The Promise

I've decided to post my short stories here! Some of them are too personal (I have a habit of putting people and events disguised into my stories, and some of it isn't so disguised...), but most of them I don't mind. Don't even THINK about stealing my work.

HAH! You thought about it! You thought about it! Lol, just kidding. But seriously. I really don't think any of y'all would do that, but I'm just saying "don't" anyway.

My very most favorite short story is called "Cinderella's Fairy Godmother," but it's not on this computer and I can't get it from the other computer because it doesn't have internet so I can't email it to myself and I don't have a flash drive. GRRR! So, I'll have to post a more mediocre story. >:( The one I'll be doing is called "The Promise." And I hate it. HATE IT. It's soooooooooooo cheesy. *rolls eyes* Okay, here it is. (I don't mind if you comment on how cheesy it is. It doesn't bother me.)

Written Friday, January 30th, 2009

Addie looked up at the stars and tried to not think about her brother. The wind blew. Addie shivered. She felt warm wetness fill her eyes. The night was very black; the stars were very white. Suddenly, everything blurred and Addie felt the wetness trail down her cheeks and turn cold, like her heart. Her heart felt very cold and very warm at the same time. Cold because she was so lonesome. Warm because the hurt for her brother was so hot and real. She felt rooted to the spot, but she knew that if she didn't stop stargazing and go inside she would fall apart.

In an enormous exercise of willpower, Addie pulled herself inside the mud and straw hut she was forced to call home and shut the door behind her. The hut was empty of life, excepting herself, of course, and even Addie did not feel very alive.

She did not eat the hunk of bread that usually sufficed for her supper, but went straight to her straw tick mattress and lay down. When she closed her eyes, a few more tears slid down her nose and temples. She could not stop thinking about her brother. She wanted to forget him. To remember would only make her unhappy. But still she clung desperately to the memory of his smile, his green eyes that sparkled, his messy brown hair, his strong tan arms that had held her when she was frightened as a child.

A broken sob tore from Addie's tightly shut mouth. He was gone forever. She had loved him so much, and now he was gone. She would likely never see him again. Slaves from different masters rarely saw each other. Addie felt almost as if he had died. She was glad he was in the world somewhere, even if he would never be with her. At least he would be with someone. He could help someone else, she supposed. But he ought to here all the same, helping her.

Addie desperately covered her ears, trying to block out the inner voice that screamed out every memory she had of him, reciting them almost just to torture herself. If this pain was the only link to him, so be it.

But Addie would not forget. She refused to forget. He would live in her memory forever. She would miss him forever and ever.

So Addie lay there missing him. Missing the way he laughed at her fears and explained how he would protect her from them. Missing the sound of that laugh. Missing the sparkle of his eyes. Missing his rough hands when they joined with hers to pray over their meager dinners. Missing him confiding in her about his dreams of freedom. Missing him explaining things to her that she didn't understand.

Missing his face.

Missing his presence.

Missing him.

Addie missed him very much. And she always would. No one would ever replace him as long as she lived. She felt very sure of that.

She wondered if he could possibly be missing her as much as she missed him. She didn't think so. She could see how that was possible. She dreadfully hoped he did miss her. She felt sure he would. He had always felt strongly about her. He had been very particular about the way his friends treated her. And he had promised Addie that if they ever got separated, he would do everything he could to get them back together.

To get them back together.

Addie suddenly sat straight up on her mattress.

Maybe there was hope. Maybe he really would find a way that they could be together again.
The tears ran faster, warmer than before, because this time, they were joyful tears, hopeful tears. Her brother would find her. He would see that they were reunited. He had never broken a promise before. Of course he would come! Oh why hadn't she thought of this before?
Addie suddenly felt very tired. She smiled and lay back down. He would come for her. Everything would be alright.

With that promise in mind, she drifted pleasantly off to sleep.

Addie awoke with the Promise in mind. She got dressed with the Promise in mind. She ate breakfast with the Promise in mind. She went to work in the fields with the Promise in mind. She came home to her hut with the Promise in mind. She ate her supper with the Promise in mind, and she went to bed again with the Promise in mind.

This went on for over a year.

Addie's brother never came. For the first few weeks, and even months, Addie's hope never swayed, never died, never faltered. But after a year, the terrible feeling that her brother had not kept his promise began to weigh on her with a tremendous force. She told herself he would come yet, she had only to wait.

A few days into year two without her brother, a messenger came who had the same master as Addie's brother. Addie ran into the messenger but by chance. The messenger met her in the field while she was working and said to her,

"Excuse me, I'm from Master Rode and I was wondering if you could point me to the main house, please?"

Addie could barely breathe. Master Rode was who had bought her brother.

"My brother," Addie managed breathlessly. "Do you know my brother?" The messenger frowned and asked who her brother was. Addie told him. The messenger's face lit up.

"Oh! I know him. Yes, everyone does. He's a favorite of everyone's, the master's, too," he answered. Addie was suddenly filled with hope.

"Then you might answer a question about him for me?" she asked. The messenger said he would. "Is he…is my brother trying…to…see me?" The messenger knew what she meant. To the slaves, "trying to see someone" meant trying to runaway to visit a friend or family member.
Addie waited anxiously for the reply. Of course, she already knew her brother was trying to see her, but it would be nice to hear someone else say it. The messenger hesitated, and Addie's heart stopped.

"I'm afraid not," he said finally. Addie stared.

It felt like the world had crashed—and landed on her, too. It honestly seemed like her vision had shattered, or turned to black and white. One of them, or maybe both. It was hard to tell with the tears and everything.

The messenger seemed very sorry.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," he muttered. "I'm terribly sorry." Addie shook her head and swallowed her tears.

"No, it isn't your fault," she said. Her voice was shrill. She trembled. "But…do you know…why?" The messenger looked down and shrugged.

"No, please! Tell me," Addie cried. The tears were back. The messenger looked up.
"He says he likes the new Master's estate," he mumbled. "He's afraid to come for you. He doesn't want to upset things with Master Rode."

Addie felt very sick inside. Her heart hurt, too. She thanked the messenger, pointed him in the direction of the main house, and fled to her hut.

She burst through the door and shut it behind her. Everything she knew and felt and ever dreamed of shattered. He wouldn't come. He liked his new life better. All the togetherness hadn't mattered to him apparently.

Addie lay down on her mattress and cried until someone came and made her go back to work. She did work. She worked, ate, breathed, and slept every few days.

But she didn't feel the same towards her brother. Or anyone else. Ever.

Not ever again.

At least, she hasn't yet.

Lol, CHEEEEEESY! And mostly just plain stupid. I wrote it fast when I was bored. All the short stories I like are on that other computer I told you about. GRR.

I'll post better ones later. Eventually. As soon as I can find a flashdrive.

Maybe I'll go into an analysis of this story tomorrow...depends on how bored I am, haha! TTYL! Thanks for reading!