I've lived through Fall many times. You don't know how many times I've watched the leaves change color, from green to brown to gold to orange... Fall is the season that makes the most change. It leaves trees barren as it sneaks silently into Winter. It slowly transforms its residents so that they change color, and it creeps into a cold, refreshing chill right before your eyes.
Therefore, I love Fall, autumn, if you will. I love it because it brings me hope that maybe someday I can change my life into what I want it to be, and what it should be. Maybe one day I can get back the childhood that was robbed of me.
I think this, walking home every day of every Autumn each year... Every day of Fall is a new winding road for me...
The bus slowly comes to a stop. Nobody else is on the bus now except for me and the driver. I am the last stop. Always have been.
I step off the bus, the chains at my sides clinking together as I wave good-bye to Mr. Murphy.
"Good-bye, Yoyo. See you on Monday."
Yeah, I think. Maybe... maybe I'll see you. Good-bye... for a long time. Maybe forever.
Turning toward the way to my house, I think, One more day, just one more day to remember. One more day to die until I finally live... until I finally breathe again...
I look at my watch. Damn! I've got to get home or else... or else I'm ruined.
Walking along the path with the trees as my shading protection, I let the tiny shards of light peeking through the branches warm my arms and the top of my head.
Clink! Clink! Clink! I walk in rhythm, creating a beat within my head with the sounds of the chains tapping lightly against the sides of my black cargo pants and the thump! thump! thump! of my backpack bouncing ever so slightly on my back.
The summer is almost over, and school has begun once more. It's only been a couple of weeks, but Summer just doesn't seem to want to go away and let Autumn take its turn. Which means, I think to myself, that maybe Fall will last just as long...
But I doubted it.
My life is built on bruises and see-through lies. And maybes. You can't forget them.
Maybe... life seems to whisper tauntingly in my ears.
I leave the path and make my way onto the road, the road that never has cars passing by. I pause a moment to turn around and stare at the woods and the path littered with memories. So long... And there swings the now lonely tire swing... that tire swing holding so many forgotten happinesses...
I try to force myself to forget. Memories are too much of a distraction...
Be careful! Oh, my... I hear laughing. Turning around a bit, wondering where it's coming from, I realize it's in my head. It's my memories. Mommy! Look how high I'm going! I'm going to touch the sky, Mommy! Look at me...
I slam my hands over my ears, as if that will stop me from remembering. Turning back to the road, I stop.
There are no sounds but the sound of my own heartbeat and the rustling of the branches and leaves in the trees.
I just stand there, and then, slowly, I walk.
First one step. Be careful, honey... I shut my eyes.
Then another. Laughter, I hear laughter... I shut my eyes even tighter, as tight as I can.
One more step. Another. No, don't pop him! He's my pet! Don't pop Mr. Bubbles! I smile.
Then, out of nowhere, silence. My smile fades along with the happy memory.
I turn just a bit to my left, open my eyes slowly...
Nothing.
Silence...
And yellow lines. I'm in the middle of the road now, standing on a yellow line. I look out towards the horizon. The sun is beginning to set, and I know this can't be good.
I must get home...
Funny, I'm forced to call that hell-hole a home... Where's the love that homes are supposed to hold?
But even so, I must go. I walk into the horizon, looking forward, knowing that even without looking down at my feet, I am following the lines. I walk the middle of the road.
The lines end at my house.
But not the other way... that way they go on forever...
I am tempted to leave now, right at this moment, but know I'd never make it. I have to get 'home'.
So I walk the never-ending yellow lines into the horizon, hoping maybe sometime along the way Autumn will slip in.
Maybe...
Author notes
I know I listed it as nonfiction AND fiction, but that is because the first part of it is about my true self, and later on is just what I hope will happen someday. Therefore, it is nonfiction AND fiction. Also, the events are true but I changed the names. Yoyo is ME. And etc. Certain people I will not name because I am not sure that they would want me to reveal their identities in this case. and option 2
A contest entry
- Several Options (plus a catchy title) by Manic Black.
525 points, ended July 9, 2007, 31 entries
Honorable mention
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - I Want STRONG Emotions!!! by I Dare to Dream.
900 points, ended January 24, 2008, 41 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 12 of 12
-
Very deep, and very sad, yet at the same time, there lingered a small feeling of hope. I love this, the emotion... beautiful.
Your descriptions were great, and I'm pretty impressed!
Just one thing, I specified this in the contest. The pink font, not to fond of it. Could you please try putting in something a bit darker? Like Black, or something.
I like the title though, very creative.
Well done, and good luck!
-
The pink font was a little hard on the eyes, but it was still a good story to read. I enjoyed it.
Best of luck in the contest. -
This was pretty good..the only thing was the pink bothered me when I was reading it. Anyway, the best of luck to you in the contest
Kari -
I Don't Understand It.
This is well written, but I don't know what it is about. I kept hoping that I would catch on as I read it, but I did not. I understood that you, or the character loves fall, but that was as far as I got.
Andy
-
I don't really get it.
-
it is really good so fa
-
i really love this story...and when i started to read it, it pulled me in and when it was over i was really disappointed
-
first line, you say 'many times' twice - maybe it would read and flow a lot better if you made that into one sentence, break it up with a comma or semi-colon. the repetition slows things down. makes it harder to get into the flow.
the last sentence of the first paragraph could do with some tweaking. some words could be cut out, just so it feels more fresh, e.g., "...silently into winter, slowly transforming its residence, slipping into different colours ..." - this gets rid of the word change which you had used in the last sentence. but that's just me!
third paragraph, after the elipses, the word every should not be capitalised.
paragraph 8 - "turing toward the direction of my house" reads better.
where you say "so long ... And" the and should not be capitalised.
this certainly conveyed the feeling of wanting to escape - the use of the memory interferring with the structure of daily life was well exectued - i could almost witness you staring at into a past hologram taking shape before you.
the use of autumn was well done - i especailly liked the irony of it, with autumn being the month where life begins to die, admitedly in the most beautiful way. you used it as a change. this says something entirely by itself.
i love the month of autumn. and you have written something that complements it here.
Nice write,
Ed -
So very detailed, and so very deep. You took my heart and mind and lured it into the story. I LOVE stories that do that! Nice work!
Excellent!
-
Very deep and sort of confusing for me, but that's just me. Thanks for entering and good luck.
~*Brooke*~ -
interesting piece, very poignant and quite sad. i like the writing style you have. its a good piece, but i wanted more after i had read it. i wanted to know what this 'home' was, and why it was so bad.......
-
wow
thats really gd hehe
Adding your comment:
1 - 12 of 12
