Collection of Short Stories

1.Story~Angel's Promise

„There are some things worse than death. Like meaningless life.“

Rain was Mary's most vivid memory of that day.

Before that, the sky was beautiful- amazing vastness of blue and white. A person who looked at the sky would never imagine a better day for a walk in a park or sitting on veranda, drinking tea with their family. It really was a gorgeous day: in the middle of august, with wind blowing just enough to refresh you, insects buzzing around, signifying summer and different flowers giving a bit of colour to usually pretty dull world. It was one of those rare days that make you want just seat somewhere, under a treetop, and rest, without interruptions. 

Mary sat on a windowsill, staring at what seemed an endless field of green grass dotted with yellow coreopsis. It was astonishingly beautiful with sun shining down on them. Under the window, purple, yellow and orange dahlias made everything even more amazing with their luxuriant flowers. She often found herself wishing for it to become ugly and lifeless because she had a ridiculous feeling it was mocking her with all its glory.

She transferred her attention from the amazingly beautiful field toward the not-so-pretty image of her sister. Mary’s beautiful, amazing, strong and very sick twin sister.

If Alice were healthy, she would look exactly like Mary- long, platinum blond hair; dark blue, almost violet eyes surrounded by thick , pale eyelashes ; small nose and high cheekbones. But Alice looked nothing like her former self- with skin as pale as paper, dark circles under her eyes looked even more dire. She was thin- too thin- and hair that she so carefully grew since they were eight, was gone. Only thing that didn’t change were her eyes; but since she was asleep, Mary could only stare at Alice’s unfamiliar face. Even though, she had to admit, she already got used to it. Which was pretty sad.

Thru the open door of Alice’s bedroom, Mary could hear her mum and dr. Walker talking in hushed tones. The things she accidently overheard, like “pain would be simply too much” or “sorry”, made her stomach churn. The smell of hospital disinfection spray  didn’t help her growing nausea. To take her mind of that she thought about being somewhere, anywhere, else. Somehow, she ended up thinking about the day Alice and she danced in the rain.

They were thirteen, before the horrible disease that destroyed their lives.  Mary was sad; a boy she liked for the longest time moved away and trying to make her sister happy, Alice suggested that they go outside. Mary thought that was totally ridiculous idea because it was raining, but Alice just smiled and said: “It’s one of the first things on my bucket list- dancing in the rain.”

“You have a bucket list?” Mary asked, wonder-stricken.

“No”, Alice smiled mysteriously, “we do.”

“Since when?”

“Since now.”

They ended up with a nasty cold and a lecture from their mother, but it was, and always will be, one of the best memories Mary had. And if there weren’t for Alice, she would never have the guts to do it. It was always like that; Alice: the crazy one and Mary: the reasonable one. Mary knew naught what she would do without Alice.

Like the skies were listening to her thoughts, a drizzle started outside. Some implausible reason made her smile. 

She heard a stirring sound from Alice and she immediately turned her attention to her. Alice lied there, staring at Mary, her blue eyes as bright as ever, and her cracked lips put into a smile that, however small, brightened the room. That sure had to hurt, Mary thought. In a small voice, full of underlined pain, Alice said: “Ma…Mary?”