The Collected Tales

Unbound

The night sky blooms

In multicolored sparks.

Anticipation fills the air,

As another year ends in flair.

But all I see is white,

Stark, like this frozen heart.

The smiles, the cries of revelry,

They never fail to amuse me.

I drift apart, just as the embers

Fade into bleached shadows.

But I can't help but watch

This spectacle's annual jest.

Trapped in the Unbound's flames,

His eyes reflecting fire, one last time.

I want him to haunt me,

Each day since five years' past,

To whisper in my ear as the colors

Implode in my eyes, and say—

"I'm here, let's start once more.

This time will be different,

And I'll never let go...

...I'll never let go."

✧ ♡ ✧ ♡ ✧ ♡ ✧ ♡ ✧

Written for the Weekly Writing Contest 2024-2025
Word count: 120

The title, Unbound, has dual meaning. It refers to the Covid virus that spread unbound in the year 2020. But at the same time refers to the woman and her lover, who died five years ago, their love strong enough to break the boundaries of time.

Prompt: It's snowing outside, but everyone's at the town square, ready to witness the grand celebration. You're at that New Year's party, too. Right before the clock strikes midnight, you hear a voice whisper in your ear, "I really think we can do so much better, so how about we try again?" The clocks strikes midnight, and everyone cheers for the new year as the date appears all around you: January 1st, 2020.