“NaNoWriMo 2020 Pt. 1”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Additional note: In honour of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), all 30 stories written in the month of November will (hopefully) create a single multi-part story that will reach its conclusion by the end of the month. Stay tuned for a new story part every day!

Read the compiled NaNoWriMo TTtW story here!

SKYE’S POV

I swear, the stars used to be brighter. I couldn’t tell you if that was before or after the apocalypse, but I’m sure that at a certain point in my life, they were brighter.

Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part. Maybe the stars always used to look like this. Or maybe I’m just missing the time when everything was brighter.

The time when everything made sense.

I sigh and pick my way back through the bushes. I know that Marcus is waiting for me, but that doesn’t exactly motivate me to head back to camp any faster. So, I take my time. Because why the hell not?

Still, I have to head back eventually. When I do, I find Marcus waiting for me, his foot tapping impatiently and that disappointed look that I’ve gotten to know so well plastered all over his face.

“You’re late,” he growls.

“So what?” I say as I pass him. I walk through the camp to my tent as he trails along behind me.

“You need to come back at the agreed upon time,” he chastises me. “We were worried about you.”

I spin around to face him. “No,” I snarl, “you weren’t worried about me. I know what you and Vinny say behind my back. I know that you call me useless and that you wish that I was dead. You just wait for me because you want everyone else to think that you’re a caring leader so that they’ll worship you and give you their extra rations as thanks for keeping them safe. But I’m not falling for it.”

Marcus looks almost amused at my outburst. “Then why are you still here?” he asks, cocking an eyebrow.

I scowl at him but don’t give him the satisfaction of a response. Instead, I turn and push my way into my tent.

As soon as I’m inside, I sit down, pulling my knees against my chest. He doesn’t deserve to know my story. What I’ve given up. What I’ve seen. And even if I did tell him, he wouldn’t understand.

But maybe he’s right. Maybe it’s time that I got out of here. Because let’s face it: it’s only a matter of time before I hurt everyone here. It’s only a matter of time before I kill them. Just like I killed my family.

Final Comments: I had a much different idea of where I wanted the story to begin when I heard the song (which I love, by the way), but I guess Skye just had a mind of her own and wanted to go in a different direction…

Overall Rating: 🤔