This weekend was a long one for me. Yesterday was a holiday here so I didn’t post anything. So today is my Monday. Below is part of my writing project that I attempted for Camp NaNo. It’s currently unedited but I thought I’d share some of it with you.
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“She wouldn’t want you to be this way, you know that.”
Samuel watched as his sister’s brown eyes clouded over. He risked having her not talk to him for the next few days but she needed to face the loss and move forward. Since their mother’s death a few weeks ago and her own near death experience, Eshe had been withdrawn and depressed. No matter what he did she never fully came out of her shell. It was hard for him to see her like this. Before the accident she had been one of the most fun loving people he knew.
Eshe brushed her dark hair away from her shoulders and stared out of the lone window of her brother’s small apartment. The sight of empty space with its twinkling stars was, at one time, beautiful to her but now it only brought shivers and an overwhelming sense of fear. She’d had an apartment similar to this one but gave it up after the accident. It was space debris shattering the outside protective layer of a window that had caused the accident that killed their mother and almost killed her.
She knew she wasn’t handling the situation well but she couldn’t help herself. Some days it was hard to get out of bed. Samuel didn’t blame her. He told her so all the time but she blamed herself enough for the both of them. If only she had been a little faster, less afraid, their mother might still be alive. She might have lived to see them find a new home planet.
“I know mom would want me to continue living my life but it’s so hard sometimes.” Eshe fought to swallow the lump that had grown in her throat. Samuel didn’t have to deal with the sight of their mother’s frozen face burned into his memory or the sound of her gasping for breath as she froze to death. Some nights she would wake up fighting for breath herself. Sometimes she could still feel the numbing cold seeping into her body. She had told him all this and he had done his best to be supportive but Eshe knew he feared she’d take her own life, that’s why he insisted on these frequent dinners. What he didn’t know was she was too much of a coward for that. Besides she didn’t want to die. It’s just that some days she didn’t know how to go on living.
Samuel reached out to take his sister’s hand. Her complexion was the same caramel brown as his. In fact they looked a lot alike; both of them had their mother’s brown eyes and her dimpled smile but he had inherited his father’s premature baldness, so he kept his head clean shaved. When they started this journey almost five years ago Eshe had a shorter cut but she had let her hair grow out. But now Samuel realized she hadn’t been taking very good care of her hair both since it wasn’t combed properly and a bit matted.
“You have to know she wouldn’t blame you. Dad doesn’t blame you either. We love you and I want my sister back.” Samuel let out a breath when she gave him a lopsided smile. Much better, he thought. “How about we go to the Lounge later? Faris has been asking about you. Has he come to see you?”
Eshe resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Faris had stopped by her apartment a few times but she never answered the door. Alexander Faris was more often than not a pain in her ass. Most of her and her brother’s friends liked him. Faris, with his smooth dark skin and twinkling eyes, was a handsome man and much to his discredit he was very aware of his looks and how affected the female gender was by him. He had taken a liking to Eshe a while ago after his other companion had gotten enough of him. To her dismay, the man was very persistent.
“I’ll think about it.”
Samuel rolled his eyes. Eshe laughed and was surprised by how good that felt.
“No you will not think about it. You will go to your place. You will shower, comb your hair and put on something nice. Then I will come get you in an hour. Think you can manage that?”
This time Eshe did roll her eyes. “Yes sir” and she saluted him.
Samuel watched her leave. Finally, some progress.
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Hope you enjoy it. Comments always welcome.
The Next Chapter 