay on her while she cantered and loped about half a mile - a couple times, and eventually, I could lead her on her halter a mile or so away from home and then ride her back at a walk, and canter or jog a little.
I also started running alongside, behind and in front of her mile after mile, leading her with the halter's rope, even over and down hills and river and dam banks and down through and up dry ponds and rivers. I also started riding her at a gallop or jog up and downhill.
a Few months after I got Cheeky, Dries got a new horse named Bella. She still lives. She's a beautiful, docile caramel Palimino pony about 15 hands higher the shoulder. She was incredibly thin, but also pregnant, though we didn't know yet. Dries rode her about daily at a gallop for miles during her pregnancy. They got on very well from the start.
Bella and Cheeky soon grew inseparable. Checky was completely silent at the start, but then she began neighing like a horse hired for Beethoven's orchestra.
Bella always tagged along all the way when I began riding cheeky for about 2-3 miles 5 times a week. They ran for miles together and reared side by side when our sheepdogs charged at them barkingly.
A couple times she even went along to splash in the mud while Cheeky was ridden and played like she was angry in the big dam. Once they ran about 2.5 km after me, including up- and downhill - because I had their feedpail in hand. I taught them to run after me when I ran to their food bowls to fill it. She even automatically ran around and around the camp in circles, through and under trees and around a large plant - chasing me, because I held her food pail full of horse feed.
But I loved it. She was a special horse, and I suppose I'll never have one exactly like her again.
Checky also had a habit of galloping full speed with me on her - after Bella being ridden through the fields by Dries, like when we went lost cattle searching in the mountains about 4-5 miles from home.
Once I mounted her bareback, and she bucked with all her might, but I managed to stay on barely. Another time she bolted in the night at about 40 km per hour till I flew through the air. There were a few other terrific falls as well. Quite a few times I managed to stay on her while she flew away with me at full might and top speed. Once for about 600 metres, bareback and halter less.
Then I started riding her to a mile or two away from home at a walk. Always bareback it worked much better for me. Then I started riding her at a super and/ or decent galloping and cantering speed over the hills. She usually blew extremely after hard work when she should have become fit.
Soon before her death, I found out why. Even at a walk she huffed every 3 seconds, though Cheeky became muscular and quite fit. It was because of her age. She was 25-30 years old.
And then, 5 days ago, Checky supposedly suddenly choked on an apple and couldn't get it out. At first, she seemed to be going blind in one eye.
She bolted around in circles with no rider on her, ran into fences, zigzagged slowly with her head held crooked and appeared to see ghosts. The right eye blinked way less than the left when waving a hand in front of her eyes.
Then we discovered it was the apple. Dries put Cheeky in a kraal with Bella.
Friday afternoon I pushed Cheeky onto the wagon to take her to the vet. We had dozed her canola oil and gave her penicillin in the butt, I attempted the Heimlich maneuver on her 100 times to rid her of the apple piece or pieces in her esophagus. And I didn't even know where the windpipe was relative to the swallowing tube in a horse.
30 seconds after neighing joyfully at the other horses, being pushed and pulled at and then easily led, she collapsed after the vet injected into her some type of laxative.
Her lungs are dead, her oxygen dropped from 80 to 60 due to our cooking oil injection - and the stress of the wagon trip made her legs give in; she was most likely going to die from equine pneumonia, the vet told us. But, probably, it was her who killed Cheeky, and she didn't have the guts to admit it. I'm not really angry, although I am saddened.
The next morning at around 8:30 p.m. the vet called to tell us the news. She was dead. Ice cold. I knew because I caressed her dead body when we drove to pick her up at the vet's ... to come bury her at home.
I still can't believe it. I still can't accept it. She was the type who farted you away. She was the type who bolted strangers and charged at cattle to drive them away.
She wasn't the type who went away ... by ceasing to breathe. She wasn't the type who went away by dying ... laying stiff and lifeless, forever on the ground. At least she's going to Heaven one day, where she'll never have to suffer one bit of sorrow ever again.
We nailed her grave's cross and had her burial finished this afternoon. 2 years and 7 months I had with her; she gave me so much delightful joy and so many long hours of sorrow, and now she's gone forever.
I loved her too much.
God be with everyone who loses someone. Be it horse, be it dog, or be he/ she human.
I'm so sorry she had to die.
And blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted Matthew 5. 4
Getting Motivated
I like almost everyone during covid gained some weight. This actually happened after covid to me as during covid I exercised every day with my girls. to keep them busy. Right at the end of covid I got surgery on my wrist and couldn't even move this hand so no gym, no nothing. I also was laid up on the couch for 8 weeks with no pain medication, just "cookies" which in turn made me eat even more cookies and junk.
I was depressed, I was in pain, I had gained weight and I had no outlet for my stress so that made me more miserable. Usually I write, clean or exercise my stress away but I obviously couldn't do any of that so there I was falling deeper into a hole I couldn't dig myself out of. I now understand how this can happen, you are depressed, you don't feel like doing anything, you gain weight, you feel worse and so you don't feel like doing anything and the cycle keeps repeating itself.
When I finally emerged from the depression I had gained at least 10 lbs and felt horrible. Not just physically but mentally as well, I have exercised my whole life. Every day, 5 days a week for the last 40 years even though my both pregnancies, a broken toe, knee surgery, and a broken hand, it didn't matter I went and worked out. This surgery took me down for the count and took my mind and body with it.
Now most people would say it's only 10 pounds but to me at 5'3 it's a lot and besides from a person that's been the same weight since I was married and even after 2 kids, that said plenty.
Well, as soon as my hand was good to go I was back at it 3-4 miles a day on the treadmill while writing this blog. I added when allowed, some weight exercise even if there were no weights at the beginning, just many reps over and over. At least I was doing something, I was moving and the movement felt good. I also went back to my happy place, the beach. It brought me peace, walking for miles, listening to my gospel music and giving thanks. My church and my friends were there for me helping me out of my depression. They took me out, they came around and talked to me, making sure I was alright. I started watching what I ate, preparing my meals ahead of time, no late night binge watching TV and eating. I had to make a change because I hated the way I was feeling, I knew I had to do this for my mental and physical health.
Even with all of that I was still not where I wanted to be. I kept yelling at God a bout my purpose and when I was going to be able to do this as my full time career. I was ready, I needed this, this writing and speaking was my passion and what was taking so long!
What do they say? Ask and you shall receive well that's true and recently while speaking to 2 amazing women in my life. who also had fallen into ruts, we decided to pull our resources and do what we had started to talk about pre covid. We are all speakers that come from different backgrounds yet all have the same stories. Stories of overcoming, of abusive, of starting over in the second half of our lives and we decided that we needed to do this, we needed each other to pull ourselves out of this hole. And we realized that there are probably many women out there who need that hand up as well. This had put the fire under my ass to get my life together again and share my purpose with others like I am supposed to. So we are putting together a retreat that I will keep you informed of when more details come out.
So today my friends, my message is no matter how bad it looks, no matter how deep you are in it, you can always change. it. You can seek out professional help, you can change your diet, you can exercise more. You can surround yourself with like minded people to help you. You can do a creative outlet you enjoy, dancing, cooking, writing, painting whatever makes your heart happy and pumping. Just because you are in a run right now, just because things aren't good now doesn't mean it won't get better. After every storm comes the sun, just hold on.
At any point, you can change your life, you can say enough is enough and choose change and as I say at the end of every blog...you can be the change you want to see. It's up to you to get motivated.
Her Last Day
It was her last day of life, the doctor said she can't survive anymore and now she is in the corridor of the hospital looking at the sunrise, with a soulless eyes, and a nose connected with a tube which is making her breath. Her parents stood there wondering why there is a smile over her face. " Come in and take rest honey" her mother tried to pull her in, " No Maa let me watch the last sunrise of my life" she said with a energy less smile. Her mothers eyes welled up with tears "Pls babe don't talk like that" told her mother. "Just because you cry, my death won't be postponed" she said effortlessly. By that her mom was stabbed by a pain which cannot be removed and her dad was broken and was effortless.
It became afternoon her eager eyes was looking at the clock as if she is waiting for someone. As a heart patient whose death is confirmed and it seems to be her last day, What is she waiting for? her doctors and her parents wondered. So Strong women what are you waiting for?" the doctors asked her. For my hope which saved me till now DOC" she said. "Ok strong Women lets take our medicine" the doctor said to her. "Doc can you not give that to me, let me live this day without any of these and Doc I don't think it will work on me and what will it change if take it!!!!" she sighed with a sad eyes, from her 5 she stayed in the hospital with the help of these medicines, rather than going to school and college the, place she is more familiar with is The hospital and the doctors and nurse who treats her is her friends. "Ok then no need, but if you don't take it you will feel weak" the doctor warned and she told him "All these made me feel like a Prisoner doc, atleast let me live this half day in my own" and they removed the trips needle from her hands and after removing it she felt her hands for the time, without the oxygen pipe in her nose she breathed the real air. Suddenly she took her phone with excitement and dialed a number "Let's meet" she said and hung up the phone.
It became 4 and suddenly the hospital because he is the celebrity who got famous recently came up with his tearful eyes and hugged her and astonished " You alright, I missed you " and she wiped his tears "Don't cry you got everything you want and why are you crying " she asked "But I think I won't get" he said with his sad and everyone around her respected their privacy and left them be." Shut up!!! lets go out " and they took a walk downstairs and asked a man to bring his car and she grabbed his hand and said "Lets take a walk " and he accepted it, they walked and reached a park in front of the hospital "Remember this the place we first met, you where their sitting effortlessly " she said and he said "And you came to me", the place was their memorial, he was young man who got good singing talent but not a stage to show his talent, he came to a limit to loose his hope and she willingly became his hope and now he achieved his goal. The evening passed in a good way and her body became weaker and weaker but her soul was completely energetic with him by her side.
The night sky was glistering with shining stars and they both climbed the stairs of his new huge house "Come on where are taking me, I am tired and I can't walk anymore" she said and her body too looked tired and pale as if she could faint. "Is that so" he said and lifted her, she gave him a weak smile and laid her on his shoulder, they both laid on the opened top of his house staring at the moon and the stars, "Do you know you are like this stars, you are suffering alone but you won't show it to anyone and will shine brighter making others life bright" he said and she replied with a weak voice looking into his eyes "Because I had a hope in my life that made me shine and now i have no light to shine". He took her into a hug and asked in a husky voice "what is that hope??" and she hugging him back said " It was you" her words came voiceless and she lost herself in his embrace. While closing her eyes she thought "I want to stay with you forever, maybe its not eternal love but today is the best day of my life. Thank you " with that her eyes dropped as if it needs a complete break.
The next day began and she was not there with him to see the sunrise. He felt broken his felt as if he lost everything he had. Her mother suddenly came to him with tears in her eyes "May be she died, but Yesterday was the only day I saw her complete self with pure happiness, so don't worry "this made him cry he saw her face the last time like a faded star with no energy left to shine. "Thank you for giving her happiness in her last day" her father hold his hand and thanked him. His limbs had no energy to stand and he felt down as if he lost his soul. He stood with his painful heart walked to her holding her dead hand and said "May be its too painful for you so take break, I.....Loovvvece YOU" he broke out in tears with that.
His doorbell rang after 3 months of her death. His father came to him and gave a paper which she wrote for him before her death that morning it wrote YOU ARE THAT ONE SHOULDER I RELIED ON, IN MY LAST MINUTE. I LOVE YOU" it made him cry and he hold the paper as if its treasure. Not all love will last forever, but the love which didn't have a happy ending will stay eternal.
The Sound Wave Helmet
Maria Gonzalez had never liked being ignored, and it was something people had been doing to her the whole of her life. When she was a child she remembers the tiny buzz in her ears. It sounded when the adults before her open and closed their mouths. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she heard the buzz. When she was outside it was alive with action and vibrancy, but all she heard was the distant buzz. Her parents had indicated to that it was like the sound a bee makes from a distance. That is how the doctors had explained it to them, and they in turn passed to her the news. She was what they called deaf, born with a condition they told her was a curse. But she had never known better. All the time as a baby she'd been wondering why the world was such a silent place, or why she just heard the sound that came and went. The buzz was her ear drum trying to make sense of what it was capturing but unable to send the correct signal to her brain. Instead it was jumbled and chaotic, and all she heard was this dull rumble. But when people realised that she couldn't hear like them, they started to treat her differently. They would avoid her or get agitated, gesticulating wildly or moving their mouths with odd over emphasis making it impossible to read their lips. Maria had been taught to read lips from the time she could walk and she was very proficient at it. But it was surprising how much went on that couldn't see. How some individuals you would turn their backs or look away, or hide their mouths behind their hands. When Covid came the pandemic made it almost impossible to communicate in public. Things were harder for Maria and her University lessons had stopped being as effective. Most of what she needed to do now was online tutorials and they weren't nearly as effective at teaching her. Maria's frustration and disappointment was mounting, but she'd been used to such as this all her life.
When they had invited her to the international science and technology fair being held in Madrid, Maria was suspicious. She'd been made to feel very different and any random act of kindness always got her wary. She hated pity and condescension, and that's how most new people treated her. So when receiving the invite from a bunch of tech geeks and scientists to a special presentation, she was surprised. But she was a bright and clever student, and she didn't want to miss out on an opportunity that might benefit her. Her major at Uni wasn't in science or tech, it was in communications and the Arts. It was a field that had personally impacted her life in a big way, and she wanted to contribute to making things better for people like herself. Those who were different in ways others found it hard to relate to. So Maria went to their little private demonstration with a degree of wariness and trepidation. She plucked up her courage and decided that if you don't try these experiences and opportunities as they present themselves, then you will always live in fear and thinking what if? She wasn't ever prepared to do that, she was a fighter, an enquirer and an advocate of helping oneself.
Maria Gonzalez appeared self assured and a little defiant as she stood in front of the small pannel of lab coats in front of her. The welcoming committee that greeted her at the Hall door was a bit of a surprise. She thought it was a public demonstration like the career fairs she'd attended at college in the past. Lots of stalls and people buzzing with the excitement of their own little niches. Not many bothered with her when they saw it was more difficult to win her over. This nerdherd of brains was especially curious to her, and they seemed kind of electric themselves. They were wired in a different way to the ordinary professors and teachers she knew. They spoke clearly and had a small demo video with subtitles and sign language. She was pleasant and thanked them for the invite, and watched their video. There was only her but from the look of them and the tiredness in their eyes and the sluggishness of their movements she guessed they'd been doing the same thing all morning.
The video spoke about auditory senses and how the latest technology could help in enhancing sound. Apparently they'd invented something called The Soundwave Helmet that corrected certain hearing defects by calibrating sensors in it to the same harmonics the ear receives and carries. There was a lot of techno babble about how the cardrum sets the tiny bones in the ear, called ossicles into motion. These three are named after a hammer, an anvil and a stirrup, and they further amplify sound. Then in the middle ear the Eutachian tube equalises the pressure between the air inside and outside of it. The sound waves get to the inner ear to a snail like organ called a cochlea, that's filled with a fluid that moves to the vibrations. As it does, 25,000 nerve endings are set in motion. They change it into electrical impulses that then travel along the auditory nerve to the brain. The brain then interprets those signals and that's how we hear. Apparently their helmet does away with the need for the middle ear tube and the cochlea's function. It takes sound like an eardrum in from outside and then does what the whole ear mechanism was designed to do. It carries outside sound in, through, and then feeds it direct to a helmet's sensors wired up the sections of the brain linked to the auditory nerve. They re-strimulate it somehow into a response. It was very complicated and she only half understood it because of her familiarity with terminology. They'd used a lot of big words and convoluted explanations during a series of many operations she'd had as a little girl growing up. At the end of the day she'd been given false hope before. She remained skeptical out of choice, as false hope always left her feeling crushed and upset.
However, after the video they explained to her there was no operation or need for preparation. That she'd been chosen along with others to try the thing. It could be calibrated only to a degree, but they hoped that her particular reasons for her deafness made her the ideal subject for a trial demonstration. She interpreted this as they explained into her own speak. In short, they needed to find a guinca pig it may work on to earn them the status they felt it warranted. She smiled at them. They gave her coffee and biscuits and had obviously checked her medical files and taken a lot of time and effort. Why the hell not she thought? And as she had her reward for sitting through the short programme they affixed a weird looking helmet to her head.
It reminded her of an Athenian helmet she'd seen in a local muscum once but it was all in a shiny black material. She asked them what the metal was but they said it was a polymer based bio-metal and plastic alloy enhanced substance that better carried the sensory information. She laughed at that. Better to not have asked. She forgot she was dealing with brains, and they were like her in some ways, unable to interpret their own thoughts to a way others could understand. She was similar, unable to interpret sound in a way her own thoughts could understand. She started to giggle, funny how even the non-impaired who thought themselves "whole" still had impediments that prevented them relating to the average person. She often felt we were all impaired in ways that weren't obvious. We all needed understanding and patience. They messed with the thing and applying the many sensors within it. The helmet had a visori and they insisted this was left down for when it was switched on. Apparently the whole process was quite overwhelming and it was best visual stimuli were kept to the minimum. She gulped nervously, as she didn't like being kept in the dark. Whilst they played with the iPad linked to the device and fine tuned it to her disability, Maria grew more and more anxious.
Finally they announced they were ready and Maria took a deep calming breath. As they switched the thing on, the helmet glowed red where the headphone looking apparatus was. And from the corner of the room in a lower setting than was entirely necessary, someone played some music. It came from huge speakers all around the room, with woofers and tweeters to amplify high and low frequency sounds. The controls were built into their iPad and they tinkered constantly with it. As they did so Maria felt the usual buzz at first and her heart sank. In some ways it was a relief she was unaffected, because with so many electrodes attached to her head she was worried they'd end up frying her brain and sending her home even more damaged than she already felt. They had a way of making her feel ill at case even when trying to do the opposite. She relaxed and her body lost the tension in her muscles. Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained.
Just as she thought this something wonderful happened. There was the faintest of sounds assailing her mind. She was aware for the first time in her life, not of silence, not of a dull monotonous buzz, but of music. The sound was like a soothing balm to her whole body. It seemed to fill her up and she was so startled she sat bolt upright and started speaking to the scientists. "It's working," she said startled, " it's working...it's really working....it's...it's...marvellous!" And Maria Gonzalez, student and Communications and Arts Major broke down in tears. She was feeling the swell and surge of beautiful, clear and moving sound for the first time in her life. There were no words to try to filter, no heavy beats and deafening noise, just a gentle soothing music. "What is this?" she asked through her overwhelming ecstasy. Then someone spoke into a microphone very gently. "Beethoven," they replied and Maria jumped out of her skin. It was the first. human voice she'd ever heard. Though she couldn't grasp the words or their meaning yet, there was no doubt it was distinctly different to the music. Maria was laughing and crying all at once. She was hearing and it was wonderful. She was doing what other people took for granted and it was glorious. She'd been given the chance to experience an ordinary part of life people took as a given. Her heart was soaring, her mind racing and for the first time in a long time she had hope. They'd given her hope. And no amount of thank you could embody the empowerment they were providing her. And the tears kept falling.
The Duck With One Leg
Twigtail was a duck who'd spent much of his life in hiding. Have you ever felt so different you couldn't face your tormentors? He had. He'd been born they said the last in his brood. He was last at most things. Last to hatch, last to the food, too scrawny so last to leave the nest and generally all round last choice. Even in duck nursery when they followed their mother to school he was last in line. And when he got there he always seemed last to be chosen. But there was one thing he seemed on an equal footing in and that was swimming. For although as he paddled so fast with all his might under the waters surface, he'd usually not go as quick, but his one leg was strong. He'd had weeks of building t up and at least on water things seemed more equal. And Twigtail had a secret he'd never confess to anyone. Nobody could see his one legged condition when he swam, and he felt safer and more normal. For that reason alone, Twigtail loved to swim.
"Hey Hopalong," the other chicks would taunt him, "where did you leave your other leg? He'd gotten used to being the butt of all their jokes and the one to be picked on. He thought if he could get fit and be bigger perhaps he might seem more intimidating and they wouldn't pick on him as much. It didn't work out that way because he worked so hard walking that he soon wore off any extra weight. So then he turned to his brain to impress them and tried very hard in lessons. But even that didn't work because he wasn't a particularly scholarly duckling. It wasn't from lack of effort and trying but it just didn't happen for him and they still poked fun and criticised. "Loser" "Freak" "Cripple" were all terms he was used to, and he'd hang his beak in shame. Slowly he began to get annoyed and angry. He'd answer back and give as good as he'd get. Sometimes his siblings would back him up, but many times they'd try to stay far away from him. Their disassociation was perhaps the hardest blow to bear. As he loved his family with all his heart, and he felt bad that he brought shame to them. It wasn't long before you Twigtail was in trouble.
There was a young gaggle of geese down by their local pond who always got the lion's share of bread. They honked so loud for attention people often focussed on them. But when Twigtail was around the pond all eyes were on him. They threw him "pity bread" as he'd call it, Even though he never asked to have it thrown his way. Sometimes he was so slow to dodge it that he'd often get hit. Some of those chunks were large enough to hurt. When the local kids saw this they were soon throwing their bread so hard and big just to see if they could knock him over. He hated that, so he generally stuck to the water where nobody could tell he was different. But this one day that goose gang were jealous ot the spoils he got and harassed him. They pecked him and pulled at his feathers and flew in his path. And he retaliated at just the wrong time and the Mallard Police arrested him. He was too slow to run away like the members of the gang did, so he paid the sing a public nuisance.
He was the young duck nobody liked having around. He had a police record and was falsely branded as an agitator. His miserable and sullen attitude was born of how others treated him. He really did try to fit in and that meant putting in twice the effort most other ducks did. He wasn't considered suitable for most jobs so he found his choice ot career limiting with his juvie record his parents were less likely to come and see him, so he built his nest on a remote log that seemed anchored just off the floating vegetation of the East bank of the river. It was quiet and away from prying eyes. He felt lonely and he missed having someone to share life with. Often the females would flirt and signal and give him the signs they were attracted to him. But as soon as he'd hit land or leave the water for his nest or theirs, it was a very different story. Their interest seemed to die a death. That crushed Twigtail's spirit inside. He was still the same duck. He still had the same feelings and wasn't immune to their changes of heart. He grew even more sad and quiet.
Then one day it came time for the annual Duck Race. A prestigious event where participants were allowed to enter for the worthy prize of tree sponsorship for the Duck Patrol. It was a much sought after elite squadron of ducks who did river and pond patrol for the whole county. They were the best paid employees in the district and it was a much coveted job. Generally it was the biggest ducks who did best in the race and usually only they entered. But there was a flurry round the island notice boards that day of the event when the list ot participants was displayed for later. For there bottom of The list was Twigtail's name! "It can't be!" exclaimed some, "young Hopalong? " laughed others, and none could believe he was being allowed to race. The kinder ones amongst them still objected as they felt it wasn't fair he should be allowed to participate against 'healthy' ducks. Sadly his own parents were amongst them and even some of his siblings. But the organizers voted them all down. Rules were rules and the competition was open to fair and square, so his nomination stood.
On the day of the race the sun decided to disappear and showers were forecast, but there was still a huge crowd. Not only ot ducks, but many species of birds as this was a Fair Species Birds of Tolerance sponsored event, and would include lots of marshland birds too. Usually the crowd cheered on their own, but nobody cheered poor Twigtail as he waddled down to the starting linc. When the honk from the starting swan went up, there was a mighty roar from the spectators and all hell let loose. It started to rain almost immediately and the track down to the waters edge, which was a considerable distance and quite a steep angle, became very muddy. Twigtail slid and slipped and mostly careened down on his backside to make it to the river where the bulk of the race would bc. The gang of young offending geese was there in the crowd and he was met with a barrage of mocking. "Hey Hoppy, give it up mate, my Gran is faster than you." "Stumpy, can't you slide any faster?" Even the ducks who were cheering other ducks on didn't rebuke them, they just clicked their beaks in embarrassment or agreement.
Twigtail paid them no heed. He had entered to prove something to himself not to them. He was focused on his own achievements, and he wasn't put off by silly jibes he'd heard a thousand times or more. And when he got to the water he felt all his worry evaporate. For in water he felt at home, he felt safe, he felt anything was possible. It was three times found the pond and a mile up river before he would reach the finishing line. But he'd already done the hardest part for him, the sprint on land. So he was feeling good despite the weather and the constant heckling. The hardest part of the course was the ponds East side where vegetation was thick and created blocks to a birds' path. That's why bigger birds tended to do better. But Twigtail had made his home here. He was a good Swimmer and he knew the quickest routes and hidden paths through the weed and lillies or over and through the reeds.
He had moved up fifteen places by lap one, and another twenty by lap two but by that time most of the crowd had moved off up river to the end. Those who left first got the better views. As he completed his third time round the pond Twigtail had reached the first dozen birds at the leading section of participants. They were entering the last phase up the river. He barely noticed the same antagonists that always poured their hatred out at him. Again they were there as he plowed on. "Give it up Freak, you're too weak" went up the chant they kept calling. He didn't have the time to think much,but a trickle of his old doubt got through. What if he was too weak? What if he did hurt himself and his one good leg too badly? Could he really hope to win when others had the advantage on him? Thunder and lightning started to rain down on them all. It brought him back to his senses. He could do it. He was a fighter, he was stronger than they believed. He'd use the pain, use the hurt, use the venom of their words..use it to fuel his ambition and his determination. And this he did, tor though one leg was weaker than two nobody accounted for his stubborn iron will. It pushed him on, passing a moorhen, a guinea fowl and then two other ducks. He moved ahead of a signet and three very differently marked geese until finally there were only two birds ahead of him.
When they got near the end the last part was a stretch of river where they were to complete the course by flying up out of the water and over the linc that had been set up. Everywhere there were crowds of cheering birds. He never heard any abuse, didn't see any faces, he just heard the cheers. A tear came to his little duck eye. Nobody had ever cheered for him. Not one bird had ever showed him this much love before. It was coming in great waves of cheers. It was enthusing his heart, filling his lungs and making him burst with pride. The hardest part was to be launching your tired aching body out of the water into the air. But as all three birds did so at almost the same time, neck and neck, Twigtail felt like he was floating. He wasn't a weak little duck, he was a sea eagle, he was an osprey and he was STRONG. He wasn't the biggest bird in those three, nor had the widest wingspan. But he was filled with something the others lacked in comparison; resilience! He gave it everything All he had, all he could generate, the anger, the misery and the pain all converted to energy. And Twigtail, the little duck with one leg crossed the finishing line the bonafide hero of the hour in first place! He had won. He had done it. He'd proven to himself he wasn't the failure they wanted him to believe he was. He was a newest recruit to the Duck Patrol and he was going to have an astonishing life, and for once, he truly believed in that to the very core of his being. Twigtail was happy and he quacked in delight as he was mobbed with congratulations and applause.
The end.
The 5 Best Auto Body Shop In Brooklyn
As a vehicle owner and driver, it is known that all you want is a hassle-free and reputable auto body shop service that you can trust and go to anytime. Because of its demanding business, there are many established repair shops globally, and it still differs depending on the location, like Brooklyn.
Brooklyn is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Brooklyn is home to 19 of the city's priciest. Of the 50 most expensive neighborhoods in New York City. It is known for its long traffic of vehicles in the morning. Indeed this city is a place of busy humans.
However, these busy people need car repair and maintenance from time to time. But it is difficult to find the best auto body shop in the city, which is enormous and hectic. Depending on your available time and preferred shop, we have taken down the five best choices of Auto Body Shops Brooklyn.
**Best Auto Body Shop in Brooklyn**
**1. Salerno Auto Body Shop**
Salerno Auto Body Shop is one of the best-reviewed auto body shops in Brooklyn. It is a family-owned and operated repair shop established in 1959.
It is operated 24/7, so there’s less hassle worrying whether you’ll get to the shop before it closes. Whether you’re only accessible on weekdays or you work the whole day doesn’t matter. Also, because of the 24/7 service, there are more chances of having your auto repair quickly, and no worries if there will still be an available schedule.
This locally owned and operated repair shop is located at 451 Lorimer St Brooklyn, NY 11206 Maujer St. & Ten Eyck St East Williamsburg. The company offers free Wi-Fi and accepts credit cards. It welcomes pets and has a gender-neutral restroom. It is well-known for providing high-quality oil changes, inspections, tire repairs, wipers, and light bulbs.
**2. Precision Transmissions**
During COVID-19, the Precision Transmissions shop has implemented health and safety procedures. It has imposed social distancing and offers temperature monitoring and sanitizers in the facility. It also requires its employees to wear masks and gloves. Given the dangers and worries associated with getting your car fixed these days, this is an excellent service.
The shop is established in 2001 and is located at 1454 Atlantic Ave Brooklyn, NY 11216 Brooklyn Ave & Kingston Ave Crown Heights, Bedford Stuyvesant. Precision Transmissions also have a spacious state-of-the-art facility. Expert technicians are trained to repair the vehicle and get it back on the road as cost-effectively and efficiently as possible.
All mechanical, transmissions, engine, and collision repairs are available in this shop. From minor to lease return clean-up to complete vehicle overhaul. Precision Transmission representatives handle any collision claims with the insurance company for you from A-Z. All you have to do is bring your vehicle and pick it up when it's ready.
**3. Repairs On Wheels**
This auto body shop has over 533 reviews. It is also known for its 24 hours service but only operates from 8 am to 11 pm during the COVID-19 pandemic. Established in 1989, it provides Auto, Body, and Wheel/Rim repair services to Brooklyn and surrounding areas. It started into a caravan and an air compressor and has grown into the business they are today.
4. Auto Dent Collision
Auto Dent Collision is known as an Auto body shop, auto repair, and towing shop. This service includes virtual free estimation where you can email them for a picture of the damages for a quick and easy quote. The shop offers various auto collision repairs and painting services to get your car back on the road and perform and look new.
Auto dent collision has been family-owned and operated for 60 years. It is located at 3511 Fort Hamilton Pkwy Brooklyn, NY 11218 Kensington. Its physical shop opens from 7:30 am to 6 pm and available online for people 24/7. It has I-CAR certified technicians and works with all insurance companies and drive-in claim services for your convenience.
The only downside of this auto body shop is that it doesn’t accept credit cards as payment and don’t have wi-fi for physical customers. But overall, the service has received plenty of good reviews.
5. Champion Automotive Repair Services
Champion Automotive Repair Services is open and operating under its regular business hours of 8 am to 6 pm. They are committed to helping reduce the spread of COVID-19 by following safety precautions with every vehicle that comes. This is to keep their staff and customers safe.
Champion Automotive Repair Services is a Family-owned auto repair business that is established in 1992. They began by offering fleet services but have grown to help the people of their community. This shop offers many services: auto body restoration, collision repair, towing, and more.
It is located at 219 India St Brooklyn, NY 11222 Provost St & Mc Guinness Blvd Greenpoint Serving Long Island City, Queens, NY. The shop offers free estimates, free check-ups and has certified professionals. Lastly, Champion Automotive Repair Services is a pet-friendly environment that has free wi-fi for all the customers.
Tips In Decorating Custom Canvas At Home
Decorating and styling your house will be entertaining! However, it can also be frustrating, time-consuming, and costly. One of the easiest ways to quickly and affordably personalize your home decor is to use a stress-free, personalized, and enjoyable product like canvas prints. Custom canvas prints are high-quality, easy-to-hang images that are in such high demand that you can find samples of almost any color, image, or design you like! They're also simple to make if you have an imaginative streak. People often hang them on their walls, but there are also canvas frames if you want a more polished look. Here are six reasons to use canvas prints to decorate your house, as well as some ideas on how to do so.
Displaying artwork in homes and workplaces is becoming increasingly common. Since extended canvas prints project the illustration painted on them as though they were from an art gallery, the objects seem to leap out of the wall, providing a fantastic dimension.
However, with so many available choices today, choosing which type of canvas prints to order to decorate your walls can be a daunting task. We've compiled a list of ideas to help you decorate your canvas artwork so that it can aesthetically complement your room regardless of the kind of furniture you have.
**Bring Out the Theme/Mood of Your Room**
Understanding the purpose of your room will assist you in selecting the best custom canvas prints for a room. Is the space your bedroom or a living room? Is the space for resting or studying? Is the space big, narrow, or just small? Such inquiries will assist you in determining the type of canvas prints required for that space.
**The Psychology Behind Colors**
Cool colors are known to be soothing, while warm colors will explode with energy or enthusiasm. It is why most children's rooms are pastel pink, blue, or green to make you feel cheerful. So, if you need to decorate an office, try blue to contrast the fast-paced life. Mellow colors like green or beige will work wonders in a peaceful retreat space.
**Landscapes Open Up Small Rooms**
Canvas painting of distant horizons, greenery, and sunsets is an excellent way to open up smaller areas visually. Such canvas images will serve as an extra 'window' in a small space, giving it a more expansive feel.
**Canvas Size Depends on Wall Size**
It is condemning to choose the correct size of canvas prints for your wall. Can you picture a big painting in a small space or a small canvas print in an ample space? Large canvas sizes in a small space would be too distracting and will make the room seem suffocated. A tiny canvas print in ample space, on the other hand, can make it bearable.
Put up square or rectangular boxes on the wall with painter's tape to achieve the correct size for your space and target wall. You can also tape papers or poster boards to get an indication of what size will look well in your quarters.
**Best Choice Depends on the Purpose of Its Artwork**
Usual wraps, gallery wraps, framed canvas prints, and triptychs are the most common canvas types. Although every picture on any of these canvas types looks beautiful, you must consider what your artwork would add to space.
If you have a family picture, a traditional wrap will convey comfort and affection more effectively. If you have an abstract sculpture, a triptych will look better than a gallery wrap.
Custom Canvas will assist you in designing your images on canvas in minutes. Using these tips, you can transform any artwork into a masterpiece on canvas prints for your house, workplace, or commercial room using our straightforward design tool, which is available on our website. Visit the website now to take advantage of great deals and offers!
Choosing art for your home will be a challenge in which everybody in the family participates! Decorating should not have to be the responsibility of a single person; instead, your home should represent anyone who lives in it.
One thing about using canvas art to decorate your home is that you don't have to be a professional to pick, order, or display your art, making DIY redecorating simpler!
Even if you live alone, it's fun to have stuff like your dog's paw prints on canvas paintings or a snapshot of you and your best friend for others to enjoy! Canvas prints are also ideal for families with children since children can choose or draw their preferred prints. It is more than about making your house look good as you decorate it. It's your chance to be imaginative, share stories, and highlight your interests.
**Use three prints to decorate**
Three appears to be the perfect number when it comes to adorning walls with canvas prints. Aim for three prints to liven up your walls. Choose matching designs to ensure that the prints are consistent. To make the prints stand out, choose similar sizes and frames.
**Select black and white prints**
If you want your house to radiate simplicity, black and white canvas prints from Shutterfly are an excellent place to start. When exhibiting black and white prints, choose muted colors for your walls, furniture, and other décor.
**Choose large-scale art.**
A large-scale canvas print may be used to transform a barren wall. If you're creating a minimalist environment, this is also a terrific standout item. Space and may also be used as a conversation starter.
**Includes sconces**
A canvas print on its own would make an excellent statement piece in any decor. Sconces may be used to draw attention to the print and make it stand out. This is an excellent method to make any area appear more sophisticated. This can also aid in the creation of an atmosphere in the room.
**Construct a gallery wall**
Another excellent approach to display canvas prints at home is with a gallery wall. It will allow you to tell a tale with prints. Look for prints with a recurring subject, such as your favorite holidays or family images. This is one of the most effective methods to add personality to your home's décor.
**Get rid of the frame**
When it comes to canvas prints, going frameless is another excellent option. Canvas has a unique feel that adds to the fabric's appeal. By removing the frame, you can show it off. This is also an excellent technique to make the area appear more modern.
Canvas prints are one of the most acceptable ways to bring vitality into any environment. It is a low-cost addition that may completely change your property. Consider customizing, going frameless, and adding sconces, among other things, to get the most out of your custom canvas prints. Shutterfly is grateful for their contribution.
The Dolphin Who Stood Up For What Was Right
Finius was a very likeable bottlenose dolphin from the genus Tursiops. His kind from the oceanic dolphins are the most common members of the Delphinidae family. He has relatives in many ponds and though his kind are born in the water and stay with their mother for up to four years, he was different. His mother was caught a year after suckling him and lost her life to fishing newts. She was caught by the big trawlers who were searching for tuna, and she drowned in the chaos. Finius remembers the squeals of anguish and her frantic clicks, but he couldn't chew through the net. She was winched unceremoniously from the water and he saw it all, but by that time her body was already still and quiet. Finius was ushered away by his Aunts and they took over from there. They taught him how to be brave, be strong and be creative. They had no milk to suckle him and he needed to catch fish like them if he was to survive this ordeal. In the three more years he may have been playing with his mother, he was instead learning about life. Growing up quicker than a young dolphin should ever have to, but he learned quick. Finius missed his mother and he vowed never to forget the great nets and danger brought by mans vessels with their rock solid hides and their thunderous underwater roars. They weren't like dolphins, nor any sea beast he'd ever seen. They were cold and heartless, and they carried man. They came and took the food from the vast sea. Far more than they could ever eat, and they kept coming and taking. They took his mother too, but unlike them, she was never coming back. He missed her.
Whilst his Aunts were kind in explaining the ways of the seas, his Uncles were brutal and tough. They demanded pod loyalty and obedience, and they had no time for slackers or infants not ready to contribute to pod wellbeing. They saw him as a drain on their resources and many an argument was made to leave him behind to tend for himself. "Let the sharks have him" they'd tease, and to any young infant this sort of intimidation was very frightening So he felt he had to learn their hunting skills quickly to eat and survive the constant bullying and taunts. Their ways became his ways, and though his small stature and speed were against him, he held in there and they reluctantly began to accept him. He had turned into a contributing pod member by the time other dolphins were abandoning their own mothers and about to embark on solo hunts and sub-groups. He was already a part of many little breakaway pods. He found joining many helped his isolation and challenged him to be a more all round dolphin.
When he was in his adolescent years Finius embarked on his own self education. He observed the behaviors of his kind and tried to continue to grow from his Own first hand experiences. In the many sub-groups he was part of, the adolescent males would play and enjoy each other's company. Sometimes this lead to mating or playful fun, but it served to strengthen his connections with others. They'd even band together with others from various sub-groups to form a wider experience. The females weren't as readily available as the males, and often the youngsters lost out to bigger and older dolphins, so they were happy to relieve their frustrations. To be honest, Finius preferred the freedom and the camaraderie. He grew to like swimming with his brothers as he knew he wasn't ready to be a father. Remembrances of his mother's death and his own hard upbringing had really hurt his heart. He was very much a loner in a world of one pod needing to band together. Where could he go otherwise? He needed his pod but it always seemed to him they didn't so much need him. As much as he was liked and respected, he began to spend more time on the outside. He began to be gone longer, dive deeper, investigate the huge wide ocean more. And the elders started to notiCe and not like it. "We can't allow young dolphins to be going ott doing their own thing," they'd chastise, " you need to be a team player and you can't be allowed to set a bad example.
It happened one day on one of his many solo swims just after the pod had worked together in using their sonar to help confuse a huge shoal ot fish. They were so dazed and heeded so well that most of the dolphin's ate well that day, and Finius took it as a good time to abscond. It was whilst searching the shadows of the great reefs near the shoreline, that he came upon a river entering the sea. He decided to swim along it as he'd always been intrigued by these waterways. It was called the Mekong River and it was there he met a beautiful female Irrawaddy dolphin named Mi-ling She had a bulging forehead and short beak and looked so incredibly different. It peaked his interest and he gathered the courage to swim a little with her and converse. He loved her company, she was sleek and graceful, shy and yet knowledgeable. She spoke at length of how man had decimated their numbers and there were now only 92 individuals in the whole hundred miles or so of the great river. He told her of his mother's plight, and in that shared grief they bonded. For the first time in his life Finius felt like he was falling in love.
After days of illicit meetings his pod was due to swim far from the waters where Finius was. He feared losing Mi-Ling and so he asked her to come visit his pod and see whether she might like it. He wanted to show her oft and help her see the world he lived in. Travelling the vast expanse of the ocean, and not just the length of her mighty river. But she was timid, and she asked permission to go with him. However, her pod members said but you cannot go, why would you? You are Irrawaddy, our ways are not their ways! We arc small in number and you arc soon to be a breeding female, we cannot let you go, what if you like it there? We need you here, you are our family. No,you cannot go. But with Finius' murmurs of assurance, that she wouldn't be missed for one afternoon, he talked her into going with him. It wouldn't be tor long he knew, but perhaps long enough to show her his world and it's wonders.
In truth, he expected so much more, from her, from them and sadly from himself. He was so full oh hope and life, he was infectious to be around with his happiness and his clicks of joy. He showed her the deep ravines, the turtles on the beaches nearby and the caves along the coastline. Yes, she liked them and they intrigued het, but more for the love of being with him. It scared her to be so far from her pod, but Finius tried to reassure her with gentle prods of his nose and rubs with his flank and even touches between their fins. He wasn't used to such gentle affection as his brothers were rough and boisterous, their love was always exciting and fresh but rarely tender like this. So when Finius stood up one day on his tail in the middle of his pods retreat, it was to announce his love for an Irrawaddy dolphin who he sensed he loved. His affection had not prepared him for the laughter and taunts they received. Oh but brother, she's so ugly, she's not one of us. Or what right do you have to dictate to the pod who they shall allow into it, we do not know her. There were so many negatives, but still Finius stood proudly above his pod and demanded they listen. "But we are in love!" his clicks resounded, and his tail flicks spoke of the passion in his heart But they wouldn't listen, no matter what he said. He just couldn't see it. She was a dolphin, a female, she was beautiful and shared his thoughts and some of his ideals. Okay, she may not be exactly like them, but neither was he. Then Mi-Ling had had enough, her tail drooping, her posture rejected, "It's okay Finius, enough, your pod has spoken and mine too. We must accept this, it is not to be." And with that she turned around and started heading home up the tidal flows she knew so well.
Finius was heartbroken. He'd escorted her home but her pod would not let him any closer once she returned. His own pod was leaving and her pod wouldn't have him. Hed offer to swim away with her, to see the world together, to be a pod of two. But that wouldn't work, he knew Mi-Ling needed more than just him. Where he needed only his love and adventure, she needed more. She had safety and security in her pod, she knew the waters and had her family. Her greatest ambition was to find love not adventure, and she was grateful he showed her a glimpse of what that could look like. But practicality won the day and he was forced to leave.
He was heartbroken. He had no option but to return to the very pod who he felt had rejected him. He felt unwelcome and no amount of playful banter and solo journeying could bring peace back to his heart. Finius took many years to mend, from anger to acceptance and then to routine. The pod was always there, but he was older now and of an age to mate. The elders said it was his duty, the pod needed to expand and he was fit and healthy, a mighty dolphin. The females liked that he was clever and agile but had a deeper side to him. He'd learnt from Mi-Ling to show his more tender side more often. The females liked this, it was unusual for a male to be so considerate. But the more they pressured him the more he relented and started to journey again. It was then he met a very handsome porpoise. He too was a wanderer and had an adventurous spirit. He wasn't like Mi-Ling in any way, except that he listened well. Although they were both similar, they were from different families ot cetaceans. Porpoises belong too the Phocoenidae family, but it is not unheard of that they mate with dolphins. Hybrids in various aquatic species like between whales and dolphins do happen. But Finius saw in Vladimir a portly, powerful mammal who was doing what he himself would love to do. He kept leaving his pod to venture off with the porpoise, and again it wasn't about look for him, it was about how he felt. He fell in love with Vladimir, he recognized the signs, and he was more cautious to not be so crazy and carefree. It was a shame, because Vladimir was like that himself. He knew what was in Finius heart even before the young dolphin did. They didn't rush things, they just happened.
Then once again, during the communal Swim to new waters, Finius stood up on his tail and made an announcement. He introduced a wary Vladimir to his pod hoping he could tag along with them. But to his utter disappointment they had learned nothing since and he was meet with a barrage of negatives. But he's a male, we don't need another of those round here. Stick with your own kind, why do you have to find all these weirdos? Not this again, just be a dolphin Finius isn't that enough? Vladimir smiled, he knew he had only to bide his time and wait for his love's own realisation to dawn. And finally it did! "No, it isn't enough. I deserve more. I want more from life. I'd hoped to experience it with my pod, to share my discoveries and make you happy. But I can't make myself happy here with you. I love you all, we arc family, but Vladimir is my family too. Now we are a pod of two. Anyone wants to join us they're welcome. But I'm leaving, with Vladimir." And with that he did a somersault in the air with joy of realising his hearts intent and they both swam away.
A boat ot humans was off the coast. They were spotted far from them and the murmur went up that something marvellous was happening There were camera flashes from long lenses and binoculars coming out aplenty. Way off in the distance a most unusual pod was passing by. There were porpoises, various kinds of dolphins, a killer whale and of all things some amazing hybrid babies looking so cute diving and jumping next to their Aunties and Uncles. This pod was expanding, taking in waifs and strays and discovering the seas wonders together. Then one huge dolphin rose up on his tail from amongst them and in high clicks and tail flicks signalled to his pod they'd best be off, far from the humans. And with a mighty splash he landed next to his love and swam to safer waters in the middle of the great expanse of an unknown sea.
The End.
How To Fix A Leaking Tap In Your Home
We often take the plumbing in our homes for granted. Water is fantastic in the home, from a simple turn of the tap to a relaxing shower in the morning. However, with tremendous power comes the risk of problems like burst pipes or, more typically, water leaks.
Water leaks are typically so little that they go unnoticed at first, but they can soon add up in terms of your water bill and repair costs. To save money, it's critical to recognize and understand the most common water leaks, as well as how to correct them, so you can protect your home and save money.
Below let's learn how you will know if your place has leaks and how you can fix them.
**Where Is The Tap Leaking?**
In most cases, determining the source of the problem is simple. The sound of water dripping in the kitchen suggests that it is the tap in that area. However, there are situations when the leak is more than meets the eye. It could have originated in the pipes, but you won't notice anything wrong straight away. When you've already fixed the tap, the bigger problem usually shows up.
Leaks can happen everywhere, and you can't prevent them from happening. However, this does not rule out the possibility of resolving the issue. You can treat the leak before it worsens if you recognize the signs and symptoms. What makes you think the dripping faucet isn't normal? Here are a few hints:
**Inconsistent Water Flow**
The flow of water from your faucet and shower should be steady. If your water flow appears to be jerky, you may have a clog and need to flush the tap. Mineral deposits from hard water build up over time, and rust begins to form, reducing water flow and pressure.
**Low Water Pressure**
Have you ever gotten into the shower, turned on the water, and realized it's not the same as it used to be? This is yet another indication. Mineral buildup, limescale, or rust in your pipes might cause a change in pressure or irregular flow from your tap. To ensure that there is always a healthy flow of water coming from every tap, it is advisable to obtain professional guidance from your local plumbers Melville. https://www.expandgroup.com.au/
**Lingering Odors and Smells**
Clean water pipes are not the only pipes that can fail in your home. Sewerage pipes can split and leak both inside and outside your home.
It's time to bring in the specialists if you use the toilet and quickly detect an unpleasant odor after flushing. The smell of sewer is a significant signal of a plumbing leak, which you need to address as soon as possible.
**Noise From Faucet**
If your kitchen sink or bathroom tap makes a screeching or screaming noise when you turn it on, the tap handle or tap body has probably been broken. The friction could be caused by limescale buildup on your tap owing to calcium deposits.
Cleaning and upkeep should solve the problem, but if it doesn't, contact a professional tap or plumbing installer for assistance with your new tap installation.
**What Steps to Take to Fix My Leaky Tap?**
The leakage can be related to an aging home, but it can also be the result of a problem that started shortly after the tap was installed. Leaks might occur if the tap washer is the wrong size. Although the jumper valve could have caused the leak, the washer could have been broken or worn out. Other components of the tap, such as the O-ring and valve seating, could be worn out and need to be replaced.
Those particulars may appear complicated, especially if you are not a handyman. However, removing all of the faucet's components is an easy approach to rectify the leak. Here's how to do it:
1. Before you begin, make sure the water supply is turned off.
2. Close the drain to prevent any small screws from falling out of the tap.
3. To get to the problem, you may need to remove the tap's body, depending on the style of sink you have. Most of the time, however, you will simply need to remove the handle. Remove the set screw and then the holding nut on ceramic disc faucets.
4. Inspect the pieces as you remove them one by one. Make sure they're clean before returning them to their original locations. Replace any parts that show visible wear and tear symptoms, such as a flattened washer, with the appropriate replacements.
5. Reassemble the tap and check for proper water flow. You should have the tap in the "on" position before turning on the water supply. As a result, there will be less pressure applied. Also, re-open the faucet as slowly as possible.
Sometimes, fixing is not the answer. You need to replace certain parts for the leak to stop. But there are times when DIY repairs are not recommended. Plumbing is often complicated. Trying to solve the leak without prior experience can quickly worsen the problem.
The Qualities Of Good Hospice Care
Hospice care is an extra layer of assistance for your loved one at home or in a care center, provided in collaboration with your families and your loved one's physicians. When a patient enters hospice care, they are surrounded by a team of people who care about their physical, mental, and spiritual needs.
In addition to this team of caregivers, all treatments for the patient's terminal disease, prescription devices, and supplies for this condition are given at no cost to the patient or relatives, whether or not the facility came from medical franchising.
Some hospice patients' health improves, often due to the care and medication hospice care provides, but some also opt to discontinue their Medicare hospice benefit for a while.
Even if the illness progresses as predicted, findings indicate that terminally ill patients who receive hospice healthcare treatment survive longer than comparable patients who do not receive hospice care.
Patients in hospice have a feeling of relaxation and power. Daily visits by their nurse and hospice aide help to monitor discomfort and other symptoms, reducing the need for emergency hospitalization. Being at home with family and friends will boost one's quality of life. Conversations with the team's social worker or chaplain help to alleviate emotional distress. Slowly, hospice patients and their families continue to look forward to the future.
The advantages of hospice treatment empower both patients and caregivers. Patients can decide how they spend their remaining months, and caregivers may receive physical and mental assistance while enjoying quality time with their loved ones.
Most hospices are Medicare-certified, some came from medical franchising but how they offer end-of-life care varies. Furthermore, there are variations in the facilities, systems, and types of healthcare assistance offered. As a result, we've identified seven characteristics to look for in a hospice and palliative care program.
Staffed by full-time and qualified physicians
Although hospices collaborate closely with hospitals, not all of them employ full-time physicians.
Certification in a particular field in medicine
Inquire if healthcare service members, such as nurses and nursing assistants, have received advanced training and hospice care qualifications. This designation denotes a contribution to provide you and your families with a higher level of service.
Help comes in a variety of forms.
Does the hospice have the means to provide for your emotional needs in addition to your physical needs? What are your family and friends? Signal Health Group not only delivers spiritual and social assistance, but we also provide a range of grief treatment services for both adults and children. Families of hospice patients will have grief therapy for up to 13 months after their loved one dies.
Different care and hospice treatment levels
Hospice treatment can not always be the best option. When you have a debilitating condition but may not yet qualify for hospice treatment, we will help you control your symptoms and suffering through palliative care. Palliative care may begin at any age or stage of the disease. There is a lot of misunderstanding on the distinctions between hospice and palliative care.
Excellent customer satisfaction scores
Our patient satisfaction ratings are significantly higher than the national average. These ratings are dependent on family members' reviews. On this website, you can see the details of our ratings.
Capability to work in a variety of locations
A hospice should be able to support you anywhere you are, whether it is a skilled nursing center, your home, or a hospital. In addition to providing this facility, it provides inpatient hospice treatment facilities in the region where you cannot successfully treat conditions at home. In reality, more than 90% of our hospice patients are treated in their homes.
Help that is readily accessible
A good hospice should be able to respond immediately to any emergency cases. There is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to any emergency crisis that might occur. Whether you dial between 2 PM and 2 AM, our on-call nurse can assist you, including on holidays.
Nobody likes to hear about missing someone they care about. As a result, many households postpone conversations about end-of-life treatment. If you're wondering when to call hospice, chances are your loved one is now qualifying for this extra tier of uniquely advanced treatment and support. Even if your loved one is not already qualified for hospice care, learning what to call hospice before a tragedy occurs will allow you time to understand the many solutions available to decide the best fit for your family.
Many people wait for their loved one's final days or weeks to contact hospice without understanding anything about hospice care or medical franchising. They may have begun providing more advanced health services, medicines, medical devices, and supplies connected to their loved one's terminal disease at no cost much sooner.
Hospice treatment increases the patient's quality of life by treating pain and other complications of their condition. It improves the lives of the patient's family/caregivers by providing them with someone to rely on, gain advice, and get much-needed help through this stressful period.
Flapper Found Murdered
The flapper at the club was lying broken on the ground,
The jazz age in full swing undeterred by the siren's sound,
And a few coppers jumped out of the screaming vehicle,
As it pulled to a sudden stop and no longer appeared full.
For they gathered round her body her blond bob all red,
As the blood poured like fizz from the crush of her head,
And her stockings were visible leading to her pale thighs,
One leg twisted so bad it looked an oddly angled surprise.
And the traffic was halted as they noticed her real pearls,
She wasn't just another of those dime a dozen floozy girls,
This was a looker and a real classy dame they would bet,
Her expensive scarf, gloves and her dress were a designer set.
This could mean trouble if the press got here too soon,
So they cordoned off the area by the light of a waning moon,
Hoping the dark cobbles and shadow of night would hide,
Another murder had taken place not a hapless suicide.
Again a speakeasy within two hundred yards just the same,
The fifth one this month the killer's playing a dangerous game,
Someone this high profile would mean the mayor'd go all out,
To get the killer's end before public opinion put him in doubt.
The chief frowned and looked up at the roof above him,
Sent an experienced officer up there to check on a whim,
Asked him to take a young rookie too for added protection,
Her body looked fresh so the clues would need inspection.
Meanwhile the clubbers were piling into the street curious,
Come to gawk at the grizzly scene and check out all the fuss,
So he had them pushed back far no need for prying eyes,
It was going to be another late night home so he heavily sighs.
Then a shout goes up from the rooftop by his men,
And he rushes up the alley to the fire escape and then
As he started up noticed a perp rushing down the other way,
His men in hot pursuit maybe this was going to be their lucky day.
The guy was trapped between the police with no hope,
So he dived through a window as he jumped from a slope,
Shattering glass everywhere and causing a loud commotion,
The guy's mad to take the risk or plain desperate not to be outrun.
He took his gun from his holster as in the dark he had a good eye,
Reckoned his chances were good if he could get close nearby,
But he wasn't as young as he used to be and as he stepped through,
Caught his arm on a shard of glass and tripped as he caught his shoe.
Lucky the guy had made off already leaving a trail of spatters,
He forgot his own wound in the heat of the hunt nothing matters,
Just the sweet scent of justice served as the chase was begun,
The killer was going to end up facing the barrel of his gun.
A scream came from the apartment and a door slammed,
The chief followed the noise issuing his authorative command,
People got down on the floor in terror as he goes on past,
The two other officers catching up with him at long last.
Now they had him in the stairwell with the lights all low,
There was only two ways he could now possibly go,
Downwards to the street where his men flooded the road,
Or up to the roof where they heard an escape door explode.
They must have him cornered now so they were on high alert,
As they crossed the threshold and tried his attention to divert,
Each going a separate way in the hope they had him in a trap,
Warily stalking him slowly they closed the only possible gap.
But he had vanished into thin air leaving them perplexed,
How could he have escaped the chief was sorely vexed?
Until just as they were about to leave he saw a movement new,
Over on a floor opposite a long jump but not impossible to do.
This was it the final show down and they had the edge now,
It would be embarrassing if they lost him here somehow,
So they lingered a while longer pretending to search more,
Whilst he sent a man to go fetch help and get up to that floor.
It didn't need much time before the coppers came into view,
The assailant jumped but was in no fit state to fight his crew,
They had him and the apprehension had turned good,
Now to get attention for his arm as he noticed his blood.
As he descended the stairs he worried it was too easy a collar,
The serial cases were usually more complicated by far,
But he would find the truth when he could interrogate the man,
But it didn't sit right with him and his instinct rattled like a can.
He was a seasoned cop and he liked a clean cut case solved true,
But this was having his stomach in knots his mind was in two,
One half suggesting he get the perp in the van and be speedily gone,
The other wanting to stay and check for evidence alone.
He made his excuses after a mere bandage was hastily applied,
Ascended the fire escape again and when he got to the other side,
Hit the roof in a position of a cautionary crouch,
He felt sure the guy was a diversion but he was no slouch.
And as he rounded the corner where the pipes met in a bunch,
A knock to his head had him bowled over into a hunch,
Almost passed out from the pain but he kept conscious just,
As another blow came down that he dodged slightly concust.
A fight ensued and the blows rained thick and fast in the dark,
Just two men trying to gain the upper hand and hit their mark,
A nasty business and not to be witnessed by the feint hearted,
As a bone cracked and a wrist snapped and screams soon started.
At last the victim was in the chief's cuffs his hand bent real bad,
Recompense for that leg let him get a sample of what she had,
Again his cop's gut feeling and training had won him the day,
As he led villain number two gruffly by gunpoint safely away.
Turns out the guys were thieves who got sloppy and greedy,
The broad was an heiress who'd done something seedy,
And the guys were blackmailing her but she wouldn't pay,
They dangled her from a gutter but the rusty pipe gave way.
Looks like the case was an open and shut one after all,
And he went home that night bruised ribs from his fall,
The other man had slugged him a few times he'd be sore,
But home with his family he's happy once more.
@An_gelina
