It’s been a hot minute since I wrote anything creatively. I came across the writing prompt “The Town Of Soft Rains” on Writers Digest and decided to give it a go.
A soft breeze stirs a leaf that has fallen on the pavement. Otherwise, the street is tidy and beautifully maintained, just like the quiet houses arranged in neat rows along its sides. Just like the vacant shopfronts along quaint Main Street nearby. Just like the silent playground. Where is everyone?
Solitude
Solitude was a yearning she wished for after the aftermath of a stormy fight with a long-time friend.
‘I just want to be left alone,’ she had written innocuously yesterday evening on a popular website that promised and delivered anonymity to anyone who wants to share or seek feedback on their worries.
The empty street was the first abnormality she noticed. No shouts. No car horns. Not even the presence of another could be felt from where she stood. It felt strangely calm, yet she couldn’t shake the eerie feeling stirring inside.
The train arrived as swiftly as it normally did, though it sped too fast for her to get a glimpse in the driver compartment. However, she swore she briefly saw a tall silhouette.
As she stepped into the empty compartment and sat down, her eyes closed. And when they opened, she saw blurry images of recognizable strangers around her.
A high school girl wearing her blue and white uniform leaning casually against a metal rail, smiling childishly as she typed something on her phone. The calm businessman sitting a few seats away, his finger occasionally swiping his phone screen. A young woman wearing a long trench coat and boots looking out the window with music playing from her earbuds.
However, they disappeared as fast as they came.
The sudden loud roar of the train fell on deaf ears as her attention was on the message written on her phone screen.
‘You are alone.’
evening tea musings 