Eileen's Exhilarating Collection of Extremely Short Fiction

by EileenSaysHi

Non-Contest Entry, January 2023

Author's Note:

Because I won the November contest, I got to choose the prompt for the December 2022 contest and was ineligible to compete. So instead, here's a bonus story that defies length restrictions!

Worthwhile

“Twilight, don’t forget me—”

“Twilight?”

Wallflower’s voice brought her back to reality. “Huh? Oh, sorry. Lost in thought.”

“Guessing those thoughts weren’t about anything science-y.”

Twilight swallowed. “Well, technically—”

“Everything’s science, got it.” Wallflower sighed. “Look, if you don’t want to be here, you don’t have to be. I wouldn’t be comfortable with me either.”

Twilight opened her mouth, but no words came out. The dark memory returned.

Sunset, get up, please—don’t leave, don’t forget, I’m only just remembering you and yet I know you mean everything to me, please Sunset, please remember me, I’m sorry I left you, I’m sorry I failed you, Sunset I love you don’t go—

She forced it down. That was a week ago. Sunset was back, and so was everything they had. It was stupid to dwell on that.

She gently placed a hand on Wallflower’s back. “You’re right. But I’m not leaving. It might take time, but… I believe in you, Wallflower. Second chances mean everything. Mean the world.”

Another memory surfaced.

I’ve tried apologizing, over and over again, but she asks me not to say them. She just wants me here, next to her, and she can’t stop talking about how happy she is that I’m here, that we’re together, that everything is right—

She smiled warmly as Wallflower looked up at her.

“Without my second chance,” Twilight mused, sitting in a courtyard once dominated by gaping rifts in reality, “I wouldn’t have had anything worth losing at all.”

Comments

[Avery Day]

So short, and yet it Hits. Great work!

[Dewdrops on the Grass]

Like a punch to the gut this hits hard.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Ooh, very nice angle I hadn't really considered. Wiping out a relationship isn't something done lightly, and forgiving it isn't any easier.

[Moproblems Moharmoney]

Wally does occasionally need a newspaper to the head highlighting how selfish her revenge truly was.