Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Bitter Cherries ❯ End of the beginning? ( Chapter 1 )

Bitter Cherries

(An original short story by Deglorath)
(Converted and edited by Sian Silverhair)

 

Setting: The future -- 2218 AD.
Location: Washington D.C.

 

It is a brilliant morning in the city of steel. The towers of metal and glass, gleaming with vicious light, surround the passing people on their way to work.

I really wish that park was nearer...

Few people in the crowd notice the young woman. Stunning, golden blonde hair streams down past her shoulders. Her eyes hide behind a pair of dark sunglasses, and she wears a deep blue, suede jacket over a white baby doll T-shirt. A maroon skirt reaches down just past her knees, covered in dark stockings which lead into a pair of black high heels.

She walks steadily through the crowds, barely paying attention. No one seems to care as the short woman slides through to cross the last street towards Mason Central Park.

Thank God for this place. The glare from those monstrosities was driving me mad, she thinks. Well, at least I can find some peace and quiet here. I need a place to think...

A soft snort of derogatory laughter escapes from her pursed red lips. The woman, Sarah Tanner, relaxes back into the park bench. Crossing her legs casually as she stretches her arms above her head, she looks around for a moment before standing again. She walks towards the small cemetery near the back of the park.

The cemetery is close to the small stream that the children used to play in, before one of them got sick from the chemicals in the water. Even after the clean-up, no one would come there any more.

Sarah kneels down in front of a familiar gravestone. She struggles with the emotions just beneath the surface. Roughly brushing away sudden tears, she murmured out, "Hey Naomi, sorry I haven't been able to come by as often as I'd like."

Chuckling tiredly, she curses softly as her vision blurs from backed up tears. Damn it all...

She collapses against the stone, crying out years of pain and loneliness. She scrapes her nails against the stone as she struggles again to compose herself, pushing up to stare at the gravestone. She breaks through the sobs that escape her, to speak in a small, choked whisper: "I... I know you said you wanted me to go on, to look elsewhere for love, but I can't. I just can't... I miss you so much, Naomi. I can't think, I can't write, I can't even go to sleep at night without crying over you... Why does it have to be like this? Why couldn't you be here forever like you promised...?"

Brushing away the rest of her tears, she stands up slowly. She feels a warm breeze caressing her cheek and nearly leans into the soft touch. She shakes her head, leans over and kisses the final reminder of her departed love once before stepping back.

"I'll be back next week, I promise."

With a weak smile she walks away, determined to leave before she bursts into tears again.

As the young woman departs, a pale wraith watches sadly. With a shake of her ethereal mane, she fades away. Fallen leaves swirl away from the gravestone, revealing a badly faded date:

Naomi Tanner
11-09-1982 to 07-18-2068

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Comments:

First of all I would like to thank the awesome and talented Sian Silverhair for editing this for me.

I hope you all enjoyed this, it's just a thought that's been bouncing around in my mind for a long time now, maybe there'll be more on this later.