forum Tell me a story

Started March 05, 2018 by @Zip

tune

Hello! I would just like to hear your stories. Tell me any story. I just like to read. Any plot/genre etc. My only request is that you keep it PG-13. Thank you! ^_^

Sure :) This is just a backstory for my character Sacia. For context, she lives in a post-apocalyptic underground society.

The way Gramma died was kind of what I expected. It’s not like I sat there wondering what was going on or if she was going to be okay. She was old and sick, and it didn’t help that she couldn’t get outdoors to soak up the artificial UVs. She’d been old and sick for as long as I could remember, and as far as I knew, she’d always been that way.
She was laid up in her bed one morning and she didn’t ask for breakfast. She called me to her bed with a smile, one of those tired, toothless, old lady grins. She said, “Dear, the sky is calling me. I’m off to see it.” Then she laid back and –no, that’s not when she died. That’d be convenient. She just fell asleep right after, her mouth ajar, her eyes not quite closed.
I went and got breakfast. When I came back, she was dead. She’d left me her Bible, but it was so torn up I could only salvage a few pages. They were from the New Testament, I think. Some of the writing was in red. I liked it. She’d taught me all she could about God, but when it came down to it, I didn’t know much at all. I understood why Gramma died –she was old as hell and suffering all the time—but why did I have to live with my parents? Why didn’t God give me someone else to look after me? Or better still, leave me to look after myself?
He didn’t. Gramma was dead and my parents picked me up like I’d been dropped off at a day care for a few hours. They’d been gone for eight damn years but here they were acting like it was all okay. They’d hugged me and Mom had cried because Gramma was her momma.
“Sacia, it’s going to be okay,” she said, her tear-soaked face turning up into a smile. “We’re here now.”
I pulled away from her. I wasn’t having it. “Swell. Where’ve you been since before now?”
“We couldn’t afford a kid, Sacia,” my dad said. He was always blunt. From what I could remember. From when I was three. “Not ‘til now.”
I laughed at him, placing my hands on my hips, “So I’m only your daughter when it’s convenient? That’s funny.”
They both scrambled for words of explanation. My dad decided to be harsh because that’s all he knew to do. He fired off, “That’s disrespectful. We’ve worked hard to get you back, you hear me? Be grateful we came back for you at all.”
My mom scrambled some more, trying to sugar coat his words and make them sound a little more loving. She rambled for a good minute about their sacrifices and how much they missed me. It didn’t matter. I’d made up my mind that I hated them and I was going to stick to it.
They weren’t lying about being broke. They were dirt poor. We lived so close to the North end of the Lower World I wouldn’t be surprised if a tunnel dweller came to my door. I asked my parents why they lived like this, and they bitterly said it was because of the government or something. Stupid. Why can’t they be like Gramma?
I didn’t have my own room. I slept on the couch in the living room where the busted radio buzzed all night long. At Gramma’s I had plenty of space. My own bed. Here I’m just an afterthought. It makes me pissed off just thinking about it. I didn’t spend much time in my house.
I’d had friends, but once I moved they started to forget I existed. I was too close to the North, too poor, too sad. They pitied me, I guess, but they didn’t care enough to check on me sometimes. If I passed ‘em on the street they’d wave and smile but they didn’t stop to talk.
Gramma said to look towards the sky. So, I did. I went to school and learned about Scavenging and then I went off and never looked back. I was either at school or at the library. Never home. Sometimes I slept in the library until Mrs. Kith the librarian chased me off.
I looked for the sky on my first mission. I looked –I looked –I looked. All I saw was darkness and rolling dragon smoke and death. I’ve never felt more disappointment than when I learned that the whole world was just as dingy and dark as my home. I wanted to throw up.
Instead, I climbed a tree. I snuck away and dragged myself to the top. Maybe I could get past the smoke and glimpse that brilliant blue abyss. I got as high as I could before my arms grew tired. I gazed upwards.
All was dark.
I let go of the tree and of all the hope I’d ever had for a better tomorrow. I hit the ground and broke my ankle. I lay there and wished that no one would find me so that I could sink into the dirt and disappear forever. I guess I cried. My face and hair were all wet.
That’s when I met Tasper. He stood over me with the stupidest expression and peered down at me. “What the hell are you doing on the ground?” he demanded.
“I hurt my leg,” I replied. My voice didn’t sound right. It was thick.
He rolled his eyes. “That’s what happens when you climb a tree and jump out, dumbass. Here, stand up.” He held out a hand to me. “It’s Sacia, isn’t it?”
I didn’t accept his hand. He kept it held out. “Yeah. Who are you?”
“Tasper,” he replied. “You probably know of my mom. Nyir? She’s a Chaser.”
I nodded. “…I wish I could Chase. Far away. To see the sky.”
“Then do.” He smiled suddenly, and a beam of light shot through the smoke and hit his face in the warmest way. “Get up and quit being a baby. Learn to Chase. The tree won’t hurt you then and neither will anyone else.”
His hand was still out, waiting. I gazed at his face. Dark and almost cute but overwhelmingly weird looking. Kind of sullen. His hair was everywhere. I grinned, dimpling instantly. Taking his hand, I hoisted myself to my good foot. “Tasper, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Call me a baby again and I’ll break your nose.”
“Whatever.” He laughed. I did, too.
It was the first time I’d laughed in a while and it felt wonderful. I guess we were friends now. The sadness I’d been feeling started to fade. It was still there, but wrapped up tight, tucked away, covered by contentment.
We headed off to the Lower World together, my hand on his shoulder, him supporting me. We walked off with the promise that we’d be back.
That we’d someday see the sky.

Amazing! Brilliant! Thank you very much.
I enjoyed reading that. You are a talented writer.
Thank you for sharing with me!
-Zip

Love the characters by the way!
-Zip

Aww thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it :D

This is a part of the story I'm currently writing, by the way Apollo is currently a girl (they're non-binary further along in the story). But Apollo's father committed suicide on the same day that this happened, Raziel hadn't told Apollo.

Raziel sat down after getting Apollo settled in, giving them her bed until she could get them a proper one. She was at a small, round dining table that seated four. She sat in the seat she'd always sit at and look at the other chairs for a moment. Apollo would always insist on sitting beside Raziel, and Apollo's father would sit next to them. Those were the seats that Apollo always insisted they sat in. A wave of nausea suddenly squeezed Raziel's stomach as she remembered the body she had found. She shook her head to try and obscure the thought. Apollo was her responsibility now, and she had no clue how to raise a kid, but she was all Apollo had now and she wanted- no, needed to focus on that. Raziel pulled out two envelopes from a bag that was carelessly thrown on the floor. There was a weight on her chest; she hadn't told Apollo yet. Just inhale… and exhale… she told herself, i'll all be okay one day. Her fingers came close to the envelopes, hesitant to touch them. She decided to open Apollo's first:

"Apollo,

I am truly sorry about what I will do and what pain I will cause you. I have done everything I could to make life easier for you since your mother's death, but I can bare it no longer. My heart belongs to her, and all of my memories too. Without her I am nothing, and without her I will not be a good father to you. You and her are the most important things in my life, but I have lived long and I cannot do anything to ease your pain. One thing I do know, you will turn out well with Raziel. I am positive she will have already taken you in. I do not know when you will read this, but i know you will, and I am confident in her choice and that she's probably read this before you. Respect her, she is all you have, and the only one I trust with you. I am sorry that I will hurt you like this and I wish I wouldn't, but I am in pain every moment I am without your mother. I love you with all that is left of my heart, follow your dreams, don't forget me, and be kind.

Love,
Papa"

Raziel had been careful not to get any tears on the page as she finished reading. She analyzed the handwriting once more, coming to a decision. Raziel wouldn't give it to Apollo right away. She would wait for the right moment, and she would take the rage and sadness that came with giving it to them late. Raziel sat there for a few moments, soaking it in. Her mind drifted, going further and deeper than she would have liked, but it was halted by a creak in the floor. Her head snapped over, hair flying in her face, only to see a little figure in the doorway. "What are you doing up? It's late." Raziel stated, drawing attention to her face as she scooped up the letters. "I-I couldn't sleep… Please tell me what happened, why isn't Papa here?" Apollo asked, their voice getting higher and higher in pitch. "I'm fine, go back to bed I'll explain in the morning- no school tomorrow okay? I'm keeping you out of school for a little while," Raziel explained while getting up to lead Apollo back to bed. As her hand touched Apollo's back gently, she knew by how tense their shoulders were. To release the tension that Apollo was feeling, Raziel rubbed their back while walking them to the bedroom. As they entered the room, Apollo finally started to relax; Raziel took the time to help them into bed and tuck them in with a final "goodnight, sleep well, I'll be on the couch if you need me okay?" Apollo nodded, pulling the covers up to their chin. Raziel went to leave the room, but then Apollo's voice piped up.

"w-wait, you're not gonna tell me?" Apollo looked hopeful, but by the expression on Raziel's face, they knew that wasn't going to happen tonight. "Can't you stay in here tonight- or just for a little bit?" They begged. Raziel pursed her lips in thought, looking at the wall for a moment, then turned back to the bed. "I'll be back in a few, then I'll stay in here until you go to sleep, plan?"

"Plan!" Apollo said gleefully. Raziel stepped out of the room and trekked down the hallway and into the kitchen, where there was an unopened envelope with her name on it. She sat down in the same chair, looking at it and looking back at the hallway, then back at it again. She unfolded the paper carefully, expecting instructions or something, but there were only two words. A chill ran down her spine, she looked at it for a moment whispering a promise. Then, she got a stool and carried it into Apollo's temporary bedroom, setting it down next to the bed. With Apollo's eyes glued to her the whole way, she turned all of the lights off and sat down.

Raziel sat there the entire night, filled with determination. Even though she was exhausted, she was going to keep that promise.

Protect Apollo.

Oh! I liked the end where it goes " She unfolded the paper carefully, expecting instructions or something, but there were only two words. A chill ran down her spine…"
I loved that part. Great suspense scene.
Great writing! Thank you very much!

gah- you're welcome and thank you for the kind words!