The title isn't exactly what you'd think this thread is about. I'm not asking you to give me your life story.
Last night I was feeling inspired, and creative. So i wrote a short story. I couldn't really think of anywhere to post the story, except showing a few friends. So, why not the escapist, eh?
The storys written in second person, it works best if you imagine yourself back (or forward, as some escapists are wee lil' ones) to the age of 16, 17, 18. Somewhere around that area. You take elements of your life and implement them into the story. It doesn't matter if you're male or female, as the story has no gender bias. It's best read when you're feeling contemplative, maybe a little down. Put some mellow music on or something.
Not every line of the story is my creation. I've taken some quotes from places, people and events that inspired me deeply and injected them into it. Some of its from a comic, some of its from a post on another forum, some of its the words of one of my closest friends.
Please, read, and hopefully enjoy it. Post with any feedback, comments, thoughts.
Many thanks.
<spoiler=A Typical Day>
You lift your head up and glance at the clock. 11:37AM. You let out a sigh.
You look down at the meagre amount of work you've managed to accomplish. It's your favourite subject, but your mind feels like muck this morning, and yearns to be thinking other thoughts.
You try to read over what you have written. You look down upon the page and scan a few lines before your eyes unfocus and your concentration wanes.
You ponder the thought that all throughout your life, you've done nothing but takes orders, listen to your teachers, your peers, your parents. All the useless advice that's gone over your head.
Your father always slaved through a speech whenever he possibly could. He told you that you had potential to be a perfect citizen. That you should buckle down and try as hard as you can. That one day you'll be a pillar of the community if you do well in school, and all your endeavours. He would pressure and push you. You never got this speech. All the other kids were prejudiced and cruel, and they seemed happy. Where did you go wrong?
Your mother always pipes in at the end, saying they're only trying to do what's best. You snort. Yeah, right. They don't know what goes on in your mind. They don't understand.
You glance up and out through the window at the crisp midday autumn sky. There is a picture of a person on the window.
You sigh, push back your chair and retrieve the picture from the window. You stare at it for a moment, then scrunch it up and toss it in your wastebasket.
You sit back down, stare off at nothing in particular, lost in thought. You glance back at the bin.
You let out yet another sigh, push back your chair and retrieve the photograph from the bin. You set it down on your desk and flatten it out. You stare at the picture. Tears frame your eyes and then one solitary drop falls and lands on the picture.
You received a text message, earlier this morning.
It said that they became depressed when they were around you.
You were too quiet.
You didn't pay them enough attention.
You were distant.
That their ex was suddenly a hell of a lot more interesting and appealing than you ever were.
* * * * *
You hear a melodic noise nearby. You lift your head out of your arms. You must have fallen asleep. You look at the clock. 1:17PM. You find the source of the noise is your phone. You pick it up to find it is your best friend.
Your friend consoles you on your break up which they heard about and asks how you feel. You hesitate for a moment and then sullenly reply that you're fine. Your friend knows better than to prod further while you're in this state. They tell you of a party they got you invited to. They say all your friends will be there. You might even meet someone. You thank them and say goodbye.
You put down your phone and stare into nothing. You sigh. You look back at the picture and ponder how love is about giving someone the power to hurt you terrible, and that part of it is hoping they won't break that trust. You also ponder how you'll never trust anyone as easily as the first one.
5:34PM, you are dressed and about to go through the door. You stop. You hear faint sobbing coming from the kitchen. You walk into the kitchen to find your mother. Crying.
You ask her what's wrong. She looks up at you, and then bursts in a speech about how she hates having such a routine and regular life. She regrets not going out and pursuing her dreams. She tells you to strike out and do what you love, while you still can. She says it's her fault you feel pressured into school, and so lacking in nurture. You tell her no, no, no, but oh how right she is.
You walk in through the door to the party at 7:04PM, and scan the people in the room. They all look and act the same. They seem about as human as a school of fish. You wish these fish would be eaten in a shark. You feel a sense of contempt for them. How can they be so happy to play in their ignorant roles?
You regret coming to the party in this state of mind, and turn to leave. As you turn, your eyes are met by someone's across the room. You start walking towards them.
It's 11:22PM and this evening's entertainment peaked 15 minutes ago. They are now lying next to you, asleep. You admire the aroma of sweat and excitement around them.
You get up and get dressed, deciding to go home. They won't care if you're gone. They probably won't even remember you in the morning.
It's 3:42AM and you're at home sitting on the driveway, staring at the stars, the trees and the crackling streetlight across the road. You take a swig of drink you swiped from the party, but you don't need it.
When you returned home your pet was laying on the front door mat, looking odd. You walk up to it and call its name. No response. You walk for a closer look. It's hard to see in the dark, but its looks...flatter. There was a note attached saying sorry and that it jumped in the way...
You take another gulp of drink and ponder. The trees across the road sway in the wind, moving with the currents. The streetlight crackles and the stars glimmer.
You realise, that even though your family cares about you, all you ever needed to be happy was someone who truly cared about you, who understood you.
You just wish things could be different.
You shed a tear or two, but this isn't some physical sadness that can be purged.
This is a soul-crushing, black abyss kind of sadness. You are scared and alone. All you've ever wanted was for someone to walk to you and say:
"Everything will be okay. Come with me."
You sit on your driveway.
And wait for that person to walk down the street.
But no one comes.
Instead, you watch the streetlight.
And you die inside.
Last night I was feeling inspired, and creative. So i wrote a short story. I couldn't really think of anywhere to post the story, except showing a few friends. So, why not the escapist, eh?
The storys written in second person, it works best if you imagine yourself back (or forward, as some escapists are wee lil' ones) to the age of 16, 17, 18. Somewhere around that area. You take elements of your life and implement them into the story. It doesn't matter if you're male or female, as the story has no gender bias. It's best read when you're feeling contemplative, maybe a little down. Put some mellow music on or something.
Not every line of the story is my creation. I've taken some quotes from places, people and events that inspired me deeply and injected them into it. Some of its from a comic, some of its from a post on another forum, some of its the words of one of my closest friends.
Please, read, and hopefully enjoy it. Post with any feedback, comments, thoughts.
Many thanks.
<spoiler=A Typical Day>
You lift your head up and glance at the clock. 11:37AM. You let out a sigh.
You look down at the meagre amount of work you've managed to accomplish. It's your favourite subject, but your mind feels like muck this morning, and yearns to be thinking other thoughts.
You try to read over what you have written. You look down upon the page and scan a few lines before your eyes unfocus and your concentration wanes.
You ponder the thought that all throughout your life, you've done nothing but takes orders, listen to your teachers, your peers, your parents. All the useless advice that's gone over your head.
Your father always slaved through a speech whenever he possibly could. He told you that you had potential to be a perfect citizen. That you should buckle down and try as hard as you can. That one day you'll be a pillar of the community if you do well in school, and all your endeavours. He would pressure and push you. You never got this speech. All the other kids were prejudiced and cruel, and they seemed happy. Where did you go wrong?
Your mother always pipes in at the end, saying they're only trying to do what's best. You snort. Yeah, right. They don't know what goes on in your mind. They don't understand.
You glance up and out through the window at the crisp midday autumn sky. There is a picture of a person on the window.
You sigh, push back your chair and retrieve the picture from the window. You stare at it for a moment, then scrunch it up and toss it in your wastebasket.
You sit back down, stare off at nothing in particular, lost in thought. You glance back at the bin.
You let out yet another sigh, push back your chair and retrieve the photograph from the bin. You set it down on your desk and flatten it out. You stare at the picture. Tears frame your eyes and then one solitary drop falls and lands on the picture.
You received a text message, earlier this morning.
It said that they became depressed when they were around you.
You were too quiet.
You didn't pay them enough attention.
You were distant.
That their ex was suddenly a hell of a lot more interesting and appealing than you ever were.
* * * * *
You hear a melodic noise nearby. You lift your head out of your arms. You must have fallen asleep. You look at the clock. 1:17PM. You find the source of the noise is your phone. You pick it up to find it is your best friend.
Your friend consoles you on your break up which they heard about and asks how you feel. You hesitate for a moment and then sullenly reply that you're fine. Your friend knows better than to prod further while you're in this state. They tell you of a party they got you invited to. They say all your friends will be there. You might even meet someone. You thank them and say goodbye.
You put down your phone and stare into nothing. You sigh. You look back at the picture and ponder how love is about giving someone the power to hurt you terrible, and that part of it is hoping they won't break that trust. You also ponder how you'll never trust anyone as easily as the first one.
5:34PM, you are dressed and about to go through the door. You stop. You hear faint sobbing coming from the kitchen. You walk into the kitchen to find your mother. Crying.
You ask her what's wrong. She looks up at you, and then bursts in a speech about how she hates having such a routine and regular life. She regrets not going out and pursuing her dreams. She tells you to strike out and do what you love, while you still can. She says it's her fault you feel pressured into school, and so lacking in nurture. You tell her no, no, no, but oh how right she is.
You walk in through the door to the party at 7:04PM, and scan the people in the room. They all look and act the same. They seem about as human as a school of fish. You wish these fish would be eaten in a shark. You feel a sense of contempt for them. How can they be so happy to play in their ignorant roles?
You regret coming to the party in this state of mind, and turn to leave. As you turn, your eyes are met by someone's across the room. You start walking towards them.
It's 11:22PM and this evening's entertainment peaked 15 minutes ago. They are now lying next to you, asleep. You admire the aroma of sweat and excitement around them.
You get up and get dressed, deciding to go home. They won't care if you're gone. They probably won't even remember you in the morning.
It's 3:42AM and you're at home sitting on the driveway, staring at the stars, the trees and the crackling streetlight across the road. You take a swig of drink you swiped from the party, but you don't need it.
When you returned home your pet was laying on the front door mat, looking odd. You walk up to it and call its name. No response. You walk for a closer look. It's hard to see in the dark, but its looks...flatter. There was a note attached saying sorry and that it jumped in the way...
You take another gulp of drink and ponder. The trees across the road sway in the wind, moving with the currents. The streetlight crackles and the stars glimmer.
You realise, that even though your family cares about you, all you ever needed to be happy was someone who truly cared about you, who understood you.
You just wish things could be different.
You shed a tear or two, but this isn't some physical sadness that can be purged.
This is a soul-crushing, black abyss kind of sadness. You are scared and alone. All you've ever wanted was for someone to walk to you and say:
"Everything will be okay. Come with me."
You sit on your driveway.
And wait for that person to walk down the street.
But no one comes.
Instead, you watch the streetlight.
And you die inside.
