This post is late because of physics. Please direct any blame to the nearest (mass x acceleration).
Actually, it's probably more due to me wanting to put up a non-ECA post to break things up a bit XD
Regardless of the reason for the tardiness of the post, the post is here now! This time is another two micro-fictions written to the same themes ECA was written for. Vengeance already came up in ECA, but Irregular Orbit is a little off into the future. Story first, followed by a little bit of commentary.
BUT FIRST:
Legend of Korra's hour-long Beginnings episode on the first avatar, Wan, was AMAZING. The development of Wan was incredible, and the fight scenes were epic. If you haven't watched it, WATCH. If you have, WATCH AGAIN :D
Ok. Onto less epic things:
Vengeance
“This is for you,” I spat, stabbing for his heart. He blocked, and my knife found purchase in his arm—the same arm that had a year ago held me comfortingly, my last link to sanity, my anchor—
That’s right. Dead weight. He was nothing but dead weight. I slashed my other arm across, meaning to cut his beautiful—no, gluttonous stomach. But all it did was lacerate the other arm. He was shaking my shoulder now, and his mouth was moving, but I couldn’t hear his words—his deep, gentle voice, a melody—
A cacophony, more like. I scream, drowning out all sound and thought and stab again, wildly. His blood, thick, red, full of strength, full of life--
Full of death. My last strike had landed solidly against his neck. I’m slathered in blood—his blood. Already clouding, his eyes are etched with pain and shock. Hah. I laugh, disjointedly at first, but stronger until I’m a paroxysm of maniacal cackling. I laugh until tears stream from my eyes and I’m crying more than laughing.
I sob uncontrollably as I pick back up the knife that’d killed him. I thought his death would mend the broken pieces of my heart together again, but vengeance had just taken those pieces and ground them to sharp grains, each piercing my impetuous heart a thousandfold more than before. His death wouldn’t kill the one he’d rejected me for; it’d kill me.
This was not submitted; I had only written up to "A cacophony" by the deadline and I didn't (and still don't) think it aligns very well with the theme. But it was a little different (and rather unsettling) writing something with so much implicit blood and death. It's definitely different than what I'm used to writing/ planning.
When I started writing this microfiction, the narrator was supposed to break down crying before the guy is killed, and there was supposed to be a sappy scene in which the narrator discovers that vengeance was never the right path, accepts his rejection, and everything is happy. I think this one is a little more dramatic. XD
On that note, I've written more dark stuff recently than I thought I would, hehe.
On another note, Irregular Orbit is lighter in tone:
Irregular Orbit:
“Guys! I tested “mildly positive” for bipolar!” Epine beamed gleefully, skipping over to her friends, as though possibly having a psychological disorder was something joyous.
Cortis commented, his dark drooping eyes shifting slightly up in amusement. “Heh. Today’s that psychological test thing, isn’t it?” He yawned, returning to stare zombie-like at the problem sheet in front, gnawing his pencil eraser as though it were a brain.
Orexi blinked her large eyes at the entire exchange. Blink. Blinkblink. Blinkblinkblinkblinkblinkblinkblink. “O-o-oh? T-that t-test was today-y? I missed I-it! Oh no!” She panicked a little, nervous about forgetting and nervous that whatever she said would be socially awkward. Epine spun around giggling; mid-spin she stopped to orbit around her friends, jumping towards excitement as though gravity for her was shifting.
“I wanted to s-see if I-I’ve overcome my P-PTSD,” Orexi whispered quietly.
“Eh. It’s meaningless, Orexi,” Cortis assured, crumbling his paper up in frustration. “Everything’s meaningless.”
Epine pouted at his negativity, but squealed and chased when Cortis threw the crumpled problem set past her ear.
“O-oh dear,” Orexi stuttered, watching Epine swerve back and forth for the ball.
“T-that wasn’t…as h-happy as y-you usually are.”
Cortis half-smiled. “Meh. I’d probably ace the depression test.”
“N-n-no! W-we’re just I-irregular people! We’re not…problems!”
There is supposed to be a last line, but it got cut off in the official submission so I left it out on here too. This is the missing line:
“Yup!” Epine chimed, returning successful and disheveled. “Everyone’s on an irregular orbit through life!”
This one was submitted (and won! ^_^) I was challenged to reuse these guys in another microfiction, so they'll probably come up again! :)
Some notes on nerdiness:
- Epine from Epinephrine: the hyper one, because epinephrine seemingly gives a jump in strength/ energy. In an attempt to be more biologically correct, let's say that she's Epine from Norepinphrine, which is the neurotransmitter used in the sympathetic system. The duality between the sympathetic (PANICWE'REGONNADIE) and the parasymphathetic (chill, dudes. Let's relax and do some digestion) systems is the duality in Epine's personality.
- Cortis from Cortisol: or hydrocoritsone, if you prefer. The stress hormone. Cortis is so stressed he's depressed. Cortisol does increase in cases of depression as well.
- Orexi from Orexin: Orexin increases energy levels, and a lack of orexin causes sleepiness and hunger. Orexi's the least connected to her namesake, I think, because she's just nervous, which I got from the idea of increased energy.
Parts of this are inspired from an actual conversation in physics that happened on Tuesday. The psychological test mentioned is an actual event at my school in honor of National Depression Screening Day. I did test mildly positive for bipolar, and I did skip into physics that day telling my friends that. Cortis's statements and description are half based on something emo a friend said, half-imagined.
(Aha! So the problem sheet Cortis is so stressed about was physics! Makes sense.)
(This realization sounds like what I sounded about 24 hours ago when I squealed "Gravity force is a force! That's why it's on the force side of F=ma!")
Physics gets the last say this post, but be back next week for the 6-part long ECA post!
