Short Stories + Contest Entries

Virtueless Skies

This is a huge disclaimer: This story was inspired by a documentary that I saw and contains a very serious topic with violence and sexual situations. The story is completely fiction but holds a message that I feel needs to be expressed. If you feel that this serious topic and violence may offend you, please skip this story.

Thank you, and enjoy.

Dear Diary,

Today I went to therapy... again. I'm not sure why my mom decided this was a good idea. It's not like a shrink is magically going to cure my suffocating trauma.

Anyways, I'm going to try a new tactic, and that is to keep positive. I know being miserable will only make me crumble deeper into despair, and I'm too young to throw my life away like that... I've been marching in the lane of self-pity and sorrow for too long, and quite frankly, I'm sick of it. I don't want to be stuck like this for the rest of my life, I want to be better. So the plan is to write down the whole event, detail by detail, in this notebook. It's not going to be easy, but I'm willing to try.

Mrs. Theresa Roman, my enthusiastic therapist, assured me that writing out the scenario or much rather saying it out loud will release a huge hole in my chest. Of course verbal release is more relieving, (that's what she says, anyway) but for now, I don't feel comfortable discussing it aloud. It's been six months, not six years, Ms. therapist lady! Sometimes therapists are way too pushy.

I'm not sure if what she recommends will actually help me, but hey, might as well give it a go. I mean, what's the worse thing that could happen? My life is already ruined...

You know what, before I change my mind, let me just start at the beginning...

It started out perfectly fine, a normal night, but I guess that's always how the end begins. Easy, normal, calm. Just another day.

I wasn't supposed to be separated from my brother, but the situation formed itself, and I was stuck. One minute I was surrounded by the company of others, and then next I was encompassed by the darkness of silence and regret.

It was a chilly Friday night, the tingled air pricked at my bones. The sun had just escaped and the stars started to poke out of their holes, their clothes of light reached towards the heavens.

***

"Mia, come on, keep up!" Jordan teases. I don't know the reasoning behind this late night gift hunt when it could've waited until morning, but I do know that I'm too tired to walk at a faster pace.

Jordan tugs on Taylor's hand, bringing her curves up against him. Zachary wasn't too far beside them, his head down and hands tucked in his pockets.

My heart immediately goes out to him. Ever since their friend group became " a sideman and a pair" things have slowly become awkward. Jordan is known for picking up girls, but he's holding onto this one on a tighter rope than usual.

Zach always seems to be third wheeling.

Though there's a huge age gap, Jordan's friends became my friends, or much rather a set of siblings that I never had, and Zachary has been around since forever.

With a huff, I jog to the side of Zach. Taylor giggles about something Jordan said, and I roll my eyes.

"Yep, the view isn't much better from here." My monotone voice cuts the air.

"Stop being jealous. You just wish you had a perfect boyfriend like I do." Taylor snuggles closer to Jordan who carries an extra pack of ego on his back that his smile shows.

"No I don't, considering the person you call a "perfect boyfriend" just so happens to be my brother."

Zach cracks a smile and I rub my chapped lips together. The happy couple ignores the joke.