Corvus' Short Scenes!!

[Edema Rue she/her]

12 hours ago, CalanoCorvus said:

Scene 122: where were you?

  Reveal hidden contents

even as i lay in pain,

helpless in the summer rain,

 

even as i was dying,

you were lying.

 

where were you?

i needed you too.

 

i swore to love you all my life,

but now you've gone and left me in strife.

i

swore to you that i was yours,

but now, as the rain pours,

 

you're not here.

and i shed a tear,

 

or two,

for you.

 

That one hurts, because I feel it deep inside me.

<3 we love u, brother.

[Morningtide she/her]

That's painfully emotional. I love it 

[Wittles he/him]

On 5/23/2023 at 1:10 PM, CalanoCorvus said:

They all come from my brain after listening to Sealed Vessel from the Hollow Knight OST.

The Hollow Knight OST is so freaking amazing and just sets the mood so well

Also these are all so good! Your writing is amazing and I love them all! 

Edited August 24, 2023 by Wittles of Shinovar

[Medium he/they]

Scene 123: The Waves

Spoiler

I stand at the edge of the sea.

The waves crash against the damp sand like time crashes against the shores of this world. Eroding it. Destroying it. Slowly eating it away, little by little.

It is night. The stars are out. Pinpricks in a fabric darker than darkness, in a cloth woven from nothing.

Why have I come here?

I look out over the waves, at the small sliver of the moon on the horizon, the gray peeking out over the infinite black and blue. I wonder why have I come here?

Why have I come to a place so alive, so loud, yet so dead, and so silent?

Why have I come to be alone in a place that is never lonely?

Why have I come here to die?

I had much to live for. I did. I had so much to accomplish, and so much to do, that I was never able to complete.

But, the waves came, and they took everyone away.

And they left me alone. The waves swept around me, and they took all of them away from me.

So I’ve come to confront them.

“Did you want me?” I ask the waves softly.

“Was I ever your target?” I ask, “Was it you wanted me dead, and I just evaded your capture? Or was it you wanted to see me suffer? Was it you wanted to break me, to tear me down so there was nothing left, so you could see what would happen?”

The waves do not respond. They just continue to endlessly beat against the sand. Forever and ever will they eat at the shoreline, until nothing remains, and all is waves.

“Well,” I say, “You have me now.”

I take a step forward, letting the seafoam brush up against my toes.

It is cold.

“You have me,” I repeat, “You’ve taken everything from me. So, you can just have me as well.”

I take another step. The water rushes over my feet. It is cold. Colder than ice.

“I have nothing left. No one who needs me, no one who wants me, no one who still cares about me. So, take me.”

I take another step. Then another. And another. The cold waves bite my skin as I walk further into their heartless embrace. It is up to my waist now.

I take another step. And another step. And another. And then another. My toes feel a drop at the end of the shoreline. A drop to nothing. And a drop to everything. A drop of silence, silence in the noise of the sea.

The water is up to my chest.

“You took my love from me, you took my humanity, you took my emotions,” I say, “So you can take me.”

I stand for a moment longer, letting myself breathe a few more breaths of the night air. I will not breathe it again, and only the moon, stars, and sea, will be witness to my demise.

“I’m done.” I whisper to the waves, and I step off the drop.

The sea overtakes my head, and I am encased in black.

This is my goodbye. An end witnessed by no man, yet witnessed by many. An end in silence, yet an end in shout.

 

[Edema Rue she/her]

Calano, brother, that’s beautiful, but I hope it won’t always be truthful. There’s always a reason to keep your head above the water.

[Morningtide she/her]

That is an absolutely beautiful piece of writing. do you want hugs? It seems like you might need hugs

[Sequence she/they]

On 8/25/2023 at 4:03 PM, CalanoCorvus said:

Scene 123: The Waves

  Hide contents

I stand at the edge of the sea.

The waves crash against the damp sand like time crashes against the shores of this world. Eroding it. Destroying it. Slowly eating it away, little by little.

It is night. The stars are out. Pinpricks in a fabric darker than darkness, in a cloth woven from nothing.

Why have I come here?

I look out over the waves, at the small sliver of the moon on the horizon, the gray peeking out over the infinite black and blue. I wonder why have I come here?

Why have I come to a place so alive, so loud, yet so dead, and so silent?

Why have I come to be alone in a place that is never lonely?

Why have I come here to die?

I had much to live for. I did. I had so much to accomplish, and so much to do, that I was never able to complete.

But, the waves came, and they took everyone away.

And they left me alone. The waves swept around me, and they took all of them away from me.

So I’ve come to confront them.

“Did you want me?” I ask the waves softly.

“Was I ever your target?” I ask, “Was it you wanted me dead, and I just evaded your capture? Or was it you wanted to see me suffer? Was it you wanted to break me, to tear me down so there was nothing left, so you could see what would happen?”

The waves do not respond. They just continue to endlessly beat against the sand. Forever and ever will they eat at the shoreline, until nothing remains, and all is waves.

“Well,” I say, “You have me now.”

I take a step forward, letting the seafoam brush up against my toes.

It is cold.

“You have me,” I repeat, “You’ve taken everything from me. So, you can just have me as well.”

I take another step. The water rushes over my feet. It is cold. Colder than ice.

“I have nothing left. No one who needs me, no one who wants me, no one who still cares about me. So, take me.”

I take another step. Then another. And another. The cold waves bite my skin as I walk further into their heartless embrace. It is up to my waist now.

I take another step. And another step. And another. And then another. My toes feel a drop at the end of the shoreline. A drop to nothing. And a drop to everything. A drop of silence, silence in the noise of the sea.

The water is up to my chest.

“You took my love from me, you took my humanity, you took my emotions,” I say, “So you can take me.”

I stand for a moment longer, letting myself breathe a few more breaths of the night air. I will not breathe it again, and only the moon, stars, and sea, will be witness to my demise.

“I’m done.” I whisper to the waves, and I step off the drop.

The sea overtakes my head, and I am encased in black.

This is my goodbye. An end witnessed by no man, yet witnessed by many. An end in silence, yet an end in shout.

 

brb imma go sob my guts out

[Medium he/they]

Scenes I wrote based on various writing prompts I was given in that one SU.

Have fun reading

Scene #124: Crash

Spoiler

I didn’t even see the last look on her face.

There was a flash of bright light, a car horn, and then a crash.

When I came to, she was already gone. A streak of blood ran down the side of her head.

Her once beautiful dirty blonde hair was now matted with crimson blood. And her eyes..

Her eyes used to be absolutely alight. With wonder, joy, and curiosity for everything.

I’ll never forget the way her eyes looked after the crash; dark; lifeless; empty.

I never even got to say goodbye.

Somehow, that stings more. More than actually losing her, but the fact that it was so sudden, and I never even got the chance to tell her I loved her or to tell her goodbye. That I’d be okay. That it was okay for her to rest now. That our son would grow up with all the good stories of his mother, who was the most perfect, beautiful woman who ever lived.

But… I ran a red light. I thought I could make it.

I couldn’t make it.

She’s gone.

I never got to say goodbye, I never got to apologize. To say sorry. For everything I’d ever done, for how I’d just killed her, I never got to apologize for that.

Even now, back at home, holding a sleeping toddler in my arms, I wonder how the hell am I supposed to go on?

My love is gone.

My son’s mother is gone.

My mothers daughter is gone.

My mom loved her. She was the daughter my mother never had. They were best friends.

She’s almost as devastated as I am. But no one can be more devastated than me.

Not now that it’s just me and my boy. Two thirds of a whole family.

A broken family.

Scene #125: Fight for Her

Spoiler

“Sir?”

1st Lieutenant Allen leaned his head in through the tent flap.

Inside was Captain Avery, sitting on his cot with his head in his hands.

“What do you want, Allen?” He whispered.

“The men, sir,” Allen said, and cleared his throat slightly, “They want to know if you’re alright.”

“Do I look all right, Lieutenant?”

“...Permission to speak freely, sir?”

Captain Avery sighed, “I asked a question. It’s only right to let you answer freely. Go ahead.”

“You don’t look alright, sir,” Lieutenant Allen says hesitantly.

“Of course I’m not,” Avery snaps, “My wife is dead. Killed by the Emperor's own men, the very men I was trying to turn to our side, the very men whose lives I was trying to save because they don’t understand what they’re up against!”

Allen doesn’t respond.

“Sir,” He says slowly, “The men are still willing to fight.”

Avery looked up.

“Because of me?” He asked.

“Partly, sir,” Allen, “They don’t want the Captain’s sacrifice to be in vain, and the Major General agrees with them. They all loved the Captain, and are willing to storm the Palace for her. No matter what happens. The Major General has also formed an alliance with the forest tribes, and they will help.”

Avery thought for a moment, then stood.

“Come on,” He said, taking a deep breath, “We’ll cry later.”

He put his cap on. “Let’s go kick some imperial ass.”

“Yes, sir,” Allen said, grinning like a fool.

Scene #126: My Rose, My Raven

Spoiler

My rose, my Raven, my chrysanthemum, my Crow.

My Raven is gone. They’ve plucked my rose straight out of the ground, shot my Raven down from the sky.

They’ve put my rose in a vase, chopped my Ravens head off and stuck his body to the door, strung up for all to see.

My rose’s calming words, the petals and poems that fell softly to the ground, have been buried under the topsoil.

I loved his tears, I loved his pain, My Raven made the bad things run away.

I’ve forgotten about the world.

I’ve forgotten his pain.

He feels no pain.

He’s gone.

Plucked from his pot, stolen from his sky.

Dead.

Strung up as an example.

Dead.

Scene #127: What Is Rain?

Spoiler

“Father,” The young man- his name was Bill- said, “Why does it rain?”

His father- whose name was William- looked up at the heavy gray clouds that threatened to drench them at any second. “Surely you know the answer,” William said, "You've gone to university.”

“Yes, Father,” Bill said, his eyes also on the sky above, “But I’m not talking about the science behind rain. I’m asking from a more… philosophical point of view.”

William considered this.

He knew why it rained.

He remembered standing outside, as the first few drops fell from the sky; from heavy gray clouds not unlike the ones he was looking up at now.

He remembered staring at the sky. And he remembered pondering the same question.

Why did it rain?

It rained so that a man could feel something other than the pain in his heart.

It rained so that a man could see just how much the tears of the sky helped everything else be happy, even in their sadness.

It rained so that a man had something to envelop him as he knelt on the ground, screaming, wishing for something- or someone- to come back to him, even though he knew it- or she- never would.

Put simply, it rained, so that a man might cry.

“Bill,” William said, looking at his son and putting a fatherly hand on his shoulder, “You’ll find out why it rains. You’ll find out for yourself. Although I pray you never will, you will. When that time comes, you come and tell me why it rains.”

Bill smiled hesitantly, “Father, it’s alright if you don’t kno-”

“I do know,” William said, face heavy, “I know more than you’d think. It’s hard to put into words. Someday, I’ll explain.”

Bill nodded slowly. William put his arm over his son's shoulder. And together, they felt the first few drops fall from the sky.

Scene #128: Couldn't Have Worked

Spoiler

My phone rings.

I look at the contact name.

And my world crumbles for the second time that day.

It’s her. Of course it’s her. Why would she be calling me?

I don’t pick it up. I let it go to voicemail.

And then I wait.

I look out the window as I wait, contemplating why life would shove this onto me. What did I do? All I did was try to be good to her.

My phone buzzes.

Makayla’s inevitable voicemail.

I take a deep breath and pick up my phone, tapping the banner.

The voicemail starts to play.

...Hey.

It’s… me. I know you probably don’t want to hear from me right now… but there's some things I have to say.

I’m sorry it ended the way it did.

It was… messy. And… I’m sorry. I think we both wish it could’ve gone smoother. I definitely do.

Her voice sounds small. I can hear her fine, she just sounds… small.

I want you to know that I did love you. I really did.

Tears form in my eyes, and my breath catches.

I have always loved you. I will always love you. But… not in the way you probably want. This was doomed from the start.

Her voice starts to break. I stare out my window.

And I wish it could, I really wish it could. But it just… can’t. It can’t work. I have too much going on, and so do you. The most we can be… is friends.

Even though I’ve already heard her say this today, and even though I knew I’d hear it again, it still hurts. A whole lot. I cry harder.

But I hope we can still be friends. Good friends. Even though I don’t love you like that, I still hope I can call you my friend. I don’t want to lose you. You’re a good person. Don’t forget that, please.

She pauses, and I can hear her sniffling, trying to compose herself.

Just… call or text to let me know you’ve heard this. We can… talk later.

…Bye.

She hangs up the phone.

And I fall into my pillow, sobbing.

 

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

1 hour ago, CalanoCorvus said:

Scenes I wrote based on various writing prompts I was given in that one SU.

Have fun reading

Scene #124: Crash

  Hide contents

I didn’t even see the last look on her face.

There was a flash of bright light, a car horn, and then a crash.

When I came to, she was already gone. A streak of blood ran down the side of her head.

Her once beautiful dirty blonde hair was now matted with crimson blood. And her eyes..

Her eyes used to be absolutely alight. With wonder, joy, and curiosity for everything.

I’ll never forget the way her eyes looked after the crash; dark; lifeless; empty.

I never even got to say goodbye.

Somehow, that stings more. More than actually losing her, but the fact that it was so sudden, and I never even got the chance to tell her I loved her or to tell her goodbye. That I’d be okay. That it was okay for her to rest now. That our son would grow up with all the good stories of his mother, who was the most perfect, beautiful woman who ever lived.

But… I ran a red light. I thought I could make it.

I couldn’t make it.

She’s gone.

I never got to say goodbye, I never got to apologize. To say sorry. For everything I’d ever done, for how I’d just killed her, I never got to apologize for that.

Even now, back at home, holding a sleeping toddler in my arms, I wonder how the hell am I supposed to go on?

My love is gone.

My son’s mother is gone.

My mothers daughter is gone.

My mom loved her. She was the daughter my mother never had. They were best friends.

She’s almost as devastated as I am. But no one can be more devastated than me.

Not now that it’s just me and my boy. Two thirds of a whole family.

A broken family.

Scene #125: Fight for Her

  Hide contents

“Sir?”

1st Lieutenant Allen leaned his head in through the tent flap.

Inside was Captain Avery, sitting on his cot with his head in his hands.

“What do you want, Allen?” He whispered.

“The men, sir,” Allen said, and cleared his throat slightly, “They want to know if you’re alright.”

“Do I look all right, Lieutenant?”

“...Permission to speak freely, sir?”

Captain Avery sighed, “I asked a question. It’s only right to let you answer freely. Go ahead.”

“You don’t look alright, sir,” Lieutenant Allen says hesitantly.

“Of course I’m not,” Avery snaps, “My wife is dead. Killed by the Emperor's own men, the very men I was trying to turn to our side, the very men whose lives I was trying to save because they don’t understand what they’re up against!”

Allen doesn’t respond.

“Sir,” He says slowly, “The men are still willing to fight.”

Avery looked up.

“Because of me?” He asked.

“Partly, sir,” Allen, “They don’t want the Captain’s sacrifice to be in vain, and the Major General agrees with them. They all loved the Captain, and are willing to storm the Palace for her. No matter what happens. The Major General has also formed an alliance with the forest tribes, and they will help.”

Avery thought for a moment, then stood.

“Come on,” He said, taking a deep breath, “We’ll cry later.”

He put his cap on. “Let’s go kick some imperial ass.”

“Yes, sir,” Allen said, grinning like a fool.

Scene #126: My Rose, My Raven

  Reveal hidden contents

My rose, my Raven, my chrysanthemum, my Crow.

My Raven is gone. They’ve plucked my rose straight out of the ground, shot my Raven down from the sky.

They’ve put my rose in a vase, chopped my Ravens head off and stuck his body to the door, strung up for all to see.

My rose’s calming words, the petals and poems that fell softly to the ground, have been buried under the topsoil.

I loved his tears, I loved his pain, My Raven made the bad things run away.

I’ve forgotten about the world.

I’ve forgotten his pain.

He feels no pain.

He’s gone.

Plucked from his pot, stolen from his sky.

Dead.

Strung up as an example.

Dead.

Scene #127: What Is Rain?

  Hide contents

“Father,” The young man- his name was Bill- said, “Why does it rain?”

His father- whose name was William- looked up at the heavy gray clouds that threatened to drench them at any second. “Surely you know the answer,” William said, "You've gone to university.”

“Yes, Father,” Bill said, his eyes also on the sky above, “But I’m not talking about the science behind rain. I’m asking from a more… philosophical point of view.”

William considered this.

He knew why it rained.

He remembered standing outside, as the first few drops fell from the sky; from heavy gray clouds not unlike the ones he was looking up at now.

He remembered staring at the sky. And he remembered pondering the same question.

Why did it rain?

It rained so that a man could feel something other than the pain in his heart.

It rained so that a man could see just how much the tears of the sky helped everything else be happy, even in their sadness.

It rained so that a man had something to envelop him as he knelt on the ground, screaming, wishing for something- or someone- to come back to him, even though he knew it- or she- never would.

Put simply, it rained, so that a man might cry.

“Bill,” William said, looking at his son and putting a fatherly hand on his shoulder, “You’ll find out why it rains. You’ll find out for yourself. Although I pray you never will, you will. When that time comes, you come and tell me why it rains.”

Bill smiled hesitantly, “Father, it’s alright if you don’t kno-”

“I do know,” William said, face heavy, “I know more than you’d think. It’s hard to put into words. Someday, I’ll explain.”

Bill nodded slowly. William put his arm over his son's shoulder. And together, they felt the first few drops fall from the sky.

Scene #128: Couldn't Have Worked

  Hide contents

My phone rings.

I look at the contact name.

And my world crumbles for the second time that day.

It’s her. Of course it’s her. Why would she be calling me?

I don’t pick it up. I let it go to voicemail.

And then I wait.

I look out the window as I wait, contemplating why life would shove this onto me. What did I do? All I did was try to be good to her.

My phone buzzes.

Makayla’s inevitable voicemail.

I take a deep breath and pick up my phone, tapping the banner.

The voicemail starts to play.

...Hey.

It’s… me. I know you probably don’t want to hear from me right now… but there's some things I have to say.

I’m sorry it ended the way it did.

It was… messy. And… I’m sorry. I think we both wish it could’ve gone smoother. I definitely do.

Her voice sounds small. I can hear her fine, she just sounds… small.

I want you to know that I did love you. I really did.

Tears form in my eyes, and my breath catches.

I have always loved you. I will always love you. But… not in the way you probably want. This was doomed from the start.

Her voice starts to break. I stare out my window.

And I wish it could, I really wish it could. But it just… can’t. It can’t work. I have too much going on, and so do you. The most we can be… is friends.

Even though I’ve already heard her say this today, and even though I knew I’d hear it again, it still hurts. A whole lot. I cry harder.

But I hope we can still be friends. Good friends. Even though I don’t love you like that, I still hope I can call you my friend. I don’t want to lose you. You’re a good person. Don’t forget that, please.

She pauses, and I can hear her sniffling, trying to compose herself.

Just… call or text to let me know you’ve heard this. We can… talk later.

…Bye.

She hangs up the phone.

And I fall into my pillow, sobbing.

 

These are incredible Calano!!!!

*chucks many hugs through the internet*

Edited September 8, 2023 by The Wandering Wizard

[Edema Rue she/her]

Ah, Calano. You write the most beautiful words into the most heartwrenching stories. 

<3 love you brother. Be safe, okay?

[Morningtide she/her]

You're gonna make me cry!! I love them all!! Crash is so incredibly sad and so full of emotion! It's probably my favorite. But I loooove My Rose, My Raven. The duality of that title is incredible 

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood he/him]

19 hours ago, CalanoCorvus said:

Scenes I wrote based on various writing prompts I was given in that one SU.

Have fun reading

Scene #124: Crash

  Reveal hidden contents

I didn’t even see the last look on her face.

There was a flash of bright light, a car horn, and then a crash.

When I came to, she was already gone. A streak of blood ran down the side of her head.

Her once beautiful dirty blonde hair was now matted with crimson blood. And her eyes..

Her eyes used to be absolutely alight. With wonder, joy, and curiosity for everything.

I’ll never forget the way her eyes looked after the crash; dark; lifeless; empty.

I never even got to say goodbye.

Somehow, that stings more. More than actually losing her, but the fact that it was so sudden, and I never even got the chance to tell her I loved her or to tell her goodbye. That I’d be okay. That it was okay for her to rest now. That our son would grow up with all the good stories of his mother, who was the most perfect, beautiful woman who ever lived.

But… I ran a red light. I thought I could make it.

I couldn’t make it.

She’s gone.

I never got to say goodbye, I never got to apologize. To say sorry. For everything I’d ever done, for how I’d just killed her, I never got to apologize for that.

Even now, back at home, holding a sleeping toddler in my arms, I wonder how the hell am I supposed to go on?

My love is gone.

My son’s mother is gone.

My mothers daughter is gone.

My mom loved her. She was the daughter my mother never had. They were best friends.

She’s almost as devastated as I am. But no one can be more devastated than me.

Not now that it’s just me and my boy. Two thirds of a whole family.

A broken family.

Scene #125: Fight for Her

  Reveal hidden contents

“Sir?”

1st Lieutenant Allen leaned his head in through the tent flap.

Inside was Captain Avery, sitting on his cot with his head in his hands.

“What do you want, Allen?” He whispered.

“The men, sir,” Allen said, and cleared his throat slightly, “They want to know if you’re alright.”

“Do I look all right, Lieutenant?”

“...Permission to speak freely, sir?”

Captain Avery sighed, “I asked a question. It’s only right to let you answer freely. Go ahead.”

“You don’t look alright, sir,” Lieutenant Allen says hesitantly.

“Of course I’m not,” Avery snaps, “My wife is dead. Killed by the Emperor's own men, the very men I was trying to turn to our side, the very men whose lives I was trying to save because they don’t understand what they’re up against!”

Allen doesn’t respond.

“Sir,” He says slowly, “The men are still willing to fight.”

Avery looked up.

“Because of me?” He asked.

“Partly, sir,” Allen, “They don’t want the Captain’s sacrifice to be in vain, and the Major General agrees with them. They all loved the Captain, and are willing to storm the Palace for her. No matter what happens. The Major General has also formed an alliance with the forest tribes, and they will help.”

Avery thought for a moment, then stood.

“Come on,” He said, taking a deep breath, “We’ll cry later.”

He put his cap on. “Let’s go kick some imperial ass.”

“Yes, sir,” Allen said, grinning like a fool.

Scene #126: My Rose, My Raven

  Reveal hidden contents

My rose, my Raven, my chrysanthemum, my Crow.

My Raven is gone. They’ve plucked my rose straight out of the ground, shot my Raven down from the sky.

They’ve put my rose in a vase, chopped my Ravens head off and stuck his body to the door, strung up for all to see.

My rose’s calming words, the petals and poems that fell softly to the ground, have been buried under the topsoil.

I loved his tears, I loved his pain, My Raven made the bad things run away.

I’ve forgotten about the world.

I’ve forgotten his pain.

He feels no pain.

He’s gone.

Plucked from his pot, stolen from his sky.

Dead.

Strung up as an example.

Dead.

Scene #127: What Is Rain?

  Reveal hidden contents

“Father,” The young man- his name was Bill- said, “Why does it rain?”

His father- whose name was William- looked up at the heavy gray clouds that threatened to drench them at any second. “Surely you know the answer,” William said, "You've gone to university.”

“Yes, Father,” Bill said, his eyes also on the sky above, “But I’m not talking about the science behind rain. I’m asking from a more… philosophical point of view.”

William considered this.

He knew why it rained.

He remembered standing outside, as the first few drops fell from the sky; from heavy gray clouds not unlike the ones he was looking up at now.

He remembered staring at the sky. And he remembered pondering the same question.

Why did it rain?

It rained so that a man could feel something other than the pain in his heart.

It rained so that a man could see just how much the tears of the sky helped everything else be happy, even in their sadness.

It rained so that a man had something to envelop him as he knelt on the ground, screaming, wishing for something- or someone- to come back to him, even though he knew it- or she- never would.

Put simply, it rained, so that a man might cry.

“Bill,” William said, looking at his son and putting a fatherly hand on his shoulder, “You’ll find out why it rains. You’ll find out for yourself. Although I pray you never will, you will. When that time comes, you come and tell me why it rains.”

Bill smiled hesitantly, “Father, it’s alright if you don’t kno-”

“I do know,” William said, face heavy, “I know more than you’d think. It’s hard to put into words. Someday, I’ll explain.”

Bill nodded slowly. William put his arm over his son's shoulder. And together, they felt the first few drops fall from the sky.

Scene #128: Couldn't Have Worked

  Reveal hidden contents

My phone rings.

I look at the contact name.

And my world crumbles for the second time that day.

It’s her. Of course it’s her. Why would she be calling me?

I don’t pick it up. I let it go to voicemail.

And then I wait.

I look out the window as I wait, contemplating why life would shove this onto me. What did I do? All I did was try to be good to her.

My phone buzzes.

Makayla’s inevitable voicemail.

I take a deep breath and pick up my phone, tapping the banner.

The voicemail starts to play.

...Hey.

It’s… me. I know you probably don’t want to hear from me right now… but there's some things I have to say.

I’m sorry it ended the way it did.

It was… messy. And… I’m sorry. I think we both wish it could’ve gone smoother. I definitely do.

Her voice sounds small. I can hear her fine, she just sounds… small.

I want you to know that I did love you. I really did.

Tears form in my eyes, and my breath catches.

I have always loved you. I will always love you. But… not in the way you probably want. This was doomed from the start.

Her voice starts to break. I stare out my window.

And I wish it could, I really wish it could. But it just… can’t. It can’t work. I have too much going on, and so do you. The most we can be… is friends.

Even though I’ve already heard her say this today, and even though I knew I’d hear it again, it still hurts. A whole lot. I cry harder.

But I hope we can still be friends. Good friends. Even though I don’t love you like that, I still hope I can call you my friend. I don’t want to lose you. You’re a good person. Don’t forget that, please.

She pauses, and I can hear her sniffling, trying to compose herself.

Just… call or text to let me know you’ve heard this. We can… talk later.

…Bye.

She hangs up the phone.

And I fall into my pillow, sobbing.

 

CALANO, you've done it again- 

You are an awesome writer. Cannot criticize these without crying about how good those were- 

Keep writing, Calano, you have so much here.

[Medium he/they]

Scene #129: Say Something. It's You.

Spoiler

“Please… say something.”

“I… cannot.”

“Why not?”

“Do not make me say it. I cannot say those words.”

“Why are they so hard to say?”

“I… I don’t know. I don’t know if I can bring myself to speak it.”
“Speak it. Please.”

She looks up at me, eyes filled with tears. Whether from sadness, hope, or joy, I know not.

But they are tears. And they break my heart.

“It’s you,” She whispers, “It’s always been you. You are everything. Everything. I… I cannot pretend anymore, I cannot bear to be apart from you anymore, and even after everything you’ve done, I still love you. With all I am.”

“Is it so obvious how infatuated I am?” I ask.

“Incredibly so. I was made to love you, and I dream of you. All I do is dream of you. And it hurts me, just how much I ache for you. It hurts me, still loving you after what you’ve done.”

“What must I do? How can I heal your hurt?”

“Listen to me. Then leave me alone. I will come back to you when I am ready.”

“Okay.”

“When you did that, you tore me apart. Even with a broken heart, your smile still brought me so much joy. Even with a shattered love, even when I could not stand you, I could not and cannot stand to be away from you. You need to know that I have grown to care for you. Deeply.”

“Opal…”

“It’s true,” She says through silent tears, “I feel your absence in everything that I do alone, in every place I go without you. You are all I can think about.”

“I am sorry.”

“Of course you are.”

“...May I hug you?”

“...No. Not yet.”

“Okay.”

“Will you wait for me? While I heal?”

“I will wait for an eternity and a year for you. I love you.”

“Salut, Paul.”

“Salut, Opal.”

 

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

28 minutes ago, CalanoCorvus said:

Scene #129: Say Something. It's You.

  Reveal hidden contents

“Please… say something.”

“I… cannot.”

“Why not?”

“Do not make me say it. I cannot say those words.”

“Why are they so hard to say?”

“I… I don’t know. I don’t know if I can bring myself to speak it.”
“Speak it. Please.”

She looks up at me, eyes filled with tears. Whether from sadness, hope, or joy, I know not.

But they are tears. And they break my heart.

“It’s you,” She whispers, “It’s always been you. You are everything. Everything. I… I cannot pretend anymore, I cannot bear to be apart from you anymore, and even after everything you’ve done, I still love you. With all I am.”

“Is it so obvious how infatuated I am?” I ask.

“Incredibly so. I was made to love you, and I dream of you. All I do is dream of you. And it hurts me, just how much I ache for you. It hurts me, still loving you after what you’ve done.”

“What must I do? How can I heal your hurt?”

“Listen to me. Then leave me alone. I will come back to you when I am ready.”

“Okay.”

“When you did that, you tore me apart. Even with a broken heart, your smile still brought me so much joy. Even with a shattered love, even when I could not stand you, I could not and cannot stand to be away from you. You need to know that I have grown to care for you. Deeply.”

“Opal…”

“It’s true,” She says through silent tears, “I feel your absence in everything that I do alone, in every place I go without you. You are all I can think about.”

“I am sorry.”

“Of course you are.”

“...May I hug you?”

“...No. Not yet.”

“Okay.”

“Will you wait for me? While I heal?”

“I will wait for an eternity and a year for you. I love you.”

“Salut, Paul.”

“Salut, Opal.”

 

I feel this one in my bones. Well written as always Calano!!

[Edema Rue she/her]

4 hours ago, CalanoCorvus said:

Scene #129: Say Something. It's You.

  Reveal hidden contents

“Please… say something.”

“I… cannot.”

“Why not?”

“Do not make me say it. I cannot say those words.”

“Why are they so hard to say?”

“I… I don’t know. I don’t know if I can bring myself to speak it.”
“Speak it. Please.”

She looks up at me, eyes filled with tears. Whether from sadness, hope, or joy, I know not.

But they are tears. And they break my heart.

“It’s you,” She whispers, “It’s always been you. You are everything. Everything. I… I cannot pretend anymore, I cannot bear to be apart from you anymore, and even after everything you’ve done, I still love you. With all I am.”

“Is it so obvious how infatuated I am?” I ask.

“Incredibly so. I was made to love you, and I dream of you. All I do is dream of you. And it hurts me, just how much I ache for you. It hurts me, still loving you after what you’ve done.”

“What must I do? How can I heal your hurt?”

“Listen to me. Then leave me alone. I will come back to you when I am ready.”

“Okay.”

“When you did that, you tore me apart. Even with a broken heart, your smile still brought me so much joy. Even with a shattered love, even when I could not stand you, I could not and cannot stand to be away from you. You need to know that I have grown to care for you. Deeply.”

“Opal…”

“It’s true,” She says through silent tears, “I feel your absence in everything that I do alone, in every place I go without you. You are all I can think about.”

“I am sorry.”

“Of course you are.”

“...May I hug you?”

“...No. Not yet.”

“Okay.”

“Will you wait for me? While I heal?”

“I will wait for an eternity and a year for you. I love you.”

“Salut, Paul.”

“Salut, Opal.”

 

I feel a little tear in my eye, at this. A little bit broken, and a little bit healed. A little bit lost, a little bit found, a little bit lonely and a little bit loved. Thank you, brother.

[Medium he/they]

Scene #130: He Is Too Far.

Spoiler

Of all the countless worlds, the only one I ever want to see again is the only one I can never visit.

It’s the only one that, if traveling at lightspeed, is just past the point of no return: just past the horizon of the universe.

It’s the most beautiful world. Because he lives there. And I can never go visit him, because if I do, I can never return. And while I would love to go and stay with him… I cannot. I simply cannot. There is too much at stake here on my own planet to run away with him.

I love him. But I can never touch him. I adore him. But I can never see him.

The only times I ever communicate with him are when the transmissions come in every month. It’s like having a penpal, who’s radio is silent for a month, and can only send one 5 minute transmission, and you only have 1 hour to send a 5 minute response. It’s a delicate game to keep up contact.

It’s so nice to see his face, though. Even for 5 minutes, once a month. But he’s… beautiful. But I can never have him.

He is too far.

I still relish the moments I can see his eyes. His beautiful eyes… They look like amethysts. And his left eye has this little spot of gold right above and a bit to the right of his pupil. It’s beautiful. And he has one dimple on the right side of his face when he smiles. And he’s always drinking a cup of tea, with only the teensiest bit of cream and a little bit of honey, when he sends a transmission. He’s always wearing the same gray sweatshirt, and sitting with one leg up.

But I can never gaze into his amethyst eyes, or let my thumb rest on his dimple, or sample the tea he drinks, or burrow into his gray sweatshirt on lonely days, or nestle myself in the cavity created by his body when he sits.

He is too far.

And I have too much here at home.

Scene #131: Nightmares.

Spoiler

The empty field around me is covered in bodies. They’re all face down. All wearing the same clothes. Just a shirt and pants; discreet and unimportant.

But I know who they all are. My mother. My father. My sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. My friends. My lover.

Everyone.

Everyone I love. I do not want to see them like this, but my body moves of its own accord. I go body to body, turning each one over so I can see their face. Every single person has the most terrified, horrified, and agonized expression I’ve ever seen.

I’m crying long before I even turned over the first body: My mother. The last body I turn over is of my boyfriend. And then I see he’s still breathing.

He grabs my arm, looks me in the eyes, face full of fear and pain.

“Why-” He hisses out, “Why did you leave me behind? You said you’d- You said you’d never leave.”

The shock prevents me from speaking for a moment. I’m finally able to stutter out a couple of words, but he cuts me off, “Look what you’ve done,” he gestures slowly, and with a shaky arm, all around us.

“It’s your fault.” He says.

“No,” I whisper, “No, it’s not, you’re wrong.”

A quiet beeping starts from his pocket.

“Hear that?” He whispers, and directs me to reach into his pocket.

I pull out a phone. His phone. On the phone is an unknown number. The phone vibrates as it beeps.

I pick up the phone.

“Hello?”

I only hear static. Then my world goes dark, and I open my eyes, sitting up in my bed.

I clutch my chest, my heartbeat slowly going down.

I look to the side, hearing that beeping again.

It’s him. Calling me.

I reach out with a shaky hand, and pick up the phone.

“Hello?” I whisper quietly.

“Abbi?” He says, clearly worried.

“What?” I ask, “What is it? Who died?”

“Abbi, are you okay?” He asks forcefully.

“What? I-”

“Answer the question.”

“...Not really.”

“I had a feeling. What happened?”

“I had a nightmare.” I respond quietly.

“Do you need me?”

“...Yes please.”

A short time later, my bedroom door opens, and Tom walks in.

He crawls into bed and takes me into his arms.

“I’m here now,” He whispers, “Everything’s okay.”

 

[Kajsa she/her]

AAAH BOTH OF THOSE ARE SO GOOD THIS IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE THIS GOOD 

bravo, Calano. The nightmare one was so… wow. Just… wow. 

[SmilingPanda19 Hi/Ho]

3 hours ago, CalanoCorvus said:

Scene #130: He Is Too Far.

  Reveal hidden contents

Of all the countless worlds, the only one I ever want to see again is the only one I can never visit.

It’s the only one that, if traveling at lightspeed, is just past the point of no return: just past the horizon of the universe.

It’s the most beautiful world. Because he lives there. And I can never go visit him, because if I do, I can never return. And while I would love to go and stay with him… I cannot. I simply cannot. There is too much at stake here on my own planet to run away with him.

I love him. But I can never touch him. I adore him. But I can never see him.

The only times I ever communicate with him are when the transmissions come in every month. It’s like having a penpal, who’s radio is silent for a month, and can only send one 5 minute transmission, and you only have 1 hour to send a 5 minute response. It’s a delicate game to keep up contact.

It’s so nice to see his face, though. Even for 5 minutes, once a month. But he’s… beautiful. But I can never have him.

He is too far.

I still relish the moments I can see his eyes. His beautiful eyes… They look like amethysts. And his left eye has this little spot of gold right above and a bit to the right of his pupil. It’s beautiful. And he has one dimple on the right side of his face when he smiles. And he’s always drinking a cup of tea, with only the teensiest bit of cream and a little bit of honey, when he sends a transmission. He’s always wearing the same gray sweatshirt, and sitting with one leg up.

But I can never gaze into his amethyst eyes, or let my thumb rest on his dimple, or sample the tea he drinks, or burrow into his gray sweatshirt on lonely days, or nestle myself in the cavity created by his body when he sits.

He is too far.

And I have too much here at home.

Scene #131: Nightmares.

  Reveal hidden contents

The empty field around me is covered in bodies. They’re all face down. All wearing the same clothes. Just a shirt and pants; discreet and unimportant.

But I know who they all are. My mother. My father. My sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. My friends. My lover.

Everyone.

Everyone I love. I do not want to see them like this, but my body moves of its own accord. I go body to body, turning each one over so I can see their face. Every single person has the most terrified, horrified, and agonized expression I’ve ever seen.

I’m crying long before I even turned over the first body: My mother. The last body I turn over is of my boyfriend. And then I see he’s still breathing.

He grabs my arm, looks me in the eyes, face full of fear and pain.

“Why-” He hisses out, “Why did you leave me behind? You said you’d- You said you’d never leave.”

The shock prevents me from speaking for a moment. I’m finally able to stutter out a couple of words, but he cuts me off, “Look what you’ve done,” he gestures slowly, and with a shaky arm, all around us.

“It’s your fault.” He says.

“No,” I whisper, “No, it’s not, you’re wrong.”

A quiet beeping starts from his pocket.

“Hear that?” He whispers, and directs me to reach into his pocket.

I pull out a phone. His phone. On the phone is an unknown number. The phone vibrates as it beeps.

I pick up the phone.

“Hello?”

I only hear static. Then my world goes dark, and I open my eyes, sitting up in my bed.

I clutch my chest, my heartbeat slowly going down.

I look to the side, hearing that beeping again.

It’s him. Calling me.

I reach out with a shaky hand, and pick up the phone.

“Hello?” I whisper quietly.

“Abbi?” He says, clearly worried.

“What?” I ask, “What is it? Who died?”

“Abbi, are you okay?” He asks forcefully.

“What? I-”

“Answer the question.”

“...Not really.”

“I had a feeling. What happened?”

“I had a nightmare.” I respond quietly.

“Do you need me?”

“...Yes please.”

A short time later, my bedroom door opens, and Tom walks in.

He crawls into bed and takes me into his arms.

“I’m here now,” He whispers, “Everything’s okay.”

 

Oh my gosh..... stop it- GO AWAY YOU ARE TOO GOOD- 

THAT NIGHTMARES ONE- OH MY GOSH STOP IT- GORGEOUS- EXCELLENT- 10/10 WOULD RECOMMEND 

[Edema Rue she/her]

You’re an artist, Calano. Someday, when you get published, I’ll buy all your books.

[Morningtide she/her]

Nightmares! I love reading about nightmares and this was amazing!! Your are such a good writer!

[Medium he/they]

Scene #132: Paracosms.

Spoiler

“Close your eyes.”
Jared sat, closing his eyes. The room around him went dark, until all he heard was Oliver's breathing, and the blood rushing in his ears.
“What do you see?”
Jared felt a pair of hands gently touch the sides of his head. The darkness behind his eyelids began to swirl. It swirled around and around, a moving, spiraling nothingness.
“It’s moving.” He whispered.
Oliver moved his hands slightly.
“Concentrate,” He said, “What do you see?”
The swirling black in front of his eyes went faster. Faster, and faster, until it suddenly stopped.
The darkness dissipated. But… he hadn’t opened his eyes. He almost did, until Oliver’s fingers gently pressed his eyelids back down.
“Keep them shut, Jared,” He said.
“Sorry,” Jared mumbled, letting himself settle back into the light behind his eyelids.
The light, temporarily blinding, cleared, and Jared found himself staring at… Oliver.
But somehow it also wasn’t Oliver.
“Oliver?” He asked.
The Oliver he knew had tanned skin, the color of desert sand. The Oliver he knew had eyes of the softest green, like grass in a lush prairie. The Oliver he knew had a small mole right under his chin, and a bit to the right. The Oliver he knew had freckles all over his arms and the tops of his hands.
The Oliver he was looking at had pastel blue skin, the color of forget-me-nots. The Oliver he was looking at had eyes of a more vibrant green. More like a… Northwestern forest, then prairie grass. The Oliver he was looking at had a perfect face, and no freckles.
“Hi, Jared,” Oliver said. And it was the Oliver he was looking at that spoke.
“Oliver,” Jared said, “What… What's happening? Where am I?”
“You’re still at home,” Oliver said, “Safe and sound. We’re in a Paracosm. Specifically, mine.”
“Why do you look different?”
“I’m a Parakai. In my native tongue of Prasi it means ‘one of fantastical worlds.’”
“Are you not… you?” Jared asked, his heart and mind a mess of emotions and conflicting memories and knowledge.
“I’m me,” Oliver replied, “This.. is me. This is the most me I’ll ever be. I made myself look like you, so you would be my friend.”
Oliver smiled, revealing sharp teeth that were colored a deep blue.
When there was no response from Jared, Oliver's smile began to fade.
“You don’t like me this way,” He asked softly, “Do you?”
“No!” Jared responded, “No, no, it’s not that, I think you look great, it’s just- this is a lot to take in, Oliver.”
“I understand,” Oliver said, clearly still dejected.
Jared stepped forward, and wrapped his arms around his friend.
He didn’t stop to wonder why he could move and feel so realistically if this was all in his mind, but he didn’t put much thought into it.
“You’re still you,” Jared said, “To me, you’ll always just be you.”
“Do you know what a Parakai is?” Oliver asked.
“What do I need to know?”
“Your kind would call mine a ‘demon,’ in your tongue. My true name is Oransis.”
“That’s a beautiful name,” Jared said, “But why would they call you a demon?”
“They would, have, and do call us many names,” Oliver said, looking at the iridescent skies of the plane of emptiness around them, “Dreammakers, Boogeymen, Nightmares, Takers of Thought.”
“What exactly do you do?” Jared asked.
“This,” Oliver said.
Oliver stepped back, spreading his hands, and said a few words in a language Jared didn’t understand.
The iridescent clouds that made up the space they were in- Oliver had called it a Paracosm- began to swirl around. They swirled faster, becoming a blur of fog and light and color.
Then they dissipated, and Oliver and Jared were left standing in an endless field. A field of green grass, flowers Jared knew and didn’t know, with mountains in the distance, and a lake a little ways away. It was a virtual paradise. It smelled like life, like sweetness and honeybees. It sounded beautiful. Shimmering grass, the leaves of unseen aspen trees brushing against each other in a soft breeze.
Jared looked all around, taking everything in.
“I create worlds, in peoples heads,” Oliver said, “I create my own, I create them for others. I bring daydreams, night dreams, nightmares, fantasies, creativity.”
“You…” Jared was at a loss for words.
“I create Paracosms. I create worlds for people who can’t experience the one they want. I create places people can imagine, and thrive, and love, and live in.”
“It’s beautiful,” Jared said, “I love it.”
“Do you? Your people would disagree,” Oliver said.
“Something you should know about humanity,” Jared said, turning and walking up to Oliver, “Is that a lot of us are incredibly stupid, and are scared of things we don’t understand.”
“Do you understand this?” Oliver asked.
“No.”
“Then why are you not scared?”
“Because I understand you. So I need not be scared.”
Jared leaned up, and pressed a light kiss onto Oliver's lips.
“What reason do I have to be scared, when I know that you care about me, and only want to see me smile?”
“You knew?” Oliver asked, flustered and shocked.
“Of course I knew,” Jared said, “You are painfully easy to rea-”
Oliver grabbed Jared in a hug, holding tightly.
“Thank you.” Oliver said softly.
“Of course,” Jared said, returning the hug with the gentleness of newfound love.
The breeze blew, as the pair hugged in a dreamscape. Their own Paracosm, their own world of beauty and love. Aspens grew from the ground, beautiful white trees with leaves that sounded like rivers. They grew quickly, maturing in under a minute, until the entire field was a flower filled forest of aspens.
It was beautiful.

 

[Morningtide she/her]

That's so cool!!! I like the idea and the way you wrote it! Very nice! I would read a book of this!!

[Medium he/they]

Scene #133: Girl In The Stars

This was a pinterest pin I saw that just shot through me with inspiration. It's been added to the loooooong list of future full novel ideas lol.

Spoiler

i wake up.

the light above my head is harsh and bright.

i curse, and shortly after the door opens. my eyes, having adjusted to the light, take in the nurse- i assume- walking into the room.

"welcome back," he says, "you've been to hell and back, haven't you?"

i shrug, but something in the back of my mind starts to realize something.  i'm not sure what it is.

"...yeah," i say slowly. my voice comes out barely a croak.

"you were asleep, out cold," the nurse explains at my shock, "and your vocal chords had been screamed raw, by the looks of them."

and then i remember.

the stars. infinite tiny blips in an ocean of black. and dwarfing them all, a black hole.

no.

a portal.

and then,

someone saying, "i'll come find you. i'll go through hell and then back again for you."

her voice is sad. no, that's not the right word; heartbroken.

"where is she?" i croak.

"who?" the nurse asks, "no one else was with you.”

my heart cracks slightly. i do not know why.

"she said... she said she'd go through hell and back... for me," i force out, my voice thick and coarse for more reasons than healing vocal chords.

"who?" the nurse asks again.

"the girl in the stars," i mumble, and slip back into darkness.

 

[Edema Rue she/her]

1 hour ago, Calano Corvus said:

Scene #133: Girl In The Stars

This was a pinterest pin I saw that just shot through me with inspiration. It's been added to the loooooong list of future full novel ideas lol.

  Reveal hidden contents

i wake up.

the light above my head is harsh and bright.

i curse, and shortly after the door opens. my eyes, having adjusted to the light, take in the nurse- i assume- walking into the room.

"welcome back," he says, "you've been to hell and back, haven't you?"

i shrug, but something in the back of my mind starts to realize something.  i'm not sure what it is.

"...yeah," i say slowly. my voice comes out barely a croak.

"you were asleep, out cold," the nurse explains at my shock, "and your vocal chords had been screamed raw, by the looks of them."

and then i remember.

the stars. infinite tiny blips in an ocean of black. and dwarfing them all, a black hole.

no.

a portal.

and then,

someone saying, "i'll come find you. i'll go through hell and then back again for you."

her voice is sad. no, that's not the right word; heartbroken.

"where is she?" i croak.

"who?" the nurse asks, "no one else was with you.”

my heart cracks slightly. i do not know why.

"she said... she said she'd go through hell and back... for me," i force out, my voice thick and coarse for more reasons than healing vocal chords.

"who?" the nurse asks again.

"the girl in the stars," i mumble, and slip back into darkness.

 

Oh my slugs please write this entire book and let me be a beta reader

[Medium he/they]

Scene #134: The Girl In The Stars, Pt. 2

Spoiler

“I remember kissing you. Why do I remember kissing you?”

The illusion fades, and I’m staring once more at the harsh overhead lights of my hospital room.

I sigh, wondering once more who the girl was that I kissed.

And I wonder why she keeps appearing to me. I can’t decide if it’s like a nightmare or a dream.

The nurse walks in again.

“Good morning, Jordan,” He says, “I trust you slept well.”

“Yup.” I say. My vocal cords have been healing nicely, but there's still a little ways to go before they're fully healed. As such, my voice is still slightly scratchy. “About as well as I could have, considering all that’s happened.”

“How’re you feeling today? Scale of-”

“4. Pretty crummy,” I say, cutting him off, “I want to leave.”

“Well, that’s one point more than yesterday,” The nurse responds, and with an attempt at a comforting smile he says, “Don’t worry, you’ll be able to leave soon.”

He’s been saying that for three days. I’ve been in this room, in a hospital, for reasons that shouldn’t have put me in a hospital for this long, confused out of my mind because of things I can’t seem to remember, and he has the gall to give me that infuriating smile.

“Uh huh,” I say bitterly, “Need anything else, or can you leave me to my solitary confinement for another few hours?”

“Blood pressure, Jordan.”

He comes forward and straps a blood pressure cuff to my arm, and I sigh as he presses a button on the monitor and it begins to constrict my arm. I feel my arm begin to pulse in time with my heart rate, a reminder that yes, I’m still alive. Regrettably. He looks at the monitor once it beeps, nods once, and removes the cuff.

Without a word, he leaves.

I roll over in my bed, sighing and settling into the barely soft hospital bed. You’d think that with how much they make at this hospital with all their procedures, they’d be able to at the very least afford a decent mattress.

It’s funny because I can’t even remember the very first time I heard your name. How do you not remember something that made such a big difference in your life?

I smile to myself, remembering how oddly poetic and sentimental Kim could get. She always was just saying random things that came to mind-

Wait.

Kim. Kimberly.

I sit up, eyes wide. A name. I remember a name. Her name.

“Kimberly,” I say, testing the name on my lips. The lights flicker in my room.

My eyes begin to tear up. What the hell is happening? 

That same illusion from before fades into view once more. A view of darkness, full of light but empty and cold. It’s confusing, I know, but I literally do not know what else to call it. It’s just… yeah, it’s just empty and cold, very dark but full of light. Have fun with that.

In the center of that darkness a glowing ring begins to form, growing larger, warping everything around it.

I’ve seen this before, not just in this same illusion earlier, but this specifically. This black hole.

We named it Carol. Why the hell did we name it Carol? 

The black hole- Carol- grows, and eventually dominates the space in front of me. A bright flash comes from inside the black hole, and I look away, shielding my eyes.

The light fades.

I look back. Within Carol’s domain floats a girl.

“Jordan?” She asks, and her voice is far, far away, “Jordan? Are you there?”

I hesitate. “Kimberly?” I say tentatively, and watch her face light up.

“Jordan!” She shouts, her voice getting louder, “Jordan, oh my stars, you’re alive! Oh thank goodness!”

“Kim-”

“So much has happened, you won’t believe any of it, I’ve been trying to find a way to reach out to you-”

“Kimberly,” I say firmly, and she pauses, “What happened? I don’t remember anything, if anything even happened. I don’t know if I’m hallucinating or not right now, I’m so confused.”

“Where are you?” She asks softly, and I look around for any name of where I might be. My window is dark, so I can’t see outside. When I look back, Kim is suddenly standing right in front of my bed.

She looks around. “Oh,” She says, “You’re… here.”

“A hospital,” I say, “Not one I recognize though.”

“What do you remember?” She asks, seeming to ignore me.

“There was… a black hole,” I begin, “and you, and me, and I remember there was something tearing us apart, some strange force. You- you said you’d go through hell and back again for me.”

She nods. “You were screaming. You were in so much pain. Something was taking you away, something was wrong, and I don’t know what it is or was, and I’ve been looking for you for ages.”

“I don’t remember anything,” I say, and my heart aches with memories it can’t recall.

Her image flickers, and she blinks.

“I don’t have much time,” She says loudly, beginning to fade from view, “I’ll come find you. I’ll find a way, Jordan, I swear on the Stars I’ll come find you!”

“I-” But she’s gone.

Somehow that hurt me more than I thought it would.

I lay back on my pillows, and press my hands onto my face, groaning with the agony of a confused and definitely wounded mind, and a heart that feels things I can’t remember for the life of me.

“Girl in the stars,” I mutter, “Girl in the stars, what are you trying to do?”

Scene #135: Thank You For Staying With Me

Spoiler

A sharp breath escaped Lina’s mouth.

She looked down at the blade going through her midsection. “Dah… Damn,” She wheezed out, “That stings.”

Her knees buckled, and she sank to the ground. Ali withdrew her blade, and the cloud of red vanished from her eyes. She saw the damage she’d done, and her heart shattered. Tears immediately formed in her eyes. Her head was spinning, she felt as if she might vomit, this couldn’t be happening.

“Lina, no,” She said, kneeling to try and staunch the bleeding from the wound in Lina’s stomach, “I didn’t mean to- I- I can fix it.”

Lina wheezed, face grimaced in pain. “It’s alright, it’s alright…” She said slowly, comfortingly, “I just need to… lay down.”

She slowly laid herself out on the ground with a grunt, then sighed.

Ali covered her mouth with her bloodstained hand, not caring. She was trying anything she could to stop the loud and anguished sobs coming from within her.

“Hey.. Hey,” Lina said, taking Ali’s hand in her own, “It’s alright, it’s okay.”

“I’m so sorry,” Ali whined, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t- It wasn’t me, I swear it wasn’t-”

“Shhh,” Lina soothed, “I know, darling, I know.”

They stayed there a bit, Ali hiccuping and sobbing, shaking with grief and remorse, Lina breathing weakly and unevenly.

“I’m sorry,” Ali mumbled through tears and saliva, “I’m sorry, I should’ve fought back.”

Lina smiled sadly. “I know it wasn’t you that killed me, Ali,” She said, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Thank you for staying with me.”

Ali leaned down, breathing heavily from her sobs, and pressed her forehead against Lina’s. “Always,” She said through quivering lips, “I’ll always stay with you.”

She pressed a small kiss to Lina’s lips.

“I love you,” She said, her breathing shallow.

Lina smiled. “I love you too,” She muttered.

Her eyelids fluttered. “Ma?” She asked, barely audible above Ali’s sobbing, before her eyes closed for good.

Ali squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down falling onto Lina’s cuirass. She pressed her forehead against Lina’s chest, heaving in agonizing grief.