Short Stories

The Abyss

Written: dec 13, 2016

"You know, it wouldn't hurt every now and then for you to smile," Daniel teased.

I scowled at him, proving his point, "So what do you suggest I do? Hysterically giggle like the insane?" Daniel knew that I was referring to the girls of our village.

He snorted, "You do know that one day, your cold attitude will be the death of you, right?" I said nothing, and looked at the scenery in front of us. From our secret cave in one of the mountains that surrounded our village, it offered a perfect view of the village and the landscape. That is, if you didn't count the Abyss. If I squinted and concentrated enough, I would see the looming black mountains that surrounded the Abyss. Our small village was the last stop before the Abyss- just two miles from the mysterious yet deadly area. Over the years, I had seen one too many curious people pass through the Southern Gate and never return.

"Ash?" Daniel poked me. 

I faced my best friend, one of the few I cared about it the stuck-up village, and grumbled, "I feel like that as the days pass, your father hates me more and more." Daniel's father, the Village Elder did not care much for my family, but even that was an understatement. You see, he and my father used to be the closest thing that heartless man would call a friend, but after my father insulted his pride and questioned his decision to banish prisoners and "villains" to the Abyss, they stopped talking.

Soon after, the fire happened, killing off my father and mother, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that it wasn't the hearth fire going out of control, considering the fact that just earlier that day, Levana had accidentally spilled a basin full of cold water into the fireplace

"I'm sure you feel the same too, Ash." Daniel replied. What would my parents think of me now, of their daughter who had befriended their killer's son?

" How's Jenni doing?" I asked. Daniel's mother was the total opposite of her savage husband. Jenni adored me, even going as far as to say that I was like her daughter.

"Oh, Mom misses you, of course, and won't shut up about you. Now for that, I have no idea why she would be so crazy to miss you." 

I snorted, "Why can't you appreciate me like your mother?"

We went on and on, enjoying the company of each other until the sun began to make its journey to the horizon, "Well, we better go," I replied with a sigh. He bobbed his head in agreement.

Levana Mercury was the split image of my mother, which is most likely the reason why the Village Elder hated her so much. After all, my mother did choose my dad over him. My sister's dark curls fell to her elbows and although she was fourteen, her charming looks made her look younger. She was my flower, delicate and pretty.

"You know, Levana is pretty friendly. Why can't you be more like her?" Daniel teased, as we began the walk back to the village.

"Oh, please. Even if I was all sunshine and rainbows, there'd still be Susan and her brats."

"Maybe they just want to be friends with you," Daniel suggested, a playful grin glued to his face.

 Swatting his arm, I proceeded to scowl, "Aiden misses you, you know, for some mysterious reason." Aiden was a mix of my mother and father. He had my mother's ocean blue eyes and her cheekbones, and my father's nose and smile. Aiden was my twin, but one of the major differences between us was that he was way more outgoing, while I was all cold and kept to myself.

As we entered the village, my stomach sank. Why? Because Susan and her bratty friends stood in our way, "I've been waiting for this day for a long time."