.: 100 One-Shot Prompt Challenge [3] :.
screw going in order...I couldn't wait. >___>
prompt 004:: Autumn
pairing:: SiHan
progress:: 3 / 100
word count:: 886
I remember how I used to love autumn.
The cool weather…the overcast skies…the rain showers…and the man that was there to keep me warm when the night grew cold…
I remember the look you would have on your face when you would wake me up with a kiss, bright and early in the morning. You would make breakfast, dressed in your cute little apron, and I would tease you about how feminine you were. But it never bothered you…because you had me, I had you, and we were content…
Today, I allow my fingers to linger over the handle of the pan that you always used. I always insisted that I would buy you a new one, but you preferred this old one. Something about the non-stick resistance being better, you always said. I sigh with a heavy heart and decide to eat oatmeal instead.
I remember how you used to get when the leaves began to fall. A strong gust of wind would blow by, and upon hearing the wild rustling of the leaves, you would flock to the window, gaping in awe. Excited, you would call me over, pointing to the whirlwind of red, yellow, and brown leaves dancing around in the air. And when they would land, all of the leaves from our tree would end up on the neighbor’s front lawn across the street. We would go and rake them up for them, since they were elderly…and they were our leaves after all…and then that one time…do you remember? When we carried the bags of leaves over to our lawn and discovered that a jagged stick had shredded the bag, and they fell out all over our yard? You stared at me blankly for a few moments, and then the two of us burst into laughter. We ran around the lawn like children, chasing each other and kicking up leaves…
Today I rake up the leaves…no running…no laughter…it has just become another chore.
Life is becoming another chore.
I remember how we would walk to town, my arms wrapped around your waist. You would smile when the leaves made crackling noises beneath our shoes, and I would think that you were silly. You always smiled at everything. We would stop by the little café to get warm, and share a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate…
Today, I return to the café and order a coffee…black. No sugar, no milk. I take it bitter now; it’s bitter like my life. But I’ll order that pastry that you always ate when we came here together. Now it’s bittersweet; bittersweet like life with my undying love for you. I leave, pulling my jacket tighter around me to shield myself from the biting wind. Yesterday’s rain has left the streets sodden with puddles. Today, the leaves don’t crackle; they make terrible, soggy, squelching noises from under my shoes. But when I step on top of the dry leaves, they don’t make the same crackle they used to. Now, they just crack…noises that sound like the breaking of my heart with every footstep.
A red leaf catches my attention, just barely falling off of its parenting tree. It dances through the sky, pirouetting like you used to…you were such an amazing dancer… It makes me think…what is the life of a leaf? It grows, and in turn, it helps its tree grow. It nourishes it all of its life, but when its time comes, it becomes frail and breaks off…fluttering away into the wind and leaving just as quickly as it had come. If I was a tree, then you were my one leaf, Hangeng.
…But what can a leafless tree do?
As the red leaf lingers, twirling in the air before me, I take it in my hand and look it over. This leaf…it’s you.
I decide to take a detour to the pond today before going home. Sitting by the pond’s edge, I turn the leaf over in my hands, running my fingers along its veins. This leaf is still soft. It wasn’t its time yet…it still had life to live…
An all too familiar feeling comes over me, and I don’t try to fight it like I always do. My vision is blurred, and the warm tears stream down my wind-bitten cheeks. You are this leaf in my hands…the one that was taken too soon…the one that should have gone on. Last autumn stole you away from me…you, your breath, your life, and your love.
I bury my face into my hands and allow my emotions to wash over me. I can’t hold it in any longer. Sometimes, I wish that I could be lifeless like those leaves on the street. But then I realize…what good would that do me? I wipe my teary eyes and gaze at the leaf again. At least if I’m alive, I can pray for you and reminisce…I remember this now. God has sent me this leaf to remind me of you…he works in mysterious ways...
I take the leaf and let it float on top of the water, blowing it gently to give it a little push. It drifts off, and I walk away.
Until my time comes, until that day when I’ll be with you again…I’ll just keep praying.
I’ll just keep your memory alive…
prompt 004:: Autumn
pairing:: SiHan
progress:: 3 / 100
word count:: 886
I remember how I used to love autumn.
The cool weather…the overcast skies…the rain showers…and the man that was there to keep me warm when the night grew cold…
I remember the look you would have on your face when you would wake me up with a kiss, bright and early in the morning. You would make breakfast, dressed in your cute little apron, and I would tease you about how feminine you were. But it never bothered you…because you had me, I had you, and we were content…
Today, I allow my fingers to linger over the handle of the pan that you always used. I always insisted that I would buy you a new one, but you preferred this old one. Something about the non-stick resistance being better, you always said. I sigh with a heavy heart and decide to eat oatmeal instead.
I remember how you used to get when the leaves began to fall. A strong gust of wind would blow by, and upon hearing the wild rustling of the leaves, you would flock to the window, gaping in awe. Excited, you would call me over, pointing to the whirlwind of red, yellow, and brown leaves dancing around in the air. And when they would land, all of the leaves from our tree would end up on the neighbor’s front lawn across the street. We would go and rake them up for them, since they were elderly…and they were our leaves after all…and then that one time…do you remember? When we carried the bags of leaves over to our lawn and discovered that a jagged stick had shredded the bag, and they fell out all over our yard? You stared at me blankly for a few moments, and then the two of us burst into laughter. We ran around the lawn like children, chasing each other and kicking up leaves…
Today I rake up the leaves…no running…no laughter…it has just become another chore.
Life is becoming another chore.
I remember how we would walk to town, my arms wrapped around your waist. You would smile when the leaves made crackling noises beneath our shoes, and I would think that you were silly. You always smiled at everything. We would stop by the little café to get warm, and share a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate…
Today, I return to the café and order a coffee…black. No sugar, no milk. I take it bitter now; it’s bitter like my life. But I’ll order that pastry that you always ate when we came here together. Now it’s bittersweet; bittersweet like life with my undying love for you. I leave, pulling my jacket tighter around me to shield myself from the biting wind. Yesterday’s rain has left the streets sodden with puddles. Today, the leaves don’t crackle; they make terrible, soggy, squelching noises from under my shoes. But when I step on top of the dry leaves, they don’t make the same crackle they used to. Now, they just crack…noises that sound like the breaking of my heart with every footstep.
A red leaf catches my attention, just barely falling off of its parenting tree. It dances through the sky, pirouetting like you used to…you were such an amazing dancer… It makes me think…what is the life of a leaf? It grows, and in turn, it helps its tree grow. It nourishes it all of its life, but when its time comes, it becomes frail and breaks off…fluttering away into the wind and leaving just as quickly as it had come. If I was a tree, then you were my one leaf, Hangeng.
…But what can a leafless tree do?
As the red leaf lingers, twirling in the air before me, I take it in my hand and look it over. This leaf…it’s you.
I decide to take a detour to the pond today before going home. Sitting by the pond’s edge, I turn the leaf over in my hands, running my fingers along its veins. This leaf is still soft. It wasn’t its time yet…it still had life to live…
An all too familiar feeling comes over me, and I don’t try to fight it like I always do. My vision is blurred, and the warm tears stream down my wind-bitten cheeks. You are this leaf in my hands…the one that was taken too soon…the one that should have gone on. Last autumn stole you away from me…you, your breath, your life, and your love.
I bury my face into my hands and allow my emotions to wash over me. I can’t hold it in any longer. Sometimes, I wish that I could be lifeless like those leaves on the street. But then I realize…what good would that do me? I wipe my teary eyes and gaze at the leaf again. At least if I’m alive, I can pray for you and reminisce…I remember this now. God has sent me this leaf to remind me of you…he works in mysterious ways...
I take the leaf and let it float on top of the water, blowing it gently to give it a little push. It drifts off, and I walk away.
Until my time comes, until that day when I’ll be with you again…I’ll just keep praying.
I’ll just keep your memory alive…