ONE SHOT WRITING CONTEST (Featuring: Feb-ibig)

ENTRY NO.43

TITLE:Forbidden Love
Sub-Genre: Action
Written by: Writerinthedark WP  

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Troy, a city situated in Asia Minor was once a prosperous and powerful city in Greece. They worshipped different gods but they are still united as one. Their kingdom was peacefully managed by King Priam—but not until Paris, one of the king's sons, brought Helen to Troy. After what happened, Menalaus seeks revenge to win Helen back again.

As a result, the Trojans were pressured. Night and day, they made armors and swords. Male citizens trained under the hot and dry heat of sun. The walls of Troy were closed for the people and the city's safety. All of them were affected, including Ivy and her forbidden relationship with a guy named Antony.

Ivy's family isn't wealthy. When Ivy was young, they always had a terrible time finding something to eat. It came to a point when her mother had to steal some loaf of bread to fill Ivy and her sibling's empty stomachs. Her mother was caught by the Trojan soldiers and later, she was sentenced to death and was assassinated publicly. Ivy's family became the talk of the town. There were hearsays created by those people who hated them.

The young girl had a trauma—her heart was filled with emptiness because of the judgmental looks that people always give whenever they see her in public places. She had a fear of interacting with them or going out. She soon had an anxiety that leads to her depression. She seldom goes out. She spends most of her life looking in front of the mirror, combing her hair or looking outside the window. She badly wants to be normal because she knew her life is not. Her family is hated and no one cared for her. But one man noticed her—it was Antony, her neighbor.

When Ivy is sixteen years old, she used to look outside the window watching people but as a return, they'll give her a look of disgust. But Antony already noticed her because he thinks that the girl is so shy yet so beautiful. The guy doesn't know the lad and Ivy doesn't know him either. They are both strangers to each other and Antony feared that if he approached Ivy, her mother would scold her because of what Ivy's mother did years ago.

But for Antony, they have no right to judge Ivy or her siblings. And as for their mother, who would want to see their sons and daughters dying because of hunger? No one. For Antony, it's the necessity that pushes Ivy's mother to do that thing. Although it's wrong, it is also incorrect to generalize Ivy's family as a thief. He, together with his dad worked in the market and he saw how Ivy's older brother and father worked properly just to feed the three of them.

One night, Antony was sleepless. The rain is pouring hard on the streets of Troy. Thunder roared all over the place and lightning marked through the whole sky.

"Lord Zeus must've been so upset tonight. I wonder why." He whispered before standing. His mother, father and his younger brother is sleeping peacefully. He was about to get some water when he heard someone knocking in their door. Because of curiosity, he opened it and was astonished when he saw Ivy—teary-eyed, soaked in rain and sobbing. "Ivy?" At that moment, he didn't know what to do or what to say. He's stuck. Even though she's sad, her outer beauty still stands out. 'She could've been Goddess Aphrodite's apprentice.' He thought.

Ivy had no choice but to knock on someone's door. Selene is not okay and she doesn't know what to do anymore. He only thought of one person and it's Antony. Although she has doubts on him, she usually catches him glancing at her whenever she's looking outside their window. She took the risk even though she has no idea on how would Antony respond to her plead.

"I know that ye do not know me personally and ye may be judging thee but I am begging you, please help my family. My sister Selene—she is sick! Father and my brother are not yet home and we cannot do anything!" He sighed. What if his mother knew? What would they tell him? That he's not thinking because he helped this young lady that she always admired?