What a world we live in, that anything could happen with a simple tap on our little screens. I’m definitely not mad about it. It’s how I learned some of my biggest lessons. It all started off with a direct message. I texted her. You know sometimes I wonder how life would’ve been if I didn’t. I was perfectly fine up until that point. Up until I got my emotions running wild. It must’ve been a very boring day. The funny part about that is that I remember that day as if it was yesterday. I didn’t think too much about it. I can use a extra friend I probably thought. She texted me back. And from that point on, I had developed a deep emotional connection with her for the next six months. Simply through iMessage games and corny games of 21 questions. We eventually met up right before summer had started. Date after date, laugh after laugh, I didn’t think I was capable of being with someone at all. Something about my insecurites always told me that I was incapable of being loved, or liked at that. After all, this was my first relationship and never knew what this type of affection was like. I really thought our relationship was perfect. I thought that this was a forever thing. I started going out of my way to do things that she liked. Sacraficed a lot just to accompany her. I’m pretty sure every man knows how that feels like. I was changing. I would write her in the morning, think about her through my entire day and cap it off in the night time with long conversations about how much I cared for her. I’m not going to lie and act like she didn’t do the same, because she did. At first, I think. She was my favorite person, my bestfriend, my girlfriend all in one. And I loved that. I loved her. I still probably do. I’m just a tad bit salty. But it was until I mentioned that four letter word that things started to go wrong. Yeah, she did say it back but to be honest, towards the end I just never felt it. It hurt me everytime she said it because I felt as if she was lying. Her emotions started to fade and she pushed me away. Used the excuse that she wanted to work on herself to do that. It’s really selfish of me to say that because what if she actually is, but I am hurt. I put too much of my happiness into her and feel like all the time, effort and mental compacity I devoted to our relationship went to waste. I never got a chance to say that. And now, the person that knows me better than I know myself, is a stranger to me.

I stare at the entrance and the person I wanted to avoid the most is here. She is arrived here with her whole family- her parents, brothers, aunts, and uncles including her 4 cousins.

My cousin Olivia and I were very close friends when we were little, but we had a huge fight that severed our friendship. My sisters know about the fight that happened between us and avoid Olivia for my sake.

Since Olivia and her family live in another state, I normally don’t see them unless it a quinquereme, baptism or etc. Normally, whenever I’m at these parties I’m reminded how big my family is. I learned from both my parents that in Mexico they grew up with more than 5 siblings and including the generation before them.

The families over years have stayed in touch and it always blows my mind when my mom and dad remind me and my sisters how we are related to one another. Whenever there a big event in our family, every family member even those from different state

“Mira a tu primo aqui de Nueva Jersey. Digamos hola a ellos” My mom said. My parents don’t know about the incident between us.

I get up from my seat as well as my sister did. As I start walking the first thing, I noticed is the music. The music is always loud, and no one can hear unless you yell even if that person is right in front of you. I see that DJ is always at the stage to play music and at the corner at the stage are the Disco party lights and two larger speakers at the end of the stage.

I see several small kids are running around the floor playing games with one another. I know that in small corner of the left side of the room the adults- usually my aunts are setting up or preparing to serve the food for the guest. The tables and chairs are on either side of the room, so people can use the center of the room to dance around.

My family and I make arrive to their tables and we greet them. I greet the adults, and my cousins until I reach Olivia.

“Hi” I said as I extend my hand to my cousin.

“Hi” Olivia said back as she shook my hand.

Underneath the glow of a vacant street lamp, trash rots beneath her nose. Through the simple act of turning a page, the autumnal air is fumigated of all sour scents. She sits reading line by line the tale of a man and a woman not far from here, though years and realities apart from her own.

Eyes down.

Focus here.

Glance up there.

The ensembles of men and women walk amidst her glance– not far from here.

Why do their eyes never fall upon my own?

A young man and woman, near tight embrace. Four-wheeled fanatics. Huddles surrounding smoke and empty bottles. To each their own, and her… On my own.

She returns to the page. It is different now. The focus has faded. The fumes linger beneath her nose. She sits reading line by line, the tale of a man and a wom—

“Excuse me, miss.”

Oh, how I wish you’d go away.

Her cheeks simmer vermillion. His cheeks wear a coat of scruff and sweat. His eyes, glazed, fall upon her own.

“Excuse me miss, but you are really pretty.”

Oh, how I wish you’d go away. The inebriation wears no mask. 

“Um, thank you.”

“No, you’re like, really pretty.”

Hands to the lips. A look of utter disbelief. His right foot stumbles over the left, forgetting it occupied the same earth.

“And you’re, real?”

Does he know, even the ‘pretty ones’ read?

“Yes, I am real…”

“I mean, you’re sitting there, in front of my eyes. You’re real?”

Now, what might this man be on?

“Yes, yes I am.”

She shuffles in her seat as he stumbles backward and forwards. The face of shock still staring at her own.

“Woah, and you exist?”

“And I exist.”

“Wow.”

“Wow, woah (and whatnot)…Well, miss, have a good night.”

“And you, too.”

He staggers down the path. A glass bottle in his right coat pocket shimmers beneath the vacant street lamp, momentarily catching the eye of the young ‘miss.’

Must be the pregame.

Those words linger here. On her tongue.

And I exist.

Eyes down.

Focus here.

It is different now. Will it ever be the same? The lines are still the same. The tale of a man and a woman not far from here. She feels not far from here. But eyes down. Focus here.

She reads line by line. She sits beneath the vacant street lamp. And she exists.

“Why do you stare at me like that? As if I’m going to get up and leave you all alone. You know I should never do that. That thought would never even dare to cross my mind!”

She was surprised to hear it. After all, they just been dating for a few weeks. And as usual she was making one of her deprecating jokes. This was the first relationship that she’s had that wasn’t a total dumpster fire from the get-go. I mean, it took her weeks to begin talking to him, and not to mention that her friends had to push her in one big group to go talk to him. She was positive, but deep down she felt a sense of uncertainty, like something would go wrong at any moment. However, she was met with the most positive experience she could’ve had. Not only did they talk, but they exchanged numbers and they walked home together. A week after that he had asked her out, and they went on a small nondescript date, which ended up blowing her expectations out of the water. First, she had expected the date to go all right and things to go smoothly, but her partner being the surprising person he was, made the date like The ones from the movies. You know, the ones where they look into each others eyes as a soft breeze gently flows through their hair. The one where they have a sense of knowing that this is the person they’re going to spend the rest of their life with. After that, they went on maybe one or two more dates before he had asked her to be his girlfriend. Again, he was acting like a character from a 2000s romcom, asked her out on a picnic, bought her flowers and then dropped the question. She looked at him with this belief, and that’s when he blew up. I was baffling to him that she couldn’t see how beautiful she was. How deserving she was, and how what he did with the absolute bare minimum to do for someone you’re interested in.

“You are enough. You’re never going to have to go through another heartbreak again.”

He meant it. He grabbed her hand hugged her, and they enjoyed the rest of their day underneath the sunset.

You could hear the ocean waves collide with the sand, as if they longed for each other. As the waves gently touched the shore I felt the dewy grass touching my back feathers, companied with a soft wind that I could feel on my beak. I smell the ocean, the grass, the moisture in the air, but I’m scared to open my eyes. 

“Nieves…Nieves, wake up…” a strange voice whispered.

That voice sounds like yours, reminding me of the time you sang to me when you would cradle me in your hands,  When you would ever so softly caress the top of my small head with your fingertips. Slowly passing your fingertips by every feather.

“No, I don’t want to,” I responded to the strange voice.

“Nieves, what’s been done has been done. The past can’t be rewritten no matter how much we want it to,” the strange voice said.

That voice didn’t sound like yours anymore, it was the voice of a man. It has such a mellow tone, with just the sound of his voice my fear melted away. He placed his hand lightly on my chest, it was warm and delicate like your hands. But you weren’t here, in this unknown place I find myself in.

“Wh-Where are we?” I asked.

The strange man removed his hand from my chest, “This place, this is where sadness and pain doesn’t exist. Where you’ll never go hungry, where you’ll never feel fear, only joy and happiness.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nieves… This is Nirvana, paradise, the Garden of Eden, life after death.”

“Wha-What? What do you mean? I-I’m… I’m dead?”

“Open your eyes Nieves, and you’ll see,” the strange man said.

I slowly opened my eyes, as my eyes were slowly blinded by the light, as if I had my eyes shut for days. I see a blue cloudless sky, as if I was staring at a calm waveless ocean. I could feel more of the grassy dew as I lay on my back, the scent of the ocean grew stronger. I gradually turned my head to the stranger man, I needed to know who he was and if what he said was true. Our eyes locked onto each other, all I could see was an empty abyss in place of eyes. He looked like what ancient scriptures described him as, a skeleton cloaked in a black veil and with a large scythe in one hand. He was on one knee, using his scythe as a support, he placed his hand back on my chest.

“It’s time to go little one, I’ll take you to a place where you can fly freely with your kind and others,” Death said.

“How? How can your hand be so warm?” I asked.

Death chuckled as he stood up and answered, “I’m not as scary as living beings make me to be. This other world is just a second beginning.”

I wiggled a bit as I flipped myself over on my feet. My back all the way to my tail feathers were wet because of the grass. I turned around to the direction Death was facing, we were on a small cliff next to a beach. I looked out into the distance and the ocean seemed to be never ending. I looked up and noticed there was no Sun, no Moon, no stars, just an endless cloudless blue sky. I turned to face Death and just like the humans I was fairly small, only reaching midway of his shins. 

I looked up at Death and asked, “So what now?”

“I’m going to guide you to a place where there are other birds like yourself flying free, where you’ll wait for her,” Death said.

“Her? You mean-”

“Yes, your human companion, Rea. You’ll wait with the rest of the birds of Heaven, and once you are reunited with your human companion you may cross the Rainbow Bridge together in order to enter true paradise,” Death responded.

Rea, we’ll be reunited once again. So I may sing to you as you sang to me once again. So you can hold me in your arms again. Soon we’ll meet again so I can tell you how much I’ve missed you my dear Rea.

“Let’s go, Nieves, the other birds can’t wait to meet you,” Death said.

Death started walking in the opposite direction of the  ocean, as I took one last glance at the endless ocean I turned around and followed him. Soon I’ll see you again, Rea, as promised.

“On the count of three we will call the elevators down, go in and pick a random floor level. If we pick the same floor number, it’s because we are meant to be, and if not then. . .” His voice went from excitement to a soft sad melody. I placed my hands over my ears, I couldn’t bear to hear what his next words would be.

“Hey” his voice had softened, he pulled me in and I was pressed up against his chest. I inhaled in his heavenly scent as is his hazelnut eyes looked down at me so sweetly, “I know it’s a tough decision, but we both agreed” he sighed. In less than a week I would be off to Penn state and he would be staying. He didn’t believe in long distance relationships working out so if we ended up on different floors it would be a mutual break up. If it was mutual then why could I feel my heart ready to jump out and run.

I nodded shyly, I could feel tears puddling at my eyes and I quickly swiped them away with the sleeves of my rough coat. We were recreating a scene from our favorite movie, Serendipity, when Sara and Jonathan choose an elevator floor to see if they could exchange numbers. Instead we were deciding the fate of our relationship. The elevator up button felt icy cold on my fingertips, maybe it was a sign of bad luck but both elevators on opposite ends opened at the same time. I stepped inside and turned around to get one last look at him, he was wearing the navy-blue cashmere sweater I had gotten him last Christmas, but now I could only remember how soft it had felt in my hands. The doors started closing, I walked over towards the middle to get one last look at him as they closed.

I looked at the elevator floor buttons, thirty-six floors, and I had to pick one. My fingers quickly flew over all of them until they finally landed on a random number. Floor twenty-three lit up a bright yellow orange as the rest stayed a ghostly white. The smell of caramelized almonds filled my nostrils as I took a deep breath in. I guess someone with Nuts for Nuts had been inside before me. I could feel a huge smile creeping on my heart as I remembered how much he loves caramelize almonds. I took it as a good sign. I swore the elevator ride was going too slow and so I began to pace across the small elevator. What if he was already there, what if he picked a different floor. Could he be regretting this as much as I was? I looked up to see what floor we were on, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three…

*DING*

She’s sitting over there, four rows up to the right of me. Beautiful glowing skin, green eyes, and dimples the size of 10-carat diamonds. Ugh, I wish my crippling social anxiety would let me make my fantasy come true. But no. Her name is Maria Fernandez, and I’ve known her since we got lost together at orientation last year and had about a four-minute conversation. It wasn’t much, just how we didn’t know where we were going, and we were nervous about starting high school. It was an accomplishment for me for somebody who has a mini panic attack every time I speak to somebody. I still remember the last thing I said to her, “Good luck in big boy school.” Corny, yes, lame, defiantly, but that was the first thing that came to mind. One year later, that remains the last words I’ve ever said to her. We didn’t share any classes freshman year, and she would go on to be semi-popular while I kept to myself and got by. I was so afraid of eye contact I’d immediately look down if I knew she was around.
But that was last year. Today’s the first day of sophomore year, and there she is, first period, in my class. My therapist said to overcome my fears. I’m going to have to embrace discomfort if I want to evolve. So imma doing it. I’m going to talk to her.
As the class is about to end, the teacher is giving his last few remarks. The nervous energy that’s become all too familiar seeps through my body. Either I’m going to fiddle my thumbs and stay here until she walks out, or I’m going to do something I should have done months ago. It’s now or never. Almost instinctively, as the bell rings and she walks by, I slowly put my head in my bag as looking for something I knew I didn’t need. When I came up, she had walked out of the class, and I knew I blew my chance. Annoyed, but I was trying to stay optimistic, telling myself it was sophomore year and, unlike last year, I’d have more opportunity.

Yea.. I got scared. Enjoy this fiction scene I wrote.

It’s sunset in Brooklyn, New York. MIGUEL is smoking a 5 inch joint in the backyard of his apartment. The backyard is mostly cement with cracks on the wall where his apartment is, cracks on the ground and a little garden that has 6 foot trees covered in soil and cat feces. The area where MIGUEL is sitting is covered in corona glass bottles along with a cooler filled with alcoholic drinks next to him. There are lights, cheap Christmas lights, hanging from a fence that surrounds the little garden. As he smokes, he has headphones plugged into his phone with the song Billie Jean being played. MIGUEL is on a chair that allows him to lay down. His best friend JESUS storms in through the door outside which is unlocked. 

JESUS storms into the backyard where MIGUEL is singing and dancing all while laying down in his chair with a joint in his hand.

JESUS: I CALLED YOU 13 FUCKING TIMES!

MIGUEL has his eyes closed, singing along to Put in your head on my shoulder that is playing through his headphones. He is waving his hands side to side.

MIGUEL: Put your head on my shoulder. Hold me in your arms, baby.

JESUS yanks the headphones out of MIGUEL’S ears. Miguel jumps, opens his eyes and notices JESUS.

MIGUEL: WHAT THE FU… JESUS BRO!!! Bro, I fucking love you bro.

MIGUEL stands up to hug JESUS but JESUS denies him and pushes him hard enough to the ground.

MIGUEL: Fuck. I ain’t know it’s one of these parties.

MIGUEL continues to dance while on the floor.

JESUS: I called you 13 times.

MIGUEL: Did you?

MIGUEL checks his phone.

MIGUEL:  Dam. I thought that was part of the song.

JESUS: Do you have any idea what today is?

MIGUEL: No. Enlighten me.

JESUS: Today was the day our lives could’ve changed. But no, you fucked that. 

MIGUEL: I’m going to be honest with you, I have no clue what you are talking about and your vibe is really killing me. 

JESUS: Look at you. You don’t even care. 

MIGUEL: What should I even care about again?

JESUS: THE MILLER CUNNINGHAM DEAL!!!

MIGUEL looks confused.

MIGUEL: What the fuck is that?

JESUS: We had The Friday in our hands. The meeting was today and you didn’t show up.

MIGUEL: What the fuck does that got to do with me?

JESUS: YOU HAVE THE FUCKING DOCUMENTS! YOU HAVE THE ONLY SCRIPT! WE WOULD’VE HAD MORE BUT YOUR PARANOID ASS FUCKED THAT!

MIGUEL: That was today? Oh well. We’ll just do that Texas thing the studio was talking about.

MIGUEL picks up the headphones and puts them back in his ears. He continues to smoke his joint. JESUS sees this and smacks the joint out of his hand, reaches into MIGUEL’S pocket, grabs his phone and throws it into the wall to the left of him. MIGUEL looks in the center after this unfolds. MIGUEL then proceeds to look at JESUS.

MIGUEL: If The bros paid ryan about 25 mil for that lantern movie, then our studio can sure as hell give me 300 bucks for a NEW FUCKING PHONE!

JESUS shakes his head.

JESUS: Look at you. Look at where you are. You think the studio gives a fuck for you. They see you and they pity you. The only reason why you’re still a thing is because I vouched for you.

MIGUEL: Vouched for me?

JESUS: Yea.

MIGUEL: Vouched these nuts in your fucking face.

JESUS: See. Look at yourself. Do you think anyone takes you seriously?

MIGUEL: Hell fucking yea.

JESUS: NO ONE TAKES YOU SERIOUSLY! When everyone sees you it’s like they’re looking at a homeless man who stumbled across our set. When they see you, do you honestly believe they want to look at you? They look at you as a reminder. 

MIGUEL smirks.

MIGUEL: Oh yea? And what’s that?

JESUS: To remind themselves what a lost and forgotten man looks like.

Miguel stands up and grabs a beer from the cooler beside him.

MIGUEL: Lost? Forgotten? If I’m lost, then guide me.

JESUS: Are you kidding me?

MIGUEL: I wanna laugh but you killed the joy to laugh at this point so no, I’m not joking. Guide me. You say I’m lost and it seems you got the map to everything, so show me where to go. Point to it. 

JESUS: I’ve tried helping you. I did everything possible.

MIGUEL: Helping me? You tried helping me?

JESUS: YES! Who do you think paid for all your rehabs? Who vouched for you everytime you came to the studio drunk or high? Who do you think told your mom not to worry every time you went on social media and threaten suicide? ME!! IT WAS ALL ME!! 

JESUS begins to cry.

MIGUEL: You want a beer? Looks like you need it.

JESUS trips to wipe the tears off his face.

JESUS: Fuck you. I’m done with you. 

MIGUEL: You were done with me 10 years ago.

JESUS: You’re still going. Look me in the eye and tell me that?

MIGUEL walks towards JESUS with his drink in his hand. MIGUEL is now face to face with JESUS. MIGUEL looks at him for 10 seconds and takes a sip of his beer. 

MIGUEL: You were done with me 10 years ago.

JESUS looks at MIGUEL for 10 seconds. JESUS then looks at the bottom left of the floor and begins shaking his head.

JESUS: Okay.

JESUS pushes MIGUEL and proceeds to punch MIGUEL knocking him down to the floor. JESUS begins walking away towards the door outside. MIGUEL is on the floor and repositions himself to face JESUS who is walking away. MIGUEL is now positioned where he can see JESUS leaving. MIGUEL is crying. 

MIGUEL: WALK AWAY!!! YOU ALWAYS WALK AWAY!!!

JESUS stops. He is standing outside the gate with his back turned away from MIGUEL. Miguel is still crying.

MIGUEL: FUCK!!! Jesus please come back. I can fucking see you. Come back please. I’m sorry. I’ll do better. I’ll go to rehab. I’ll do anything, just please come back. 

JESUS is standing there still with back turned from MIGUEL. JESUS begins to cry. JESUS closes his eyes. He opens his eyes.  He begins walking away. JESUS walks towards the car he drove there with and gets in. MIGUEL stands up once he hears the car turn on and tries to follow JESUS but it’s too late. He drives off. 

MIGUEL: FUCK!!!

MIGUEL continues to cry. MIGUEL put his shirt over his face to wipe off the blood and tears off his face. He screams as loud as he can. He stands there looking in the center with tear drops coming down his face. He goes back to the backyard. He walks over to his cooler and picks up a new beer. He walks around the yard. 

MIGUEL: I’m lost. No one will care. No one will remember. 

MIGUEL takes a sip of his beer, throws it across the backyard and walks towards the garden. He hops over the fence. He is now in the garden. He uses a shovel that was already there and begins shoveling the dirt out of the ground.

MIGUEL: You’re doing the right thing for everyone. It’s okay. Don’t cry.

MIGUEL stops shoveling as the shovel bangs onto something. MIGUEL throws the shovel away. Miguel drops to his knees and begins to put his hand into the spot where he shoveled. He then picks up a beretta that was in the spot where he had shoveled. He then gets up from his knees and hops over the fence. He walks and stumbles to his chair. He picks up a new beer with one hand while the beretta is on the other one. He opens the beer and decides not to take a sip. He lays there with the beretta in his hand. He looks down at the beretta. He puts his shirt over his face to wipe the tears and blood off his face. He looks down at the beretta. 

MIGUEL: Guide me.

Lights go out. End of scene.

I can see you at the end of the screen. You’re reading this. Why? It’s close to Halloween. Watch Something. Watch Halloween Kills. That movie in my eyes…BANGER. You know what I’ve come to realize. Steve from Blues Clues came back. Why? Is he in debt? You’re reading this and you’re probably wondering, How the fuck is this a flash fiction story. I’m going to be honest with you…It’s currently 12:39 am and all those words that you just read are my thoughts at this time of the hour. Yea.. I fucked up bad. To anyone currently reading…I’m going to be honest, I’m currently writing this on the top of my brain while taking a shit. I missed two classes. That is not good. Not at all. I’ve read you’re story. It was really good. The attention to imagery is just amazing. You my friend, You are going places for sure. I should probably start actually writing now. Well, here is a preview to a piece of dialogue I did for a project that will never see the light of day. Enjoy.

HUNTER: You’ve always been stubborn. You’re blinded by love and oblivious to the hate I have for the world you fixated in your head. This world isn’t sunshine and love. This world deteriorates in front of us but you choose to look the other way in hopes that the flames stop and beautiful flowers grow through the cracks. Just let me die in peace Sophia.

SOPHIA: When I first met you, people told me to keep walking and don’t look back. They told me you were a man who killed anyone who looked at you or your brothers wrong. That he didn’t love anyone and that if you were to look into your eyes, you would be staring into the devil’s eyes. When I looked at you that night, was I looking at the devil?

HUNTER: It’s something you shouldn’t be asking me. Everyone has their own perception of life. So, that night, October 30th, 1978, did you lock eyes with the devil?

That’s enough. Speaking of the devil, this is also a sneak peek of another project that I hope to finish writing and direct by the year 2050. Enjoy.

The scratching stops. MICHAELA hears the scratching stop and comes from underneath the blanket. To her sight, she is now at her elementary school. She is in the middle of her classroom. In the daylight, this classroom is filled with smiles and tunes of laughter coming from the children who come to learn. Now, the classroom is gray and muddy.

This isn’t good at all but it was fun. Feel free to butcher it in the comments and in my blackboard. I gotta go to bed. Remember this though…..

I’M BATMAN.

“I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting,” Liliane says as she breaks the silence. Her voice echos through the empty room that seemed to go on for miles.

“About?” Amelia inquires. Taking a glance around the room, she notices that the once red-stained walls had now been painted white. It had been a while since she stepped into the residence that used to be her second home.

“Life,” a vague answer comes from Liliane that causes an eyebrow raise from Amelia. Liliane was now staring out the window, looking into the gloomy sky. If not for the genuine concern, Amelia might’ve laughed at how dramatic this looked. 

“Gotta be more specific than that Lils” Amelia jokes, trying to get a smile out of the suddenly serious and seemingly queasy older woman. It had been strange being back here, still in confusion as to what caused the sudden invitation, but Amelia figured she would find out soon enough.

“I gave up everything for this, everything and now it’s gone. What do I have now? Who do I have now?” Liliane says bitterly. Amelia goes to say something, though somewhat at a loss for words when Liliane cuts her off.

“This lifestyle was the only thing I desired. To have a whole world of supporters, and yet I look around in times like these, and I have no one. All those awards, recognitions, everything was just a waste. Turning away happiness for what I felt was best for my career” a sharp intake at the words coming out of her own mouth. Amelia begins to get up, wanting to sit closer to her old friend who was growing increasingly distressed.

“I’m sick, Amelia” Liliane states in a cold manner as she begins to walk out of the room, leaving Amelia to wonder what the hell to do with this.