Finish the Story Contest - WEEK #18 : Quitting Life (a continuation)

Source

Most thought she was crazy, giving everything up for one year.

Her mother was especially critical,"What are you thinking? All you've worked for, you're just going to throw it away? For what?"

"Freedom mom, it's all I've ever wanted. I just have this sense that something is missing in my life, and this is my chance to figure out what that is."

"You have no idea what you're doing and you will live to regret this decision, that much I know."

Thanks to her mother's stinging criticism, her resolve strengthened. She was going to show her and all the others exactly what she was capable of accomplishing in a year.

She let the final blue pill dissolve on her tongue. Tomorrow was the beginning of a whole new life.

Weeks later, she woke, and found herself broken, disoriented, disheartened, imagining the damp pile of leaves to be her bed. How could this have happened? He seemed so nice, so helpful, so...so like her. She desperately wanted now to believe that she hadn't misjudged him, that he really wanted this life of freedom too. But then she found the stash of blue and white pills, the one's she'd happily left behind and there was no denying it; he had tricked her, used her, preyed on her enthusiasm, chewed it up and spit it out.

Sobbing, she realized that she was truly alone, left to find her way out of this desolation, this forest of identical trees. What once held adventure now seemed suffocating; each tree, each branch, each leaf held nothing but broken dreams, the dreams of the foolish. There was consistency and comfort in her old routines, knowing what to expect day to day, minute to minute. How at this moment she yearned to be a lifer, she would no longer be hapless, but instead would take pride in her work, knowing that the white pill on her tongue at night would dissolve and resolve any unfinished business from the day.

No food, no water, no means of communication. It had seemed like such a good idea to throw out her phone, her transporter, in fact, he had encouraged her to throw it with all her strength, together they laughed at the freedom she felt when it had left her hand. Technology that she once felt imprisoned by, now seemed like the jailer's key.

She wandered aimlessly, hoping for an opening in the thick foliage, an opening that would give her a glimpse of the city that she knew so well. She imagined her street, her apartment, her comfortable overly springy mattress. She had no idea how much time had passed, but her swollen tongue and aching joints revealed all she needed to know. Darkness and cold were settling upon her, and an unbelievable sense of fatigue. Her resolve weakened.

"I'm not quitting. I'll just lay down for a bit, a little rest, until I have the energy to move on."

This is my entry to @f3nix's Finish The Story Contest. This week the guest writer who began this tale is none other than @calluna! Thank you @calluna for such an amazing start; I hope I did it justice. And thank you @f3nix for hosting such an awesome contest.

Just so you know, anyone can jump in on the fun! Check out the beginning of this story and all the details here; the prize is @steembasicincome shares!

Proud Member of :