Tag: truth

What time is it?

It’s dark outside as my eyes fly open and I realize I’m staring at my ceiling. I jump out of bed, my heart racing. I don’t know what time it is. I remember laying down, but it’s been an hour? Six?

I can’t tell.

A quick glance at the alarm clock’s direction tells me that I’m late for work. This is never a good sign, but what can I do? It’s too late to fix it. I quickly jump in the shower and wonder just how long I should stand under the water. I debate if I have time to shampoo and condition my hair, or if I should just use a 2-in-1 deal. I finally settle on the 2-in-1 as I glance at my wristwatch and notice I now have ten minutes to finish effectively and get out the door.

My stomach growls and threatens to immobilize me as I realize I haven’t eaten in over ten hours. This is normal, but I smell pizza. I wonder if I have time for even one slice and push the thought aside. I’m still in a towel and haven’t done my make up, let alone put my clothes on.

I release a sigh, realizing that there’s no way I’ll make it in time. Still, I fight the minutes as I throw a dress on, run a comb through my hair and apply a thin line of eyeliner and mascara before heading out the door. It’s my usual go-to look when I’m running late.

Fumbling for my keys, I lock the door and head towards the highway. Cars are everywhere, and it irritates me. I want nothing more than to run into the guy in front of me who has decided to drive ten miles under the speed limit. The clock on the dash tells me that I now have fifteen minutes to get to work, and I still have roughly twenty-five minutes to go. I shake my head and curse under my breath as I maneuver around the older man in the Chevy and speed through a yellow light.

I try to consider other methods of cutting time but know that I still have to change into my uniform and pass through security before I can clock in. I can feel the irritation and frustration rise as I take my exit. I’m hitting all the lights. I’m a block away when a car pulls into my lane and about runs into me. I pound on my horn, and she flips me off.

UGH!

When I finally reach work, I’m ready to go home. It’s taken more effort than necessary to get here, and I wonder how easy it will be for me to excuse myself early. I pass security, and one of the guards notifies me that I’ll be alone because we had a call off. I nod, but inside, I cringe. What a day to be by myself when we’re expected to be busy. I run up the stairs and to the locker rooms, clock in and change before heading down to collect my bank. When I reach the shop, I see that it’s a mess and I already feel a headache.

I close my eyes for a moment.
An alarm clock signals me to wake up.

I rub my eyes and confusion clouds my judgment as I examine my room. I wonder how I’ve gotten here, check the clock and realize it was only a dream within a dream. I take a deep breath, smile, and get ready for my shift.

~*~

Hello again!

It’s another round of blog challenges (granted, I was behind quite a few). We were asked to compile the information from our last five dreams and pick three elements to write about. Now, I should preface this by saying that quite a bit of my work revolves around a portion of a dream that I’ve had somewhere in my existence. I have also started a novel, Email Your Dreams, which is primarily based on past experiences that I have had (with a couple of fictitious ones thrown in there as well).

I will say, however, I kind of cheated.

A lot of the dreams I’ve had over the past few days were similar, so I took those elements and created one short story instead of choosing the suggested three from our five dreams. I selected each of them since they all sort of work together and closely related with one another. A lot of this, I feel is stress-related to when I think I oversleep and you’ll notice that it involves my real life. I thought I’d put it in a perspective that maybe we all understand once in a while. If you want to pretend it’s a new character, feel free. We can call her Lucy.

Anyway! Don’t forget to read the other challenge entries here {NSFW} and here. You can find the original posting here.

Hope you enjoyed it. (:

Until Next Time,
Shay

The Choice

Dear Diary,

Sometimes, I really hate telling the truth.
It’s not so much that I can’t. More no one wants to hear it. At least, not the way that I have to say it.

Today, I have to give a speech concerning my stance within the magical vs. non-magical realms and substances. If I tell the truth, there’s no going back. The other mages, wizards, and witches will want my head for leaking out important information of our kind and the ones listening may not even buy that I’m telling the truth in the first place.

Not to mention, my parents will kill me.

We’re supposed to keep this world secret, hidden from all who would desire what we have. There’s the covenant to consider, also. I’d be breaking about a hundred rules. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do here.

And if I cave to what we’re supposed to do?
Behave how we’re naturally taught to react.

I give way for more criticism, allow for judgment to pass on my kind, and people will go on living without the actual knowledge of what lies behind the shield. We’ve done it for years, so why do I care so much? It’s not like my destiny is written in stone. This isn’t my burden to carry.

If I don’t, however…
Who will?

Sincerely,
Raine

~*~

Raine rolled onto her back searching the ceiling in her room for inspiration. There was no way she felt comfortable speaking about her kind, but the topic was assigned, and she was left with one choice. Part of her wished to be like the other kids. If she were, she could take the topic and go either way without any additional consequences.

But you’re not normal.

Raine released a sigh. Shaking her head, she answered herself with, “I know” before looking at the clock. She gathered her things then left for school, a knot forming in her belly. “Whatever happens, happens. Take it with a grain of salt. Or something like that.” Her eyes focused on the sidewalk lines as she passed them, allowing the loneliness to sink in. Before long, she arrived at school with more uneasiness than when she’d left the house.

“Raine!”

Raine glanced up and noticed Melanie, her best friend since second grade, running along the fence. “Hey, Mel.” She tried to hide her gloom as she smiled. “Hey yourself. You look like you’ve had zero sleep in like a week.” Melanie cocked her head and examined Raine’s expression. “What’s going on?”

“I-I don’t know,” Raine offered after a long pause. “I guess I’m not looking forward to this speech later.”

Melanie laughed. “Girl, you’ve got this. We’ve been debating since our mouths could move. Ask our parents. If anyone can argue a valid point, it’s you.” Raine knew she was right as they turned the corner onto Welsh St. “I don’t think that’s the problem,” Raine answered. “I think… I’m afraid I’ll tell the truth.”

Melanie’s eyes widened as she froze, her arm extending across Raine’s chest. “You can’t.” Raine took a step back, placing her hands on her hips. “Don’t you think I know that? But honestly, what choice do I have?” Their silence was interrupted by a boy on a red bicycle blazing past them. “You could choose to act like a normal person. Raine, what are you trying to do? Get kicked out of the coven? We’re hardly even in, to begin with.”

Raine kept walking. “And if I don’t, all of these people go on believing that magic is a myth. I make a mockery of the craft.” She shook her head. “I-I can’t. No, I won’t. I refuse to betray our heritage. The legacy.”

They were close to the school, reaching the edge of the parking lot. Melanie wrapped her hair in a ponytail. “Our elders put the shield in place for a reason. Maybe… Maybe it’s okay if the heritage and legacy only stay within the covens.” She offered a weak smile, but Raine couldn’t return it. “If I lie, I’ll hate myself.”

“And if you tell the truth, the coven will hate you.”

They were quiet the remainder of the way to the entrance. Raine chewed the bottom of her lip as they maneuvered through the other students to their lockers. Melanie squeezed Raine’s shoulder. “Just lie, okay?” She smiled one last time before veering off toward her first period.

Raine’s shoulders slumped. Isn’t honesty better?

The bell rang, and she headed to her class still unsure of what to do. Part of her wished she were still in her bed, under the covers. At least there, the weight of the world didn’t rest on her shoulders, and the fate of her position within the coven wasn’t left on the outcome of her speech.

~*~

Hey all!

As you may have already guessed, this is another blog challenge from Amanda. We were given three words: honesty, hate, bed. I wanted to take this another route, but Raine’s story really resonated with me in a way that may end up in a novel somewhere down the road. It may not be what everyone else came up with, but I can say that I am happy with how it turned out. I really hope you enjoyed the struggle she had in a way that I did and that it makes you wonder what will happen next. If it did, let me know in the comment section below. (:

As always, make sure to check out everyone else’s responses here, here {NSFW}, here {NSFW}, here and here.

Until Next Time, My Darlings,
Shay