This week’s Friday Fiction is hosted by the wonderful Julie Arduini over @ her blog, The Surrendered Scribe! Click here to read and share more great fiction.
Author’s Ramblings: This week’s story is another snippet of prompt fiction and I feel that I ought to warn you it is a little rambly and a “lot” dark. The prompt words used for this are courtesy of Abby W. for “Deodorant, burnt, duct-tape” and my usual prompt machine for spitting out the phrase “nothing matters” with instructions to use it as much as possible. Hmmm. I started thinking about it and somehow it just all went in this direction. LOL. On that note, seventeen days until NaNoWriMo 2011~! WHoo hoo! Hope to see you there. ^_^
Her Choice : Contemporary Fantasy : Prompt Fiction : Dark :
Nothing matters.
How strange.
After all that we’ve done, everything’s that happened,
somehow, I knew it would all come down to this. The world is ending. Life is
ending. Living has become nothing but insane liberty.
somehow, I knew it would all come down to this. The world is ending. Life is
ending. Living has become nothing but insane liberty.
How am I supposed to function? Am I even supposed to be
alive at this point? It all seems so wrong and I don’t even know where to
start.
alive at this point? It all seems so wrong and I don’t even know where to
start.
Everything’s been coming back in flashes. I guess I hit my
head harder than I thought. Then again, a little dizziness never hurt anyone,
right? I guess it could hurt—if you’re standing on the guard rail of the world’s
tallest bridge looking down into what has to be the worst-looking river.
head harder than I thought. Then again, a little dizziness never hurt anyone,
right? I guess it could hurt—if you’re standing on the guard rail of the world’s
tallest bridge looking down into what has to be the worst-looking river.
Then again, molten lava always has a thing to go with the
whole end-of-the-world theme. I guess I was kind of hoping I could somehow
avoid it. But that’s impossible after all, isn’t it?
whole end-of-the-world theme. I guess I was kind of hoping I could somehow
avoid it. But that’s impossible after all, isn’t it?
After everything we did.
The world was coming to an end, in fact, it is still or
rather it will be until something serious happens. Things are getting worse
actually, that’s why I’m on this bridge. Then again, it wasn’t really by
choice.
rather it will be until something serious happens. Things are getting worse
actually, that’s why I’m on this bridge. Then again, it wasn’t really by
choice.
If you run onto a bridge in the midst of madness and mayhem,
you have no one but yourself to blame if both ends of the bridge crash and burn
before your very eyes. It is no one else’s fault but your own. You should’ve
known better.
you have no one but yourself to blame if both ends of the bridge crash and burn
before your very eyes. It is no one else’s fault but your own. You should’ve
known better.
I should have known better.
But, here I am, standing, stranded quite nicely on this last
standing chunk of bridge that may very well fall at any second now.
standing chunk of bridge that may very well fall at any second now.
I’m not going to be rescued.
I know that much. There’s too many things happening all at
once and I know there is no one who can spare the time to come and fix my
stupid little mistake. It is my fault. Just like this whole
world-coming-to-an-end business. I kind of hate it, you know.
once and I know there is no one who can spare the time to come and fix my
stupid little mistake. It is my fault. Just like this whole
world-coming-to-an-end business. I kind of hate it, you know.
I really do.
It’s freezing up here, even though it’s scorching down
there. I don’t understand how something can go so horribly wrong because the
scales have tipped. Then again, I have never been the brightest one in our
group.
there. I don’t understand how something can go so horribly wrong because the
scales have tipped. Then again, I have never been the brightest one in our
group.
Brilliance was reserved for Danah and Sten. They will have a
happy life together, I’m sure, if this world doesn’t end on them first.
happy life together, I’m sure, if this world doesn’t end on them first.
It’s so sweet to see how they care for each other.
Refreshing to see that human life matters again. It’s been almost ten years
since this chaos has begun. It grates on my nerves to be sane and watching the
rest of humanity crumbling around me because it’s all gone down for good.
Refreshing to see that human life matters again. It’s been almost ten years
since this chaos has begun. It grates on my nerves to be sane and watching the
rest of humanity crumbling around me because it’s all gone down for good.
We tried.
Oh, how we tried!
There were so many plans, plots and ideas. So many more
things I wanted to try, and yet, fate has dealt me the hand that my own parents
could not refuse. Their death has saved me, but now I suppose it is time to
repay a debt that ought never to be incurred.
things I wanted to try, and yet, fate has dealt me the hand that my own parents
could not refuse. Their death has saved me, but now I suppose it is time to
repay a debt that ought never to be incurred.
I think it’ll hurt.
I think it’ll be fine.
I don’t know what I think anymore.
But I know that I can’t keep on running like this. Running
on empty, like the last bit of goop in a stick of deodorant or running
two-inches short on duct-tape. It bites and I can’t get away from it. The more
I run, the harder it comes.
on empty, like the last bit of goop in a stick of deodorant or running
two-inches short on duct-tape. It bites and I can’t get away from it. The more
I run, the harder it comes.
So, that’s it. I’m giving up. It’s over. Nothing matters
now.
now.
Not trying to save the world sixty-nine and a half times. Not
making friends who really seem to care. Not asking my parents why they had to
make such a sacrifice.
making friends who really seem to care. Not asking my parents why they had to
make such a sacrifice.
Not even asking if it was worth it.
Nothing matters.
My frozen fingers are warming on this metal rail. I can hear
the supports creaking and groaning. I don’t have to be a rocket scientist to
know that it’s going to fall. I don’t need to read some prophecy to know that I’m
going to die.
the supports creaking and groaning. I don’t have to be a rocket scientist to
know that it’s going to fall. I don’t need to read some prophecy to know that I’m
going to die.
We all die, sooner or later. Sometimes because we chose to
and others because we don’t have a choice.
and others because we don’t have a choice.
I think that I would rather chose.
I’d rather keep on living and never die, so that I could
experience all the things in the world that God created. To know every little
inner working of every creature on planet earth and to understand what it was
meant to be—I’d live forever, if I could.
experience all the things in the world that God created. To know every little
inner working of every creature on planet earth and to understand what it was
meant to be—I’d live forever, if I could.
Even now, I don’t want to die. My eyes are playing tricks on
me, seeing what isn’t there. My ears are hearing things on me, things that can’t
be there. My hands—they are tired and cold. I can’t help thinking how nice it
would be to warm them.
me, seeing what isn’t there. My ears are hearing things on me, things that can’t
be there. My hands—they are tired and cold. I can’t help thinking how nice it
would be to warm them.
I can’t help thinking that this is all my fault. But I know
it isn’t. Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes they aren’t the reasons I
want them for. But they happen anyway, without my say-so.
it isn’t. Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes they aren’t the reasons I
want them for. But they happen anyway, without my say-so.
I’m going to miss everyone, I guess, if they don’t hurry up
and come rescue me already. They’ve been wonderful to me, even knowing what
they know of who I am and what I can do.
I respect and admire them.
and come rescue me already. They’ve been wonderful to me, even knowing what
they know of who I am and what I can do.
I respect and admire them.
Courage must be something they eat by the barrelfulls. How else
could they possibly call me their friend in good conscience?
could they possibly call me their friend in good conscience?
The girl who has the power to stop the world from coming to
an end? To keep the very earth and sky from turning in on each other? The girl
who has everything, can only give up one thing.
an end? To keep the very earth and sky from turning in on each other? The girl
who has everything, can only give up one thing.
I guess, nothing matters any more.
~*~*~*~*~
 |
| Found through Google Images. |
“Did you find her?”
“Nothing, not even a trace.”
“Try again, Danah! She can’t be far, the bridge was right
there, she must’ve-”
there, she must’ve-”
“I tried, Sten, I did! But there isn’t even an afterenergy
signature. The support’s still standing, if she was there, I should’ve been
able to-Sten? Hey, are you alright?”
signature. The support’s still standing, if she was there, I should’ve been
able to-Sten? Hey, are you alright?”
“How could she?”
“What?”
“How could she do that, Danah?”
“Because she cared.” The
young woman slowly rose from rolling office chair. She moved away from
the dusty dashboard of ancient, flickering computer screens and gingerly
approached the flaming man pacing the length of the control room. “Don’t hold
it against her, Sten. We all knew it could happen.”
young woman slowly rose from rolling office chair. She moved away from
the dusty dashboard of ancient, flickering computer screens and gingerly
approached the flaming man pacing the length of the control room. “Don’t hold
it against her, Sten. We all knew it could happen.”
“Could happen!” He snapped. “Didn’t have to.”
Danah looked away. “Of course.” She murmured. “Of course,
how could I think otherwise?”
how could I think otherwise?”
“Danah!”
“It was her choice, Sten!”
“So? What right did she have to-”
“Haven’t you noticed? Stop playing like you’re the victim
here! You think it was easy for her to choose that? To make the very choice she’s
been fighting since she read that stupid prophecy?” Danah’s quivering hands
clenched into fists. “You know something, Sten? You’re a real piece of work.
Can’t you at least let the girl rest in peace and appreciate what she’s done?”
here! You think it was easy for her to choose that? To make the very choice she’s
been fighting since she read that stupid prophecy?” Danah’s quivering hands
clenched into fists. “You know something, Sten? You’re a real piece of work.
Can’t you at least let the girl rest in peace and appreciate what she’s done?”
“She hasn’t done a single-”
“The earthquakes stopped!” Danah hissed. “They stopped. The
ground is steady under my feet and I don’t know what to make of it. I’m not as
old as you, I don’t remember what a perfect world is like, a place where things
aren’t constantly exploding and killing everything around them, but I know
this. We couldn’t have gone on like this forever.”
ground is steady under my feet and I don’t know what to make of it. I’m not as
old as you, I don’t remember what a perfect world is like, a place where things
aren’t constantly exploding and killing everything around them, but I know
this. We couldn’t have gone on like this forever.”
“You couldn’t but I-”
“Listen to me! We couldn’t have gone on like this forever.
Something would’ve had to give. Today, something did.” She sucked in a shaky
breath. “That something just happened to be the one thing that we weren’t
counting on. Please, Sten. Just leave it alone. I-I-” she burst into tears.
Something would’ve had to give. Today, something did.” She sucked in a shaky
breath. “That something just happened to be the one thing that we weren’t
counting on. Please, Sten. Just leave it alone. I-I-” she burst into tears.
The flaming man paused in his pacing, the angry red flames
fading to a soft blue. He crossed the room to hold her gently in his arms. When
she quieted, he pulled away, calling his flames back to the burning red.
fading to a soft blue. He crossed the room to hold her gently in his arms. When
she quieted, he pulled away, calling his flames back to the burning red.
She flinched.
He pretended not to notice.
“Where are you going?” She called after him.
“The lava doesn’t always burn everything.” He paused in the
doorway. “And the ground will seal itself together soon. If you’re right, then we should at least respect the dead and
bury something.”
doorway. “And the ground will seal itself together soon. If you’re right, then we should at least respect the dead and
bury something.”
She almost smiled.
© Sara Harricharan October 14, 2011
Author’s Closing Disclaimer: This Friday Fiction sample is pure fiction. FICTION. Please read the aforementioned capital letters and know that there is no resemblance to any real persons, events or circumstances, living or otherwise. The sole purpose is for reading entertainment to provide mental stimulation along the lines of a “What if…?” scenario. Thank you for reading, please leave a comment if you like.