Prisca's_Writing_Area

Title: Always remember
Characters: Erin Kaufman, Michelle
Prompt: beauty of life
Words: 368

:::

Erin entered the storage room in the back of the Mountain and stopped, surprised. „Woah,“ she murmured. „You turned this room into a museum.“

Michelle placed some old books on a shelf and turned around, smiling. „It's nothing big, but I do my best. The world needs places like this to remember the beauty of old life.“

Erin looked around, taking in the painting on the grey walls, the table with glass figurines, and the shelves full of books and various trophies. A colorful bunch of flowers in a small porcelain vase. Memories of long-gone times.

An old, tarnished mirror with a golden frame. A desk with a fitting chair, in a surprisingly good state. Erin wondered where Michelle might have found these; most wooden furniture was long gone, having either burned in a fire or been used as building material. When the world around you broke down, it was only about surviving.

Erin stepped closer to the wall to have a look at some photos and framed magazine covers. Her heart stopped beating, and her fingers trembled when she carefully touched one of them. Tears were burning in her eyes. Memories flashed through her mind; memories she thought she had long forgotten.

Michelle watched her in silence until the young woman finally stepped away from the photos. „Kurdy found a box with old magazines in the attic of an abandoned library, “ she said. „Sadly, only some covers were still in a good state. Do you remember this one?“

Erin nodded slowly, wiping her tears away. „Tiger Beat's TeenView, with a poster of Shaun Cassidy. My sister was a big fan of Shaun, and she spent all her pocket money to buy the magazine. But we fought this day, and I tore the poster of him into small pieces. At the end, we both got house arrest over the weekend.“ She smiled sadly. „Innocent teenager problems. And we had no idea that our world would break down only some months later.“

Michelle put her hand on Erin's arm. „Never forget this,“ she said gently. „Memories can hurt, but they are all that is left from the old times. It's important for the future to keep them alive.“

Title: Moving on to College
Characters: Zeke Tyler, Stokely Mitchell
Prompt: our song
Words: 329
Note: dialogue only

:::

„So, do you miss him?“

„I always knew that he would move on one day. He is much too smart for a city college in Ohio.“

„Sure, he is. But that was not the question. Do you miss him?“

„Mpfh. That's life. No need to make a drama.“

„Geez, Zeke, do you always need to play the uncaring shit? As if he didn't mean anything to you.“

„We had some fun, that's all.“

„Sure. And that's the reason why you almost freaked out yesterday, when Stan was playing this song? Obsessed with you by the Orion Experience.“

„Pathetic song!“

„Casey told me that you once called it 'our song'.“

„Casey is a geek; he tells a lot of shit.“

„And that's why you miss him?“

„God, Stokes, I am not missing him. He did the only right thing, grabbing the chance to leave this hellhole behind.“

„Hm. And why are you still here? What's holding you back? A job in a shabby garage? Oh, c'mon, that's ridiculous. I am sure, also in Massachusetts, people own cars and need a good mechanic now and then.“

… …

„You don't get it! I am not a guy for a serious relationship. And I don't want to hurt him.“

„You are such a pathetic coward! Maybe you are right. He deserves someone better than you. I've heard he is already very close with his roommate. Wealthy parents, a bit of a macho, but Casey seems to like him.“

„Where do you know this from?“

„Met his mom this morning at the mall. She seems slightly worried. Told me that she wished you had been gone with him, to have an eye on him.“

„Fuck you, Stokes! She is a motherhen, everyone knows this. Casey doesn't need a babysitter."

„Sure thing. But, in case you are going to Massachusetts sometime soon, say Casey hello.“

Title: A Future without Casey
Characters: Zeke Tyler, Casey Connor
Prompt: regret
Words: 180

:::

„I will miss you!“ Casey murmured.

Zeke put on his smuggest grin. „No, you won't. You are going to live your dream. There won't be much time to miss good old Herrington.“

„I wish you could come with me. MIT together with you would be double the fun.“

Zeke sighed with relief when the announcement at the airport saved him from answering. „Guess, it's time to go, geek boy,“ he said, pulling him in a last fleeting hug. „Don't look back! Just have fun. You deserve it!“

Ignoring the tears in Casey's eyes, he pushed him toward the gate. Inwardly, he could feel regret growing in his gut. All the time, he had tried to tell himself that letting Casey go was the only right thing. But maybe he had only been a coward, much too afraid to admit his true feelings.

Zeke watched him vanishing in the crowd, and turned away. Now, it was too late. All he could do was to dive back into the lonely life he had enjoyed so much before Casey.