Alexis

I made it through the ceremony without a tear shed. I made it through the after-party with hardly a tear shed.

I sat, being squashed between friends, on a lumpy couch a room away from the loud music and ecstatic dancers. Laughter bubbled in my throat as we merrily rough-housed on the couch. Tears did not even pass through my mind.
A pretend fury towards Bess for her attempt and success at tickling me had me focused in her direction. When I turned back away from her, Alexis was kneeling before my seat with stained eyes. No words had been spoken, I just ceased what I was in the midst of and wrapped her in my arms. Words were and always had been unnecessary since the dawning of our friendship in kindergarten. Her misplaced visit disappeared shortly.
Only when the after-party of our graduation ended did I search for another of Alexis's hugs. This would be a good-bye-and-have-a-good-time-in-Florida hug upon my departure.
As I stepped into a different room, Alexis came bolting up to me and strangled me in one of these routine hugs. When we parted, her eyes had new tears spilling from them. There was a moment that stretched onward as I saw my best friend's beautiful face and watched it grow from that of a rolly-polly toddler to the young woman she is now. In the reflection of her eyes I saw myself do the same. I didn't want to look away and I suddenly knew what all this was. This was our last night on common grounds together and we took a long look at each other, soaking in what we saw and branding ourselves with the memory.
I will never forget the look Alexis gave me, and I know it marks the ending of everything we know and everything we love. I love her more than I could love any sister of mine, for has been more wonderful and more meaningful than a sister. We have grown much closer than sisters, so LYLAS just doesn't cut it anymore.
The tears came and the tears are coming and it is the most painful thing I think I have ever felt. I miss her so much because, though that night is also this night, I know we have lost each other in a dramatic wave of fate and it hurts beyond hurt itself.

The Final Glory

Possessing enough speed to win a race against infinity, a hard bullet hissed past John's head. Another then another, they came wicked and strong. He was consumed in the heart of an endless sphere of burning orange flames, auralized by the mighty thunder of cannons.
Distorted and delirious, his vision swayed to his step. He stumbled across the bitter earth, broke the edge of a hill into fire just in time to behold the falling of his best friend. So painfully in time to see a crimson blood spew from Eric's bust and wash the death toll with another number. Grief ripped through him, its hurt beyond that of a bullet.
John stared across the battle scene with new eyes. The reds were advancing and few in his coat still clung to their lives. It was a horror to which any decent would repulse at. The sight infested his will to live and he suddenly no longer cared. He had a desperate urge to befall the same fate as Eric, tis the only job that seemed to matter to him. After all, is that not truly the job of a solider, to kill then die in his colors?-or so his thoughts rested.
John stepped toward Eric's body and began to kneel. A red stood only feet away and with a crack of his gun emitted a bullet. It struck John's chest and blood trickled from it. He ignored it for a few moments, refusing to feel the pain. He continued to kneel and he touched Eric's blood with his shaking fingertips. Twas still warm.
John rest his head upon Eric's chest and almost expect it to be heaving with breath. Their bloods swam together and he felt a new sense of peace. Slowly the world evaporated before him and he was strangely happy to be nearly dead. Twas an inexplicable feeling, this idea of receiving joy from such a thing, but to loose all care, to see the gates of God flicker before him, it was all a magnificent thing.
John died with a smile etched into his face.

Written For Halloween

The thick, musty air slowed my pace, its stiff body as quiet as death. No tree limbs rustled, no birds squawked, the insects made no song. Silence... sheer, pure silence. It swallowed me, nipped at my soul, gripping me with an undeniable fear. And yet I moved on over the hills. Strangely, no leaves brushed me face and there was no twig on the earth to trip me. It was as though I was destined to walk this land, as though I treaded a well-kempt path, but there was none, only virgin wilderness.
My heart echoed in my chest The air remained cold as ice, the world remained silent, but I could feel that something in the atmosphere had changed. Suddenly, a shrill sound ripped through the fog, damning the silence. My swollen veins slowed the rush of my blood. I knew the sound had come from death itself.
I heard suddenly heard a cruel, heavy panting from behind me. Twas the only sound in existence. Closer, closer, closer still. Slick, damp fur combed over my left arm. I could no longer move forward. I just could not. My mind and lungs grew numb with fear. The panting was only inches from my ear hot and sticky with the stench of blood. Fate gathered me in its hands and then nothing, nothing at all.

letter to Mr. Austin

Mr. Mike Austin,
We have not encountered a situation like that of the first. I fear by this that you consider my way of functioning in that particular situation to be my norm. You must see that my tears did not flow with anxiety, but rage. I have never behaved in such a manner as I did that forlorn September, and I do not intend to repeat my actions.
With that matter covered, I should like to move on to the next. I find my days weary, monotonous even. You brought me an exciting, gripping strand of events. Only when we duel am I entertained, and so it must continue. Lately, having been more agreeable, I fear we may never clash again, knowing each other's personal standing. For this reason, I insist we form a debate. There are so many topics we differ upon. I simply cannot let it go to waste.
I'm quite certain each and every debatable subject would serve useful to our purpose. You may find I am skilled at "arguing," assuming you did not know long ago. I might add that this quality I possess is not influenced by my gender.
I know little of your abilities, as well as the extent of your knowledge. I look forward to finding out.
Sincerely,
Elise