MRPolo13
The Arbiter of the Gods
Seeing as Halloween's drawing near, and for many-a-person it's apparently a decently big deal, I decided to post a story I made up. Seeing as we're all part of the internet culture, I thought it'd be an interesting idea. Perhaps not a horror story as such. Please take this purely as a written piece.
WARNING: Some may find the theme itself too strong. Please do not read if themes of implied suicide and violence can be painful to you. Thank you and happy Halloween.
She was crying. She often did. I felt bad, I really did, but I was helpless. We were separated by a monitor, and thousands of miles of land and ocean. The only thing that truly connected us were our screens and the internet. She often called me and we'd talk for hours. Such a talented, beautiful girl, who was getting wasted away by her parents' incompetence.
Over the past three years we talked, but I slowly tried to grow emotionless, cynical. It was simply easier - I didn't want to stop with my life just because someone else was suffering. Hell, if I was to do that for every human being on Earth I'd probably die of age before getting even quarter of the way through.
Sometimes she laughed. Her laugh was beautiful and clear, and only given when truly meant. It was a gift. Today wasn't one of those happy days.
She was crying about school. For months she needed new shoes and her parents couldn't afford them. Children, being children, obviously did all they could to make her life harder, and there was no way I could help. I was unemployed and even if I could afford it, I don't know how I would send her the money. Most I could do is to comfort her, trying my best to make her smile again. Just the week before I promised to visit her as soon as I had the money. That was the happiest I've seen her for months.
"Dan?" her voice snapped me out of concentrating on my game. This was part of the way I tried to grow emotionless. I played games and waited for her to calm herself.
"Yes?" I replied, making my voice sweet as usual when talking with her.
"When are you coming to visit me?"
"As soon as I have the money," I chuckled lightly. "I already told you."
"And when is that?"
"I don't know... I tell you what though, in two weeks' time my dad will give me back the money he owes me, five hundred Dollars. It'll be enough to visit you for a week. How does that sound?"
She giggled happily, her previous sadness not visible any longer.
"Why didn't you tell me, Dan?"
"I wanted to keep it as surprise. But now is as good a time as any other, hmn?"
She fell silent. After a moment, I heard her again.
"It... It might be too late," a faint whisper reached my ear.
"What? How?"
"Can... Can you promise me something?"
"Depends... I can try?"
"Promise you'll stay with me."
I thought about it for a moment. I tried to push away the thought that I loved her, but I did. I only denied it to myself. She was bright, pretty girl.
"Always... I'll always be with you," I replied, not lying. Only couple of months and I could visit her.
"It's getting late. I have to go now," I said as the clock in the corner of my monitor turned to 10 PM.
"What? Noo... stay. Please?"
"But I have to. We'll talk tomorrow, right?"
"But you promised you'll stay with me."
"Not constantly. I need to sleep, I have school tomorrow."
"I... I died."
Skype call being closed by her finished the brief silence of microphone ambiance. I sighed and switched off my computer, still staring at the monitor for some moments as it turned black, her words ringing in my ears. 'I died'... What could she mean?.
"Stay with me," A whisper reached me from behind. I turned abruptly to see her face - pale and twisted, a rope hanging off her neck. I gasped in shock and fear, nowhere to run. She came up to me and grabbed my shoulder.
A TEENAGER WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS BEDROOM THIS MORNING. MEDICAL EXAMINERS SAY THAT THOUGH RARE, HEART ATTACKS DO OCCASIONALLY OCCUR WITH TEENAGERS AND POINT TO NATURAL CAUSES.
WARNING: Some may find the theme itself too strong. Please do not read if themes of implied suicide and violence can be painful to you. Thank you and happy Halloween.
She was crying. She often did. I felt bad, I really did, but I was helpless. We were separated by a monitor, and thousands of miles of land and ocean. The only thing that truly connected us were our screens and the internet. She often called me and we'd talk for hours. Such a talented, beautiful girl, who was getting wasted away by her parents' incompetence.
Over the past three years we talked, but I slowly tried to grow emotionless, cynical. It was simply easier - I didn't want to stop with my life just because someone else was suffering. Hell, if I was to do that for every human being on Earth I'd probably die of age before getting even quarter of the way through.
Sometimes she laughed. Her laugh was beautiful and clear, and only given when truly meant. It was a gift. Today wasn't one of those happy days.
She was crying about school. For months she needed new shoes and her parents couldn't afford them. Children, being children, obviously did all they could to make her life harder, and there was no way I could help. I was unemployed and even if I could afford it, I don't know how I would send her the money. Most I could do is to comfort her, trying my best to make her smile again. Just the week before I promised to visit her as soon as I had the money. That was the happiest I've seen her for months.
"Dan?" her voice snapped me out of concentrating on my game. This was part of the way I tried to grow emotionless. I played games and waited for her to calm herself.
"Yes?" I replied, making my voice sweet as usual when talking with her.
"When are you coming to visit me?"
"As soon as I have the money," I chuckled lightly. "I already told you."
"And when is that?"
"I don't know... I tell you what though, in two weeks' time my dad will give me back the money he owes me, five hundred Dollars. It'll be enough to visit you for a week. How does that sound?"
She giggled happily, her previous sadness not visible any longer.
"Why didn't you tell me, Dan?"
"I wanted to keep it as surprise. But now is as good a time as any other, hmn?"
She fell silent. After a moment, I heard her again.
"It... It might be too late," a faint whisper reached my ear.
"What? How?"
"Can... Can you promise me something?"
"Depends... I can try?"
"Promise you'll stay with me."
I thought about it for a moment. I tried to push away the thought that I loved her, but I did. I only denied it to myself. She was bright, pretty girl.
"Always... I'll always be with you," I replied, not lying. Only couple of months and I could visit her.
"It's getting late. I have to go now," I said as the clock in the corner of my monitor turned to 10 PM.
"What? Noo... stay. Please?"
"But I have to. We'll talk tomorrow, right?"
"But you promised you'll stay with me."
"Not constantly. I need to sleep, I have school tomorrow."
"I... I died."
Skype call being closed by her finished the brief silence of microphone ambiance. I sighed and switched off my computer, still staring at the monitor for some moments as it turned black, her words ringing in my ears. 'I died'... What could she mean?.
"Stay with me," A whisper reached me from behind. I turned abruptly to see her face - pale and twisted, a rope hanging off her neck. I gasped in shock and fear, nowhere to run. She came up to me and grabbed my shoulder.
A TEENAGER WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS BEDROOM THIS MORNING. MEDICAL EXAMINERS SAY THAT THOUGH RARE, HEART ATTACKS DO OCCASIONALLY OCCUR WITH TEENAGERS AND POINT TO NATURAL CAUSES.
