MCSM: 31-Day Oneshot Challenge

16: Memories

Maya sighed, rubbing her temples. She's been in the dungeons for a few years now, the citizens of Sky City would like to see her rot for what's she's done. And honestly, she doesn't blame them in the slightest.

At first she tried to fight back, constantly trying to escape and snapping snarky comments at whoever entered her sight. Maya kept up with it for a long time, her anger only beginning to break down just last week.

Maya slowly lowered herself into a the dark corner, hugging her knees to her chest. Without her anger raging inside her anymore, everything she's been trying to run from has finally caught up with her.

"Hey Lukas, any idea what we're doing for the building competition this year?"

A sob broke out of Maya, it was always this one. Always coming back to haunt her, never leaving her.

"I was thinking fireworks, but now I really want to make a TNT cannon. Although I can't think of anything more exciting."

Lukas, why did she push Lukas away so furiously? He never did anything wrong, he was such a great friend. Maya cursed herself, the self-rage and regret burning within.

"Oooh! Oooh!" Gill madly shook Lukas as an idea popped into him. "What about colorful explosions?"

Aiden smacked his forehead. "That's what fireworks are Gill."

"Actually... Gill just gave me an idea." Lukas's eyes glazed over, but a smile formed. "If we dye theTNT correctly, we could make rainbows in the sky! It'll be much better than normal fireworks, much more colorful and exciting and booming."

Tears ran down Maya's face as she buried her head in her knees, trying to muffle the sounds of her sobs. Closing her eyes as if that could block out the scene from playing itself.

Aiden rolled his eyes and smirks. "So we're basically building a fireworks cannon?"

"No no!" Gill jumped up excitedly. "We're building a cannon that will have bright colors burst in the air!"

We all blinked as we processed what Gill said, and started to laugh. Gill having no idea what's going on, laughed too. Only making our laughs louder.

In that moment, Maya couldn't care less if the idea was actually going to win or not. In that moment, Maya was just so happy to have this life with all her friends.

Maya lifted her head and cried out, her sobs howling down the prison hallway. Her entire body trembling as she brought her shaking hands to hide her face in. Her lungs wheezed as the lump her throat turned the simple act of breathing painful.

Maya wished with all the shattered remains of her heart, that she was in that moment again.

~

"Come on Cassie! The Festival of the Cat has started!"

Cassie looked up at her older brother, before realizing what he said and jumped out of her seat. Sprinting out the door, leaving her brother to catch up.

"Whoa, slow down there pumpkin. I..." Her brother huffed down the street, trying to stay with the ten year old. "...don't have your energy..."

Cassie looked behind her when she heard how far away her brother was, a whole ten blocks. Cassie dashed back towards him, only to start yanking him forward to get him to go faster.

"Hurry! Hurry! I'm finally old enough to get my own cat!"

Despite Cassie's frantic state, her brother chuckled. "I don't know Cassie... the Elders might not think you're responsible enough..."