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I was going up the stairs. I just couldn’t stay in my room. In the apartment, where my mother and her ”wise words” were present in it. I was sick of it. I wanted to be alone. To go as far as I could from that mess.
After going up for like dozen of floors, I finally reached the top of that building. Sun was hidden behind the horizon, yet some of its light was still reaching our city, giving some interesting colors to sky above us.
That wasn’t the cleanest of all places, but few months ago, it was way worse. Homeless people were occupying this space quite often, standing near the hollowed barrels with the fire inside it. Police cleaned that place because of inhabitants’ request.
I sat at the edge of this flat roof. I was coming here from time to time, for different reasons. However, it was mostly because I wanted to be alone, in peace. And the view of this city, even if saw it many times, was helpful with that.
In my hand, I had a bottle of coffee I made in my apartment. People tend to look at me with confusion because I don’t drink it from the cup, but what can say? I love it. Very much. Some say that I love it too much, but I don’t care.
After taking a sip, I reached to my pocket. I took out the pack of cigarettes and my lighter. I thought about stopping that habit, but for now, I don’t see any reason why should I do that. Besides, there are worse habits out there.
I pulled out a cig and lit it. Then, I took another sip of coffee. As I was sitting there, I looked at the city once again. So many people here, living their own lives and struggling to function here, while keeping themselves sane.
Eh... I wish I could do the same. Having my own life, my own place, some friends, maybe even a partner. But this would be too much for me. I have a hard time to function properly while I live with my mother, so I don’t want to imagine how it’d look like when I’d be alone.
Yet, I tried to change it. Like going to parties, where people would look at ”cute lemur girl”, as many guys said about me. But all of them were quite shallow. I couldn’t make any interesting talks with them. They only wanted one thing and I wasn’t interested in it.
I could see small shapes of pedestrians, as well as vehicles moving on the streets. Many of them can enjoy small things, going with the times and I can’t do that. I don’t even know how to do that. I... I just want to be happy.
As I was thinking while sitting on the roof, I’ve heard that someone was coming. As the character got closer, I could see it clearly. A short-horned goat with specific fur pattern, dressed in beige fleece jacket and grey trousers was running while jumping from one roof to the other. It stopped near me.
”You won’t say anyone about this, right?”, male voice asked.
”No...”, I replied slowly. ”I won’t..”
”You want to talk? You sound really sad.”
”I...”, I stopped for a moment. ”Eh... Okay.”
”So...”, goat sat on the edge. ”What troubles you?”
”How to say this...”, I dragged on the cig. ”I’m on the happiness shortage.”
”Poetic”, the runner chuckled. ”My friend speaks in that manner.”
”Wish I had a friend...”, I sighed.
”Sadly, it’s a lottery. But you can enjoy life in different ways.”
”And are you happy?”, I asked.
”No”, he lowered his head. ”But I won’t stop looking for the happiness.”
”If only I had a determination like that...”
”I know that no one will give it to me on a silver platter. So I have to look it for myself. Fortunately, I’m a good runner. That’s some variety to this sad life.”
”And what should I do?”, I asked him, while staring in his green eyes.
”Do the same and start your journey”, he replied, while pointing at the buildings around.
”But... I don’t know where should I go.”
”Let me see... Is that coffee?”
”Yeah...”, I got a bit shy. ”I made it myself.”
”So go to the cafe. As a client or look for employment there. Maybe you’ll like it, maybe you won’t. But you’ll do something with yourself. And who knows... maybe you’ll find someone or something there that will change your life completely.”
”Easy to say that...”
”I know. I wasn’t born here, in Khorogard. I was travelling a lot. On those travels, I was thinking a lot. And one thing I know is how to properly limit ourselves. To have discipline. To make some effort before getting a reward. But I assure you – the reward will be worth the effort. Before all of this, however, there’s something else. You must want that. Sincerely.”
”I...”, I was on a verge of crying. ”I want to change something. To be better. But I had a problem to do that when I was focusing on myself.”
”Then try again. If not for yourself then do it for someone else. It can be even for a stranger that visited you.”
”I’ll try.”
”I wish you luck on your journey. And it’s time to continue mine.”
Goat stood up from the edge of the roof and wanted to jump on the another building.
”Wait!”, I shouted. ”What’s your name?”
Runner started writing on the dirty part of the roof. After finishing, he briefly placed his hand on my shoulder and went onto another building. When he was far enough, I started reading what he wrote. And he had a cute name.
”Until next time.”
-----------------------------------------
I was going up the stairs. I just couldn’t stay in my room. In the apartment, where my mother and her ”wise words” were present in it. I was sick of it. I wanted to be alone. To go as far as I could from that mess.
After going up for like dozen of floors, I finally reached the top of that building. Sun was hidden behind the horizon, yet some of its light was still reaching our city, giving some interesting colors to sky above us.
That wasn’t the cleanest of all places, but few months ago, it was way worse. Homeless people were occupying this space quite often, standing near the hollowed barrels with the fire inside it. Police cleaned that place because of inhabitants’ request.
I sat at the edge of this flat roof. I was coming here from time to time, for different reasons. However, it was mostly because I wanted to be alone, in peace. And the view of this city, even if saw it many times, was helpful with that.
In my hand, I had a bottle of coffee I made in my apartment. People tend to look at me with confusion because I don’t drink it from the cup, but what can say? I love it. Very much. Some say that I love it too much, but I don’t care.
After taking a sip, I reached to my pocket. I took out the pack of cigarettes and my lighter. I thought about stopping that habit, but for now, I don’t see any reason why should I do that. Besides, there are worse habits out there.
I pulled out a cig and lit it. Then, I took another sip of coffee. As I was sitting there, I looked at the city once again. So many people here, living their own lives and struggling to function here, while keeping themselves sane.
Eh... I wish I could do the same. Having my own life, my own place, some friends, maybe even a partner. But this would be too much for me. I have a hard time to function properly while I live with my mother, so I don’t want to imagine how it’d look like when I’d be alone.
Yet, I tried to change it. Like going to parties, where people would look at ”cute lemur girl”, as many guys said about me. But all of them were quite shallow. I couldn’t make any interesting talks with them. They only wanted one thing and I wasn’t interested in it.
I could see small shapes of pedestrians, as well as vehicles moving on the streets. Many of them can enjoy small things, going with the times and I can’t do that. I don’t even know how to do that. I... I just want to be happy.
As I was thinking while sitting on the roof, I’ve heard that someone was coming. As the character got closer, I could see it clearly. A short-horned goat with specific fur pattern, dressed in beige fleece jacket and grey trousers was running while jumping from one roof to the other. It stopped near me.
”You won’t say anyone about this, right?”, male voice asked.
”No...”, I replied slowly. ”I won’t..”
”You want to talk? You sound really sad.”
”I...”, I stopped for a moment. ”Eh... Okay.”
”So...”, goat sat on the edge. ”What troubles you?”
”How to say this...”, I dragged on the cig. ”I’m on the happiness shortage.”
”Poetic”, the runner chuckled. ”My friend speaks in that manner.”
”Wish I had a friend...”, I sighed.
”Sadly, it’s a lottery. But you can enjoy life in different ways.”
”And are you happy?”, I asked.
”No”, he lowered his head. ”But I won’t stop looking for the happiness.”
”If only I had a determination like that...”
”I know that no one will give it to me on a silver platter. So I have to look it for myself. Fortunately, I’m a good runner. That’s some variety to this sad life.”
”And what should I do?”, I asked him, while staring in his green eyes.
”Do the same and start your journey”, he replied, while pointing at the buildings around.
”But... I don’t know where should I go.”
”Let me see... Is that coffee?”
”Yeah...”, I got a bit shy. ”I made it myself.”
”So go to the cafe. As a client or look for employment there. Maybe you’ll like it, maybe you won’t. But you’ll do something with yourself. And who knows... maybe you’ll find someone or something there that will change your life completely.”
”Easy to say that...”
”I know. I wasn’t born here, in Khorogard. I was travelling a lot. On those travels, I was thinking a lot. And one thing I know is how to properly limit ourselves. To have discipline. To make some effort before getting a reward. But I assure you – the reward will be worth the effort. Before all of this, however, there’s something else. You must want that. Sincerely.”
”I...”, I was on a verge of crying. ”I want to change something. To be better. But I had a problem to do that when I was focusing on myself.”
”Then try again. If not for yourself then do it for someone else. It can be even for a stranger that visited you.”
”I’ll try.”
”I wish you luck on your journey. And it’s time to continue mine.”
Goat stood up from the edge of the roof and wanted to jump on the another building.
”Wait!”, I shouted. ”What’s your name?”
Runner started writing on the dirty part of the roof. After finishing, he briefly placed his hand on my shoulder and went onto another building. When he was far enough, I started reading what he wrote. And he had a cute name.
”Until next time.”
Lemur girl is sitting alone in a big city, while suddenly arrives the voice of reason.
Category Story / All
Species Lemur
Gender Female
Size 120 x 120px
Listed in Folders
I like the message you send with this one a lot, it's even a bit relatable really.
Speaking from experience. I saw a lot in my life and I've learned about some life mechanisms. And those words may not help you, but that doesn't mean you should stop looking for things that will improve your situation.
Your writing style is captivating. The way you describe the character's thoughts in your narration is wonderful, both in that it conveys character well and in that it's simply fun to read. It's also great how you set a scene by telling us its history and its "feel," rather than rotely rattling off a list of objects and colors. I feel like I can picture the dilapidated roof here better than most settings in most stories, and you pulled it off without giving us a single "hard" detail. That level of conveying your setting is legitimately very impressive.
I really enjoyed both your story itself and the way you wrote it. Looking forward to reading more of your work in the future ^w^
I really enjoyed both your story itself and the way you wrote it. Looking forward to reading more of your work in the future ^w^
It's not common to see comments like this and even rarer to see them directed towards me. My work can be good, but because of individuals like you and their comprehensive comments, I can keep on going with creating more things to read, as well as improving my writing. And for that, I'm grateful.
If what I say can help keep you writing, then it's a win-win ^w^
You seem to have a good mindset for it as well. Growth mindset is incredibly important, and it's great to find people who follow that philosophy. I look forward to seeing where it takes you.
You seem to have a good mindset for it as well. Growth mindset is incredibly important, and it's great to find people who follow that philosophy. I look forward to seeing where it takes you.
At least intellectual growth is going well in my case. I have lots of ideas and I have to choose which to develop further. Perhaps I'll earn from it. Perhaps it'll help me with getting loyal friends. Whatever happens, I'll continue on creating.
I like your choice of the word shortage.
I really do like the scene you sketched here,
and the odd way life had of giving her what
she needed most, right then.
I really do like the scene you sketched here,
and the odd way life had of giving her what
she needed most, right then.
As I go with Prompt entries, I try to make them different from each other, as well as going in non-standard way with the topics.
So there are things like going with many various species, different world settings (but it usually ends up in something like our world) and plethora of events.
Some might say it's rare or maybe not possible, comparing it to real life, but I've already saw so many things that the situation here is not that strange.
So there are things like going with many various species, different world settings (but it usually ends up in something like our world) and plethora of events.
Some might say it's rare or maybe not possible, comparing it to real life, but I've already saw so many things that the situation here is not that strange.
Sometime fate has a way of taking a hand, and I agree with her about parties!
Yeah, some might say it isn't that believable, since thing like this can't happen in real life, but I saw more crazy things in my life. And yeah, I'm not a fan of parties too - I prefer meetings with few people.
People who say that obviously had not much experience of life, and I agree entirely, it took me a long time to realise I didn't actually enjoy pubs, clubs and parties, my friends did so I thought there must be something wrong with me. Small groups in a quiet setting is much more preferable.
Life itself is great, but the world we're living in has a lot to be desired. Maybe I'll experience some great things, maybe I won't.
Smaller meetings are easier to handle + you'll (most likely) actually be a part of it rather than just add-on, like it's a case in bigger parties.
Smaller meetings are easier to handle + you'll (most likely) actually be a part of it rather than just add-on, like it's a case in bigger parties.
It certainly does but there have always been problems, but I agree that things have become extremely weird over the past few years and I'm not sure where it's all going to end up. And I suspect that it's one of those introvert / extrovert things, I'm certainly very much the former and I suspect you are as well.
Problems are not with life, but rather with its inhabitants. Earlier, people overall would have sense of humor and distance to themselves. Now, people get offended easily, going on pointless arguments about not that important topics. There are still group that behave like before this whole situation with diversity, but I start to think they're in minority. Where this will lead us? Not in a good direction, that's for sure.
Yeah, I'm an introvert. I'm also pessimistic and realistic (sad that those two things have so much in common these days).
Yeah, I'm an introvert. I'm also pessimistic and realistic (sad that those two things have so much in common these days).
I'm cautiously optimistic for the future but we are definitely going through troubled times.
I honestly respect your attitude. Not many can be optimistic nowadays.
I really enjoyed this… the world is so crazy now and this gives hope…
Vix
Vix
Sadly, world will only get crazier from now on. That's why we need actual displays of humanity in our lives. To understand one another and solve problems one by one. Being human is something more than belonging to the species.
And I give you a hug for saying that because it's true.
*hugsssss....
Vix
*hugsssss....
Vix
Ah, if only we all had a wise parkour guy who showed up from time to time to give us a pep talk.
Well, those that have good parkour skills are usually wise. Otherwise, they'd be severely injured or even worse.
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