A Long Ways From Home- part 1

She studied herself in the mirror just as she had always done, but today was different. The lines and wrinkles in her face seemed to be deeper than they had ever been, they appeared to her as canyons. The dark circles under her hazel eyes looked a deep dark purple, making her already pale skin even paler, almost ghost like, and that’s exactly what she felt like. A ghost of her former self. Her once beautiful long Sunkist hair, now had start to develop the gray strands she had always dreaded. She had grown tired. Her once slim figure almost seemed skeleton like these days. She wondered to herself when was the last time she had eaten a decent meal. Seemed ages ago. Life had worn her thin and sickly since the death of her husband James.

On this day, the first anniversary of his death, she noticed for the first time how dramatically her life had changed. James was her only family, and her one solace in this dark and forever changing world. Without him her life had gone stale, breathing just for the sake of doing so, living each day just like the last. Work, eat, sleep, and repeat. She longed for something more. She carried this thought with her as she got ready for the day ahead. Persephone (most people called her Persse) had decided to take the day off from her mundane office job, one that never held much value to her other than to pay bills and put food on the table. She wanted to visit his grave. She got dressed in her best black dress, a simple fitted black dress, but James had always loved the way that certain dress looked on her, and besides black just seemed fitting for the occasion she thought.

Once she arrived she spent many moments just sitting in her old run down Ford explorer, pondering to even get out. She didn’t know what to expect or what kind of emotions would come into play. She finally made the move, slowly approaching his grave. As she stared down the only thing she could manage to say to the stone was “I miss you darling”. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her mind started racing. What would he say if he seen me today? Suck it up princess, life aint that bad. Yeah that’s definitely what he would say. He was always unapologetically blunt, and she always admired him for that.

She laid down a small portrait next to his headstone, it was the last photo taken of them together. She lingered on this for a moment, he looked so healthy and lively in that photo, as did she. One of her last moments of true happiness captured in that single photo. It was hard to let go. She knew in order for her to live like James wanted her to, she had to. This small act was her only way, if she physically let go of something, maybe she could also let go in her mind, she knew it would be not that easy, but it was her first step.

Persse decided today she would visit her favorite coffee shop. She had been a hundred times before with James but this would be the first time going without him. She ordered a large plain black coffee and sat at a small table. Staring off into the distance she thought about him. She remembered all the good things and tried her best to pull herself together. She had to learn how to become human again, instead of being this bland robot of a person she had been for the previous year. Its her time to turn the new leaf.

Suddenly a person appeared at her table, this person seemed eerily familiar but she couldn’t place her finger on it. “Persse? Persse! Oh my goodness how have you been?” She then realized who was standing in front of her. It was her childhood friend from school, Malory. Persephone hadn’t seen this woman in years, and boy have the years been kind to her. She was perfectly proportioned in every way. Long luscious brown hair, beautiful brown eyes, almost as if the years haven’t changed her at all. Persephone spoke “Malory, oh wow you look amazing, I’ve been doing better, thank you.”

Malory then proceeded to take the vacant seat across from her. She spoke of her travels, her love life, her home, and just about everything under the sun to keep a conversation going, but Persephone mostly just listened as she tried to remember how to engage in normal conversation. Persephone then began to tell her about her life after school. Finding her prince charming, getting married soon after, her troubles bearing children, his sudden sickness and the year leading up to his death. Malory looked taken aback as she had told her today was the year anniversary of his passing. That then began the beginning of the long silence held between them, as Malory tried desperately to find words to say. “Its okay Malory, we don’t have to talk about it. You don’t have to say anything” Malory looked relieved to hear that, and to be honest Persephone didn’t really want to talk about it either, she only wanted to remember the good. To honor him the way he deserved. Malory seemed to understand this.

They chatted for a long while, so long that Persephone hadn’t even realized it had grown dark outside. It felt good to talk to someone, especially someone she had known so well in the past. Malory had seemed to be enjoying herself as well, which made her feel even better. It meant that maybe she wasn’t as hopeless as she thought. Maybe being human isn’t so far fetched. Malory checked her phone, “oh my, Persse I have to go I didn’t realize it had gotten so late, but hey, I’m actually going to meet some friends for a get together tonight, would you like to come, id love to have you there!” Persephone was torn, so she decided to decline. It was nice while it lasted, and the small encounter was exactly what she needed but she didn’t feel ready to be around large groups of people, not just yet. Malory seemed genuinely disappointed but also seemed to hold a look of concerned understanding. She insisted that Persephone took her number so they could chat again later and catch up some more. Then they parted ways.

It was going to be a long drive home for Persse, it was about an hour trip home from the coffee shop. An hour didn’t seem to last as long before, but time seemed to stretch on. She had always hated driving at night. She flipped on the radio to her favorite classic rock station, to help avoid thinking any further about James, or her regret for declining Malory. As she looked out her windshield at the road she couldn’t help but notice just how dark it really was outside. There was no moon, no street lamp. Just lonely stretch of dark road, or so she thought.

Just up ahead she could barely make out the flashing lights, as she got closer she realized it was another vehicles hazards flashing. As she approached she saw what looked like the same car Malory had drove off in, a rather nice newer SUV. Curiosity had gotten the best of her so she had decided to pull over and investigate. As she approached the vehicle she was surprised to meet a very frantic Malory, what where the odds she thought to herself, but her thoughts were soon changed as her and Malory met. “what happened here Mal?” and almost before Persephone could finish her sentence Malory cut her off “look I was wrong for approaching you today, we should never have spoke, run Persse, you need to run”.

Here it is you guys my first part of my new fiction writing im starting! Hope you enjoy!! Its not perfect but I tried!!! Let me know what yall think. Part 2 hopefully posted tomorrow!!

PICTURES TAKEN FROM PIXABAY AND ARE NOT MINE