Short Stories and Prompt Postings

Written in The Water

Run.

Run.
R u N
RRr Uu NNNN

Her mind is panicked, her thoughts unable to be sifted apart from the terror climbing from the pit of her stomach to the knot in her throat.

She turns quickly, knocking over the chair she was already standing in front of, as well as the coffee table. Cold mashed potatoes scatter to the ground, catching on every surface and sticking in an awkward goop on her bare feet.

Having cold mashed potatoes on her feet, was the least of her worries at that moment.

- - -

"FUCK! Are you kidding me? We're playing this game again?!" He yelled, red in the face as he tried to snatch the phone from me. I was quick, used to his movements, and growing up surrounded by asses, I learn to be quick.

"More like, you're playing this game again! I asked you not to flirt with her, and here you are- Messages! She's sending winky faces!" I shout back, frustrated, hurt- but not crying. No- I won't cry, this is never anything to cry about. I don't quite remember when I stopped trying to win him over, but I was told he would do this- flirt with all the younger girls. He's not like a dog, he's like a cat. Comes and goes as he pleases. Fuck!

He scratches the side of his head, short dark hair going between his fingers- the same fingers that held onto mine during our dates. I forgave and forgave, and believed his words of change. Here I am, being played? We've been dating for years-- YEARS and this- bullshit!

"I'm done!" I swivel on my heel, a little too much, and end up doing a 270 instead of my wish of a quick easy turn. Suppose I cleaned the floors too well the other night...

"Wait! Babe, where are you going?! I promise I wasn't flirting! I was just being nice!" He sounds apologetic, he always is. My anger is only fueled and I turn towards the cabin door, almost STOMPING as I unlock the three locks and slam open the door.

"I'm done! Third time is the charm, yeah? Here's my fucking charm." I can't help but turn swiftly, I can't feel my volume, but I might be screaming... He looks shocked, halting in his steps as I give him a sickly sweet grin, the kind I've given to him in the past when I am truly dropping all the horse shit.

Raising my hand to my lips, I blow him a kiss, before I turn- short hair bobbing as I grab my cap and keys from the rack. He yells out to me but I ignore him. It's not raining, it's just dark and my car can fuckin' handle the dark and the ride.

I slam open my truck door- get in. He tries to run up to my window, but he knows better than to try to touch me. I'm hell. "Babe, please. Just- call me when you get where you're going?"

"Bye asshole." I say, eyes refusing to drop any tears as I simply turn the key, the engine loud over his words as I reverse, and then drive out. The forest isn't too dense and there are lamp-posts every so often, I know this cabin road like the back of my hand- and yet..

I slow the car down as I approach a well. I.. Don't remember taking a turn, or doing anything different? I took the same road. And yet...

There's.. A well, with a river not too far away. A wells placement right next to a river seems a little... odd.

"...What the fuck?" Moving closer to the well, I glance over to look for a handle or bucket. Strange enough there actually.. Is a bucket (rope attached) , with a bottle already within it. Squinting in confusion I curiously pull up the rope before checking the bucket. The bucket has both water, and a bottle with a papernote placed within it.

I grab the bottle and try to pry out the cork. My nails aren't long enough for this, and my pocket knife is too dull. I grumble a bit before moving over to one of the rocks near the river and try to just.... ..

Glancing left and right, I check for anybody around. This is probably not the best thing for the environment, right? Too bad.

SMASH

Breaking the glass bottle into pieces, the paper unfurls, falling into the river. I grasp onto the paper with quick hands, water splashing onto my face as I almost fall headfirst, slipping off the rocks. This wouldn't hurt me or anything. It's a shallow riverbank. I'm just an idiot it seems...

My eyes scour the paper, the ink is running but.. It's legible.

"LEAVE HIM"

"Thanks Cryptid Well. I already know." I snickered and crumpled up the paper, tossing it into the river as I climbed back into my truck.

I was fine before I met him, and I will be fine without him.

/   /   /   /   /

This month's contest: Some call music a universal language. Everyone has a favorite song, whatever genre it may be. For many writers, music inspires us and gives us motivation to write. For this month's prompt, find a song lyric, verse, or just an entire song in general and write a story about it. Does this song make you feel a certain way? Or do you think it's telling a story? It's up to you. 

I'm within a Wattpad Discord Group called Apples of Wattpad, and they do contests every month and I decided to participate. I think I'll do my best to make this a reoccurring thing, to help me get back into writing. 

Thank you for reading!

-Anna