Chasm by Brayden Jordan
It transitions to a scenic alley way. Familiar, furry faces scurry along the cracked, almost claustrophobic viny walls that caved in on itself. A mist coated throughout. It was Earth. A boy, aged 17, reached a crossroads with a woman, standing across from him. Around the same age, the woman wore silky, blonde hair and bright blue eyes, kept to herself, blanketing herself in a black hoodie with jeans.
“You gonna scold me again?” He dragged a black jacket over his left shoulder over his cream-colored t-shirt. He planted his leg backwards against the wall for balance. The boy was significantly taller than most people, though he felt like it didn’t contribute much. He despised his black, unruly hair and dark eyes.
“I think it’s time.” The woman sighed, holding onto her hair with one hand. She couldn’t bear to stare the boy in the eyes.
“Well? Get to it.” The boy glared at her.
“You know what it’s about.” The woman finally garnered the courage to stare back. The boy scoffed and planted his foot back onto the concrete. The boy turned around, beginning to see it was a waste of time. “Wait.” The woman tugged back on the boy’s shirt. “Please, Levi. Your sister needs you.”
“You always say that. You’re her older sister anyways, Cynthia. She’s your responsibility, not mine.” Levi spoke without facing her.
“It’s serious this time.” Cynthia stared deep into the ground, finally releasing her tug. “Please, guarantee her safety.” She began to become sentimental.
“Again-” Levi had enough.
“I might be going away for good this time.”
“I see.” Levi paused, contemplating. Then, he began to walk away.
“Remember, you’re her older brother. She may not show it, but she depends on you.” Levi looked back finally.
“Right.” He nodded in a firm, almost determined tone.
A 14-year-old, blonde and bright-blue eyed girl is shown in a completely white room…
A scarlet-red light was faint in the distance. The girl in completely white clothing inched closer to it. Her steps slowly patterned towards it. The girl covered her arm over her forehead because it was too bright.
It then suddenly cuts to the girl in distress, holding her books against a school locker.
“What did that dream even mean? Was it a sign?” She regained her balance and preened her school outfit. She made sure her hair was corrected in the locker reflection. She noticed a group of girls whispering while staring at her, then looked back at the locker, acting as if they didn't exist.
The girl continued to walk outside on campus, staring out, lost in thought. “Almost through the day-” She then looked up at a crowd hindering her path.
“Le-” She was not too surprised but was still shocked. The boy was pummeling another kid into the ground.
“Punk.” The crowd began to scream as a reaction.
“Hey! Stop it!!” The girl shouted back as she sped up to meet her older brother.
“You're gonna let that girl talk to you like that?” another guy from the crowd snickered.
“Tch.” Levi spat on the ground and looked the other direction.
“I heard it’s that guy’s sister or something,” a guy whispered to another within the crowd. Levi began to turn around the other way.
“Levi.” Elisa grabbed his arm, which was bruised. Levi swatted her arm off and scoffed coldly. “Are you okay?” The girl asked worriedly. Levi walked off with nothing else to say. Elisa turned around and helped the kid off the floor, who was also bruised.
“T-Thank you for standing up to him.” The kid was sincerely grateful and rubbed his bruises while walking away slowly.
“Anytime.” Elisa smiled a little bit, but then frowned. “But what am I even going to do with him?”
The crowd started to disperse. Elisa got lost in thought once again.
It became a beautiful sunset as two sisters reunited…but at a certain cost.
As the school day finally started to reach its end, two sisters sat next to each other. The girl leaned on Cynthia, as Cynthia ran her fingers through the girl’s hair.
“So…Ellie, tell me all about it.”
“Well, it began with science, which was kinda boring, but math was a bit easy at least! And uhm, it kinda sucks because we already have a long writing assignment.” Cynthia looked at Elisa sincerely as she listened to every word she said. “But Levi got into a fight again, and I had to tell him off in front of everybody. I guess that was a little embarrassing. And uh, I think other girls are gossiping about me too.”
“Well, you’re not letting it get to you, are you?”
“Maybe a little bit.”
“Don’t worry. Everything’s gonna be okay.” She ran her fingers through Elisa’s hair once more. Elisa leaned more into her arm, slowly drifting to sleep. Suddenly, Elisa leaned onto the grass softly as Cynthia rested her head there, crouching.
“Looks like you’re out of options to run, Sora. What an idiotic decision, coming here.” A man in a black cloak stood behind her.
“Cynthia.” Levi stood by a tree a bit afar. She nodded. As she rested her hand on Elisa’s cheek, a red-glow was transferred to Elisa.
“My power, for you to nurture, and use.” Cynthia then stood up. “Take care of her, Levi.”
Levi nodded, quickly putting Elisa on his back.
She then woke up, seeing her older sister confront an enemy from the cosmos. “Huh?! Cynthia!” Elisa shouted. “Put me down! What’re you doing? Help her!” she shouted at Levi. Levi did not answer.
The sight of Cynthia and the man faded out of existence. “No!” Elisa reached her hand out, not understanding anything at all.
A chasm in the universe has shattered the girl’s sense of reality. It is up to her only, from now on, to unfold the truth of everything.
Brayden Jordan is a Junior from Paul G. Blazer High School in Ashland, Kentucky. He loves fiction, fantasy, dystopian and action genres.