Hey guys!
I’ve decided, to practice my writing, that I’d start a short story. I might add more to it if you’d like to see more, but for now I’m only going to make 3 chapters. The story that I needed characters for is still in the works, so this is just to warm up a bit.
So I give to you,
A Winter’s Breath
A short story by BeyondTheEchoes
I’ve decided, to practice my writing, that I’d start a short story. I might add more to it if you’d like to see more, but for now I’m only going to make 3 chapters. The story that I needed characters for is still in the works, so this is just to warm up a bit.
So I give to you,
A Winter’s Breath
A short story by BeyondTheEchoes
My favorite way to kick off any winter is to sit silently in a room and watch the snow fall delicately outside, like the gloomy atmosphere that falls onto the city. Every snowflake building up to a bigger disaster just waiting to happen. Cars crash due to black ice, people trapped inside from the blizzards, and the sadness that can wash over people and consume their lives. I sat there waiting, waiting for something to happen, waiting for someone or something to strip me away from the trance I was trapped in.
When I was finally able to rip myself away from that window, I walked into the living room and fell onto the couch, heaving a sigh. I closed my eyes due to that fact they were strained from staring at the window for so long. Being the pessimistic person I am, I called out to my dad who was in the kitchen,
‘When are we going to get trapped inside? We know it’s inevitable, it happens every winter.’
He smiled and said, ‘Let the fates fall where they may.’
It always annoyed me how he said that. Using that line for every occasion that someone asked him a question he didn’t know the answer to.
‘’Let the fates fall where they may!’’ I said in a mocking tone, jokingly.
His grin slowly faded, and he continued cooking dinner.
When I was finally able to rip myself away from that window, I walked into the living room and fell onto the couch, heaving a sigh. I closed my eyes due to that fact they were strained from staring at the window for so long. Being the pessimistic person I am, I called out to my dad who was in the kitchen,
‘When are we going to get trapped inside? We know it’s inevitable, it happens every winter.’
He smiled and said, ‘Let the fates fall where they may.’
It always annoyed me how he said that. Using that line for every occasion that someone asked him a question he didn’t know the answer to.
‘’Let the fates fall where they may!’’ I said in a mocking tone, jokingly.
His grin slowly faded, and he continued cooking dinner.
I knew dad’d be done with dinner soon, so I just sat there on the couch staring at the wall. I was always good at doing absolutely nothing yet being able to keep myself entertained. I held conversations with myself inside my head. I considered my mind and my heart two different beings, fighting for control over my body. My mind controled my mouth, while my heart controlled my actions. I held my mind’s part of the conversation by speaking, and my heart I’d hear in my head. They argued about pointless things, like always.
I heard my dad call upstairs to my sisters that dinner was ready. I still sat there waiting for him, because I knew he’d come to me and tell me like I didn’t just hear him.
‘Eden, dinner’s ready.’ He said, walking into the kitchen that was next to the living room.
I pulled myself off the couch and walked into the kitchen, where I grabbed my dish and sat at the counter.
I saw my older sister Alex walk into the kitchen, followed by my younger sister Dana. They both grabbed their dishes and started heading up into their rooms to eat before they were stopped by my dad.
‘Girls, let’s sit together for tonight, ok?” He asked, struggling to hold a smile.
Dana bounced back into the kitchen and sat at the table while Alex groaned and walked back reluctantly. I got up from the countertop and sat at our 4-person table. There should’ve been five seats, but then the accident happened a year ago.
I heard my dad call upstairs to my sisters that dinner was ready. I still sat there waiting for him, because I knew he’d come to me and tell me like I didn’t just hear him.
‘Eden, dinner’s ready.’ He said, walking into the kitchen that was next to the living room.
I pulled myself off the couch and walked into the kitchen, where I grabbed my dish and sat at the counter.
I saw my older sister Alex walk into the kitchen, followed by my younger sister Dana. They both grabbed their dishes and started heading up into their rooms to eat before they were stopped by my dad.
‘Girls, let’s sit together for tonight, ok?” He asked, struggling to hold a smile.
Dana bounced back into the kitchen and sat at the table while Alex groaned and walked back reluctantly. I got up from the countertop and sat at our 4-person table. There should’ve been five seats, but then the accident happened a year ago.
We all said our thank you’s to our father for dinner and started devouring our food. Dana and Alex ate with haste while I only picked at my food. Winter’s been my least favorite season, and ever since last year I’ve started hating it with every ounce of my being. I looked up at my dad and said,
‘You were born in ‘64, right?’
He nodded and swallowed, before he asked me a question, ‘Why do you ask?’
I just shrugged and looked down at my food, before my heart started talking…
You know why you asked, why aren’t you saying anything? It asked.
Maybe because it’s a surprise! My mind exclaimed, being annoyed for no apparent reason. That’s how it was ¾ of the time.
What do you mean? My heart said again.
Oh, for Pete’s sake! Do you need me to spell it out for you? It’s S-U-R-- My mind was interrupted, and I snapped out of my trance.
Alex was now standing, her fists on the table, and Dana the same. Dana may have been only 14 and five years younger than Alex, but she knew how to fight and put up an argument.
My dad was now gone, and the only thing I heard was the door to the garage slam. Alex and Dana were fighting about something, and I just sat there wide-eyed and listened before I said anything.
‘You don’t even care! I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t even know how to love!’ Dana sobbed.
‘How could you think I’m so heartless? Of course I care!’ Alex yelled back at her.
I knew immediately what they were talking about. Without hesitation, I stood up and yelled,
‘Do you really think this is appropriate? Think of them! You really think that it’s ok to fight about this right now? Fighting about who cares and who doesn’t, being so self-centered! This isn’t what they would’ve wanted. Don’t let them die in vain!’
They both stood silent, realizing their wrong-doing. I picked up my plate and put it in the sink, then walked toward the front door and out into the cold winter’s night.
‘You were born in ‘64, right?’
He nodded and swallowed, before he asked me a question, ‘Why do you ask?’
I just shrugged and looked down at my food, before my heart started talking…
You know why you asked, why aren’t you saying anything? It asked.
Maybe because it’s a surprise! My mind exclaimed, being annoyed for no apparent reason. That’s how it was ¾ of the time.
What do you mean? My heart said again.
Oh, for Pete’s sake! Do you need me to spell it out for you? It’s S-U-R-- My mind was interrupted, and I snapped out of my trance.
Alex was now standing, her fists on the table, and Dana the same. Dana may have been only 14 and five years younger than Alex, but she knew how to fight and put up an argument.
My dad was now gone, and the only thing I heard was the door to the garage slam. Alex and Dana were fighting about something, and I just sat there wide-eyed and listened before I said anything.
‘You don’t even care! I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t even know how to love!’ Dana sobbed.
‘How could you think I’m so heartless? Of course I care!’ Alex yelled back at her.
I knew immediately what they were talking about. Without hesitation, I stood up and yelled,
‘Do you really think this is appropriate? Think of them! You really think that it’s ok to fight about this right now? Fighting about who cares and who doesn’t, being so self-centered! This isn’t what they would’ve wanted. Don’t let them die in vain!’
They both stood silent, realizing their wrong-doing. I picked up my plate and put it in the sink, then walked toward the front door and out into the cold winter’s night.
I sat on the bench under the pergola at the bus stop. I wasn’t getting on, but I just wanted to sit somewhere somewhat shielded from the cold and snow. A few pedestrians gazed at me and even offered help, due to the fact I had no winter attire. In fact, I was wearing nothing but a dark purple tee-shirt and jeans. They offered jackets, but I turned down their offers. I just sat there and watched the sun rise and set on the horizon.
The bus came, and I just sat there. The driver signaled with his hands for me to hop on, but I just shook my head and smiled. Everything’s more sincere with a smile. Since no one was there to get on the bus, it just sat there and waited. I looked into my small cloth bag I carried around and dug for my wallet. Taking out a five dollar bill, I got up and walked towards the bus. I handed the bill to the driver and took my seat in the back. What could happen taking a little bus ride around California in the middle of the night. Saying that sounds a lot worse than I thought, but it’d be fun to have a little tour of my homeland.
- - -
My eyes opened and it was already sunset again. I looked at my phone, and the bright white letters read “6:13 PM”. I grimaced and looked ahead. There were now more people on the bus, a lady and her child sat in front of me, and a guy around my age sat in the row across from me, staring out the window into the sunset. He had earbuds in, so there was no use talking to him. I tapped the lady’s shoulder in front of me and asked,
“Do you know what town we’re in?”
“Kennewick.” She replied.
My mouth opened in shock, but I closed it again and said, “What?”
“Kennewick, Washington.” She restated.
Dang, Ede! How long were you out for? My mind said.
Not the time. I thought, grinding my back teeth.
“How long is the ride here to California, San Fran specifically?” I asked again after a few minutes, waiting because I didn’t want to seem like a pest.
“12 hours, probably.”
I crashed into the back of my seat, my mouth gaping once again. How’d this happen? Had I really slept for 12 hours? I sat there thinking about what had happened. I had just slept from San Francisco to Washington. Away from my home, 12 hours away from my home. Heaving a sigh, I turned to the window and waited for the next stop.
The bus came, and I just sat there. The driver signaled with his hands for me to hop on, but I just shook my head and smiled. Everything’s more sincere with a smile. Since no one was there to get on the bus, it just sat there and waited. I looked into my small cloth bag I carried around and dug for my wallet. Taking out a five dollar bill, I got up and walked towards the bus. I handed the bill to the driver and took my seat in the back. What could happen taking a little bus ride around California in the middle of the night. Saying that sounds a lot worse than I thought, but it’d be fun to have a little tour of my homeland.
- - -
My eyes opened and it was already sunset again. I looked at my phone, and the bright white letters read “6:13 PM”. I grimaced and looked ahead. There were now more people on the bus, a lady and her child sat in front of me, and a guy around my age sat in the row across from me, staring out the window into the sunset. He had earbuds in, so there was no use talking to him. I tapped the lady’s shoulder in front of me and asked,
“Do you know what town we’re in?”
“Kennewick.” She replied.
My mouth opened in shock, but I closed it again and said, “What?”
“Kennewick, Washington.” She restated.
Dang, Ede! How long were you out for? My mind said.
Not the time. I thought, grinding my back teeth.
“How long is the ride here to California, San Fran specifically?” I asked again after a few minutes, waiting because I didn’t want to seem like a pest.
“12 hours, probably.”
I crashed into the back of my seat, my mouth gaping once again. How’d this happen? Had I really slept for 12 hours? I sat there thinking about what had happened. I had just slept from San Francisco to Washington. Away from my home, 12 hours away from my home. Heaving a sigh, I turned to the window and waited for the next stop.
-Afterword-
I really enjoyed writing this, so whether or not people want it, I’m probably going to continue it. It might be on PZ, it might not be, who knows!
You can ask questions, criticize, or do whatever in the replies. If you do have a question, I’ll either answer it or write the answer to it in the next chapters.
Thank you for reading, and have a nice day! (Hopefully the spoilers worked ;u; )
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