The “Home”

             By: Lauren T.

I have been wandering around the streets of beaten up New York for over three weeks now. Although I am lonely, I feel full inside(okay, not really). I sleep on the sidewalk adjacent from the small little bistro on 5th Avenue. I’ve always questioned these roads and this city. Big buildings, small parks, and yet no one cares about the needs of the needy, the citizens just worry about themselves and nothing else. So as I walk about this marvelous city while all the lights are out, I notice that the water is glistening in the lake on the outskirts of town more than ever. Which proves there to be some brilliance left in the world. I suddenly jump in and enjoy the freezing winter water that is just over 5 degrees. I dive under. Hoping that I’ll find something that will make me worth millions at the bottom, but of course, nothing. I get out of the water and I lie on the harsh wet ground. Trying to resist the heaviness of my eyelids as they close, but I just couldn’t avoid the much needed sleep.

 When I awoke, I heard the sweet sound of birds singing their songs, and the wind whistling about as if there had been  no cares in the world. I get up, and quickly paraded my way back to the bistro, Caleigh’s Curbside Bistro, where they throw me pieces of bread every seven hours. Just as I’m about to take a bite of the delicious bread the bistro gave me, I heard a voice beckoning me to come near.

“Jacob, you here?” said the voice, which I automatically recognized.

“Emalee?” I replied with a surprised tone in my crackling  voice. You see, emalee was my first love, my only love. She is the reason why I’m here on the streets right now. She stole my money, kicked me out of my house, and worst of all, broke my heart.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, not letting her give me the answer to the last question.

“I am looking, and have been looking, for you!” she replied, slightly annoyed.

“You know what? All I really want you to do right now is to just go away, okay. Leave me alone!” I said harshly, feeling quite sorry for my actions. She ran away, shedding the amount of tears it would take to fill an ocean. Which broke my heart a little more every second I thought about it. I then curled up on my very uncomfortable bed, and started to dream about how my life used to be, all sunny and bright, rays of sunlight everywhere. Until, I was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice.

“Hello.” the voice said, very softly, “Mister?”

“What?!?!” I said rudely, ignoring the fact that her voice  was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.

“It’s like a rainbow in a blizzard.” I whispered quietly to myself.

“What is?” the girl replied, to a statement that I thought that I had said in my head.

“Nothing. Say, by any chance, do you have a name?” I asked, quite interested.

“Mary Salinger.” she replied, “How about you? Got a name?”

“ Jacob Turnblade. Listen, I’ve gotta run, but it was nice meeting you.” I said as I handed her a piece of paper that said:

 

12/17/1989- Hi. Please meet me across the road from Caleigh’s Curbside Bistro tomorrow at 9 a.m. so we can get to know each other some more. I don’t have a phone, so we can’t reach each other easily. I’ll be waiting here you don’t have to be worried.

                                                                 ~ ~ ~J.T.~~~

She took the letter from my hand and put it in her bag and then slowly walked away. I really hope that I will see her again. Confused at what just happened, I walked back to my so called “home” where I fell asleep. Mary was there when I awoke. Her golden blonde hair falling ever so perfectly over her rounded shoulders. Her blue eyes shining like the sea at sunset.

“Hello again!” she exclaimed, while a big smile was on her face. Dimples and everything. “So why are you living on the streets? Oops, hope that wasn’t a too personal question for me to ask.”

“It’s fine,” I replied trying to smile back at her like she smiled at me. “I am actually here because my empire was stolen by the former love of my life. Along with that, she also stole my residence and broke my heart.”

“I’m so sorry.” she said, in response to my rather long statement. “ If it makes any difference, I like you.” At that point I knew I would love her. For the rest of my life even, and perhaps, there is still good in the world that we have come to call home.

Category: Creative Writing, Short Story