extra credit
well, for english, we had the option of writing something for a writing contest to earn some extra credit. so i ended up writing a short, short story, and well, here it is...
The Solitary Search
The screen slammed hard against the door as Charlie rushed out of his house. As he flew by, two tiny sparrows in a nearby bush quickly took flight. He couldn’t take it anymore. He just couldn’t. So much has happened in such little time, that he barely knew what was even going on. Even though now outside, surrounded by the warm summer air, Charlie could still hear the cold, continuous screams that his parents exchanged with one another from inside. Charlie didn’t understand it, how everything could be so wrong. He never felt this low before, he never felt so alone, so numb.
Looking around, Charlie saw the numerous families that lived up and down his street. He thought to himself how they all seemed so perfect and so united. For as long as he can remember, his parents always fought. At first, Charlie thought that it was normal for parents to fight, but he eventually realized that there was something wrong with his family, that there was some defect almost. Charlie always tried to believe that this ‘imperfection’ wasn’t there, but now he was forced to face the fact that his family wasn’t right, now that his parents were planning on getting a divorce. Across the street he saw a young girl, with long blonde pigtails and ribbons in her hair, griping the handlebars of her shiny new bicycle. Jogging along side her were her parents, giving her that final push, and then watching excitedly as she rode off on her own for the first time. Seeing this now sent a surge, an electric pulse, of a mixture of anger and jealousy through Charlie. He remembered how he would always hope that one day, his family would be like everybody else’s. Now, Charlie was too afraid to hope, even to dream-for he had tasted the bitter feeling of being let down far too many times to count, and it made him sick just thinking about it.
Now, Charlie found himself walking along, passing people as he made his way down to the waterside. As he walked, Charlie made the realization that he was searching for something, although he did not know what. He just knew that he was looking for something.
While walking he could feel the air around him cool and the sky started to darken and become littered with stars. As a cool wind blew by, Charlie breathed in deep, in hope of feeling more alive, but each time he exhaled he became more and more numb and fell more distant from the world around him as images started to blur.
Charlie approached the boardwalk and entered into the presence of an old man. The man was homeless and was dressed from head to toe in grungy, soggy clothing that was too small, even for his tiny, frail figure. Charlie had seen him around occasionally near the boardwalk. He was a loner and lived a life of solitude and always seemed troubled, disturbed even. He was often the basis for many children’s scary stories and was avoided by most people. Charlie however had never thought of the man as a bad person and had always been curious to know about him. He felt that somehow, he had a connection with him, a common difference that they both shared.
Charlie stared at the man for a few minutes, not knowing whether or not he should stay or leave. He wanted to talk to the man but did not know what he would say. The man just sat there, continuing to stare out at the ocean, his long unkempt hair blowing slightly. Right before Charlie was about to leave, thinking that maybe this man was not what he was searching for, the man spoke to him.
“The sky sure is beautiful tonight,” came a feeble voice from the man. Not
knowing what else to do, Charlie took a seat next to the man on the hard, green wooden bench.
“Yeah it sure is,” replied Charlie. And together they sat, their connection indescribable. But for those few moments when they sat together, just those few words shared, they both seemed to forget their problems and worries. Just for a few minutes, Charlie felt alive once again and the numbness disappeared, while at the same time, the man in which he did not know at all, sat there next to him in the same bliss, the same ecstasy. This was what Charlie had been inwardly searching for. Many people would now wonder what that boy did, with the loner, not realizing that the boy himself was a loner. They were two loners, together, not so alone when they sat there under the beautiful starry night, just thinking and hoping and even dreaming, because it was ok to dream there. For they were in their own little world, where they could share each others dreams and hopes, and it was here where they found peace, with each other.
yeah so it was kinda messed up in parts. but anyways, what do you think?
The Solitary Search
The screen slammed hard against the door as Charlie rushed out of his house. As he flew by, two tiny sparrows in a nearby bush quickly took flight. He couldn’t take it anymore. He just couldn’t. So much has happened in such little time, that he barely knew what was even going on. Even though now outside, surrounded by the warm summer air, Charlie could still hear the cold, continuous screams that his parents exchanged with one another from inside. Charlie didn’t understand it, how everything could be so wrong. He never felt this low before, he never felt so alone, so numb.
Looking around, Charlie saw the numerous families that lived up and down his street. He thought to himself how they all seemed so perfect and so united. For as long as he can remember, his parents always fought. At first, Charlie thought that it was normal for parents to fight, but he eventually realized that there was something wrong with his family, that there was some defect almost. Charlie always tried to believe that this ‘imperfection’ wasn’t there, but now he was forced to face the fact that his family wasn’t right, now that his parents were planning on getting a divorce. Across the street he saw a young girl, with long blonde pigtails and ribbons in her hair, griping the handlebars of her shiny new bicycle. Jogging along side her were her parents, giving her that final push, and then watching excitedly as she rode off on her own for the first time. Seeing this now sent a surge, an electric pulse, of a mixture of anger and jealousy through Charlie. He remembered how he would always hope that one day, his family would be like everybody else’s. Now, Charlie was too afraid to hope, even to dream-for he had tasted the bitter feeling of being let down far too many times to count, and it made him sick just thinking about it.
Now, Charlie found himself walking along, passing people as he made his way down to the waterside. As he walked, Charlie made the realization that he was searching for something, although he did not know what. He just knew that he was looking for something.
While walking he could feel the air around him cool and the sky started to darken and become littered with stars. As a cool wind blew by, Charlie breathed in deep, in hope of feeling more alive, but each time he exhaled he became more and more numb and fell more distant from the world around him as images started to blur.
Charlie approached the boardwalk and entered into the presence of an old man. The man was homeless and was dressed from head to toe in grungy, soggy clothing that was too small, even for his tiny, frail figure. Charlie had seen him around occasionally near the boardwalk. He was a loner and lived a life of solitude and always seemed troubled, disturbed even. He was often the basis for many children’s scary stories and was avoided by most people. Charlie however had never thought of the man as a bad person and had always been curious to know about him. He felt that somehow, he had a connection with him, a common difference that they both shared.
Charlie stared at the man for a few minutes, not knowing whether or not he should stay or leave. He wanted to talk to the man but did not know what he would say. The man just sat there, continuing to stare out at the ocean, his long unkempt hair blowing slightly. Right before Charlie was about to leave, thinking that maybe this man was not what he was searching for, the man spoke to him.
“The sky sure is beautiful tonight,” came a feeble voice from the man. Not
knowing what else to do, Charlie took a seat next to the man on the hard, green wooden bench.
“Yeah it sure is,” replied Charlie. And together they sat, their connection indescribable. But for those few moments when they sat together, just those few words shared, they both seemed to forget their problems and worries. Just for a few minutes, Charlie felt alive once again and the numbness disappeared, while at the same time, the man in which he did not know at all, sat there next to him in the same bliss, the same ecstasy. This was what Charlie had been inwardly searching for. Many people would now wonder what that boy did, with the loner, not realizing that the boy himself was a loner. They were two loners, together, not so alone when they sat there under the beautiful starry night, just thinking and hoping and even dreaming, because it was ok to dream there. For they were in their own little world, where they could share each others dreams and hopes, and it was here where they found peace, with each other.
yeah so it was kinda messed up in parts. but anyways, what do you think?