This story is by Bisan Mourad and was part of our 2021 Spring Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
“What will your decision be?’ Said Lexi the Fairy.
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The park was vast, flourishing flowers, ravishing colors of red and yellow leaves decorating the ground. My best friend and I were roaming around the park. We accumulated flowers from different colors and sizes. As I was looking for more flowers, an exquisite flower seized my attention. I made my way over to the bristling Sweetbay magnolia, shaking in the soft breeze. As I got a closer look, I noticed it was glistening and glowing in all sorts of colors.
I called my best friend to have a look at my enchanting discovery. “Isla! Look, It’s a glowing flower! It’s so beautiful; come look at it, oh, it’s so soft!” We both sat admiring the flower, as we both touched it, we felt an electrical pulse go through us; and just like that, we vanished.
Seconds later, we reappeared in an ultimately different dimension. The darkness slipped away and unveiled a snowy slope. It was colder than the moon. Eventually, we saw the same glowing light appear in front of us, and out of that light emerged a little fairy. “Hello! My name is Lexi the Fairy, you two must be Fleur and Isla.”
“How do you know our names!” We both shouted at the same time. “I’m sure you have many questions, but the answer is clear. You shall have one wish my dear, but make your decision quick or this place shall disappear, a wish of immortality or untimely death at 18, what will your decision be?” Said Lexi the Fairy.
We both looked at each other in shock. However, I knew explicitly what I wanted. Immortal life! I can live forever and do anything I want, and I was almost positive that Isla would choose the same path! We will live forever together. “Immortal life- die at 18!” we shouted together.
I looked at Isla in horror, but before I could say anything, everything around us went black, and we were once again in the middle of the park. I turned around and looked at Isla, “Isla, why? Why would you want to leave me! We’re eight years old, which means you only have ten more years to live!” “I don’t want to live with the burden of life and all its cruelty. I think it was the right choice to make, let’s keep playing come on, we’ll forget about it. Besides, I’m sure this wasn’t real, anyway.” Isla said. “Ya, okay, you’re right. It was all in our minds.” We continued playing and eventually forgot all about this day.
10 years later
“You know what, I want to get a goat. Goats are cute, plus, life is short, so let’s have fun with it!” Isla said. “A goat? Yes! That’s an amazing idea. Let’s go right now!” I said, and so we went and got us a goat. We picked a cute white baby goat. The goat was as soft as a cloud.
“So, what do you want to name it?” I asked Isla. “Well, I was thinking of naming her Goat!” Isla replied. “Goat? Seriously? You’re going to name the goat Goat.” I said. “Yes, I love the name. Now let’s take a picture and document this amazing day!”
March 3rd. Five months away from August. August is when Isla turns eight-teen where her life supposedly comes to its end. Only five months and I plan on making them the best five months she could ever think of. I took her to all her favorite places. We went shopping every day. Surprised her with a concert ticket. We went to the park we used to go to as kids. There’s nothing I didn’t do in order to make sure she’s happy. Yet time seemed to hold a grudge against me, for time, rather than slowing down, went by faster than the speed of light.
5 months later
August 2nd. Her 18th birthday. At the strike of midnight, Isla fell ill and was shortly admitted to the hospital. I held on tight to her hand, hoping with all my life that she would stay alive. Not seconds later, her fingers went stiff and her limbs went still. Her pulse kept growing weaker till it came to its bitter end. “Code blue!” I heard all the doctors shout. I knew nothing could be done, not even magic could save her. This was the end. I wished I could die right there and let the world swallow me whole. The wishes we made were true, and I got cursed with immortal life. I spent an entire month in my room, all alone, not eating anything, not seeing anyone, not a drop of sunlight in my gloomy room. It’s not like I was going to die. There was no point in trying to live a happy life. Goat was with me all the time. The only reminder I had of her. The reminder of the biggest mistake in my life, my biggest regret, and I had to live with this burden for all of my eternal life.
Years passed, and nothing changed. I stopped growing older at 18. I tried going on with my life, but it was of no use. I saw all my loved ones go away. Everyone I ever cared about perished. I stop caring for anyone, hoping to avoid any more deaths. That didn’t work. Every day someone died. My heart was scarred, open wounds in my soul, unable to close. I felt empty; I walked to the depths of the earth to find the flower, to solve the mess I made, but it was no use. No matter where I went, I found nothing. The only one that stayed by my side was Goat. Every time I looked at goat, I’d feel a billion eyes staring at me as if the ghosts of everybody dead were present in her tiny soul. Soon I realized that every time someone dies, their soul goes to Goat, therefore, giving her immortal life, and a present reminder of the past.
I lived with a little spark of gleaming hope. I traveled the world searching for that cursed Blaue Blume- as the Germans call it, flower-or the so-called flower. However, I found nothing. Soon that little light of hope turned into darkness. My nightmares came to life. I saw shadows whispering in every corner. Everyone around talking about the girl that never aged. The girl that killed her best friend. Every night I’d see Isla in my dreams, I’d try to reach out to her, but every time she fades further away. She keeps telling me I caused her death. I shouldn’t have picked that flower. I started becoming paranoid. Every time I walked down the street, I’d see a dead body lying on the ground. I started staying inside. Never leaving the house. What an immaculate life. The universe is impelling its force on me, putting my life in misery. I would say my life was ending, but that would be a lie. I had all eternity. I was immune to death.
99 days later
After staying inside for almost an entire year, I left the house and take Goat on a walk. I thought nothing could become worse than it already was. As we walked, I sensed someone panting. I quickened my pace. That’s when I saw a human. An eight-year-old girl. She looked exactly like Isla, with her innocent blue eyes, her short raven hair. I ducked down, trying to save her, I held her in my arms, “Hey, please stay with me. What’s your name?” I asked her rapidly; with the little breath she had left in her timid body, she softly said, “Isla.” She then went still in my hands. I destroyed humanity.
I destroyed humanity, destroyed it by one selfish desire. I could’ve lived a short happy life, but lived with terror and despair. Now the earth was wiped free of any human trace. The little girl vanished from my hands. I started hearing voices, shadows all around me, “IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT!” They all shouted. I heard this every day. Every day, I saw the ghosts of the little girl, I saw Isla every day, she’d tell me I killed a little girl. Her spirit haunts me in every second of my miserable life, and the Goat. The Goat, a constant reminder of the past. Of all the mistakes I’ve ever committed. An endless eternity of regret and despair, and there was nothing I could do about it. Was the universe expecting me to gloat in victory for being the last surviving human? I had all eternity. One day as I was sitting outside with Goat, something bright caught my eye. I turned around, and there I saw it. The little glowing flower.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c9XhqZmC4Z6QL6wzcNrrDPT1S-VDPL3yfit_7UQLBa8/edit?usp=sharing
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