Stories

Altered

Underwater:
It is you, and only you. Your body is floating, your surroundings silent and otherworldly. The sand twenty feet down is covered in weeds, small fish darting in and out. Some are in schools, turning so sharply that it seems they all share a single mind. The larger fish are solitary, stalking through the waving foliage with unblinking eyes. Your lungs begin to burn and you know you have to return to the chaos of above, where your body is no longer as free as your mind.

Midnight Forest:
The trees that surround you seems much taller and closer in the pale moonlight. The small meadow you found is laid with soft grass, yet the sounds of distant animals is unnerving. Trusting your eyes is impossible as every twig morphs into claws and roots are hands, waiting to drag you down. But you're tired, you must sleep. As you lay your head down you look up at the stars. Bright, twinkling above you like far away light bulbs. The moon hangs low, it's cratered face visible to you and only you. As your eyes close you dimly make out the big dipper, a gentle reminder of home.

An empty field:
Alone, you stand in the tall grass. Nothing but rolling hills surrounds you, the breeze gentle on your cheeks. Crickets chirp, jumping from blade to blade. The billowing clouds above mimic the fields below, golden as the sun. Your hand trails the stalks, the tops tickling your chin. All is calm as you are alone, only accompanied by the mice that squeak as you near them and the garter snakes that quickly slither from your feet. A faint call makes its way to your ears. Turning around you spot your friend, waiting in the truck for you. You must leave the earthy heaven for their beat up dodge, your cross country road trip has barely begun. You climb over the fence, laughing loudly at their blared music before hitting the road yet again.

Sleepovers at 3am:
The chatter never stops. Nobody is willing to sleep, not wanting to miss anything. We are all tangles of limbs and chip bags, shot glasses lining the counter. Nobody is drunk, not even tipsy. There was simply glasses, a bottle of vodka and fifteen year old curiosity. Most spat it out, which now stained the carpet. But now, all the chatter is about the hardcore truth or dare game that had resulted in some awkward situations and many, many inside jokes. The next hour contains darkening subjects until we are all closer together. A tight knit group of deep secrets and family love leaves us dozing off in the early light of morning, knowing that the birthday girl is going to be in shit for the open alcohol and stained carpets. But at that moment, we are all immune as we use each other as pillows and blankets. An unforgettable night had happened, and all is swell.

Campfires:
The fire crackles as laughter shakes the air. S'mores roasted alongside smokies, a careful eye guarding the chocolate from both dog and greedy hands alike. Family meets friends as memories are brought up, jokes are told and beers are drank. As the embers die down the last of the group make their way inside, awaiting warm beds and sleep filled nights.

Hospitals:
Sadness and pain lurk at the corner of your room. But it does not spread inside, your visitors and nurses make sure of that. Friends sneaking in monopoly and chocolates while being shushed by workers for being to noisy. The kind doctor who understands, and enjoys your small talks as he checks your vitals. The nurses so sweet they will stay and talk, even as they clean off your floor of the supper you couldn't keep down. They brush the hair out of your eyes and apologize everytime their shift ends. Your family, visiting and holding your hand. Sometimes refusing to leave, arguing longer than your friends. Sleepless nights where they refuse to close their eyes until you do, even the dull pain you are feeling can't undermine how happy they make you. But those nights where you're alone, just with the pain and discomfort of I.Vs and monitors is hard. The world outside is moving along without you, the new jokes among your friends that you couldn't be apart of. The weakness that makes even getting up to use the facilities a two man job. The after surgery feeling, where some are just happy you made it while others are indifferent. The frustration that radiates off of you on hard days, or hard weeks sometimes even months. Yet you still kick it, you still fight with your every breath for those who make your hell worthwhile. The nurses and doctors who spend sleepless nights keeping you alive and well, the friends and family who would be absolutely devasted if anything happened to you. But nothing will ever feel quiet like the day you walk out of that hospital with your prescriptions filled, knowing you at least made it out.

Inside a Dark Cupboard:
Trying to make as little sound as possible, you settle in. The walls are pressed against your sides, the roof uncomfortably cramming your head between your knees. Your spine arched, pushing back the boxes of cereals that usually take up this space. The air humid from your breath, eyes open and ears perked to hear if they are coming. Somebody's steps quickly pass by you, before fading away. Another pair of feet sound, these much slower. You can hear them searching, screeching of chairs on the floor and the opening and closing of cupboard doors coming closer and closer to you. Then suddenly light pours through the opening as a face peers in at you.
"Ha I found you!" They laugh, you join in. Pushing your legs out you groan as you leave the uncomfortable position you had just been in for what seems like ages.

Rooftops in the Morning:
Silence. Alone you sit, legs positioned almost perch-like to keep you from falling to the ground as you sip from your coffee mug. Eyes mirror the rising sun, the yellow hues breaching over the sea of land and reach high turn to pink wisps as they touch the clouds. A breeze whistles through the leafless trees, gently brushing the hair from your face. Your pocket vibrates, a good morning text from a loved one. They ask you to come down for breakfast, and you happily comply. One last deep breath as you slide down the roof, enjoying how free the feeling of a cool morning breeze is.

A/N these are all places I feel like everything is different. I'll probably expand this list when I think of things but until then this is what I got. (I got the idea from a Tumblr post. So many of these can be found on said Tumblr post)

F.Y.I I have no idea if these really make sense to y'all but I tried.