Before I begin, I should probably tell you why this short story is being told in three parts. I am writing this as a project for my English class, but because of the program that my class is enrolled in (Writers in Electronic Residence - has anyone heard of it?), I have to write it in three sections. This is the first section, which will be followed by the next one as soon as I am finished with it (hopefully I will finish it this weekend). Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts on this part of the story!
Meant to Be (part 1 of 3)
“Pierce, you should eat something. You need to keep up your strength today.” Phoebe said, holding out a plate with an apple and a sandwich. She smiled encouragingly at him in the way that she always did.
“Thanks, but I’m not hungry, Aunt Phoebe.” Pierce replied. “I’ll eat later.”
Pierce sat at the kitchen table, waiting for his uncle. He didn’t understand why his uncle would suddenly need to speak with him, but Pierce had always respected him and trusted that there was good reason for this sudden meeting. After a moment, Pierce could hear footsteps coming down the hall towards the kitchen. Aunt Phoebe smiled at him again, but sadly this time, then went out into the hallway.
His Uncle Nathan came into the room, his long stride allowing him to cross the room in impossibly few steps. Nathan was a tall man with graying hair; his arms tanned from hours spent working in the sun. He was one of those people who always seemed to completely fill a space, no matter how big, thought Pierce. Pierce was getting lost in his own thoughts when his uncle sat down and began to speak, pulling him back to the scene before him.
“Son, I suppose you’re wondering why I wanted to talk to you.” Nathan paused for a moment, and took a deep breath. “Well, I won’t make you wait any longer. Last week, I realized that you have grown up. There just isn’t anything else that I can teach you. Your Aunt Phoebe and I are getting older, and taking care of an extra person is becoming hard on us.”
“What are you saying?” Pierce asked, heart racing. He noticed that he was wringing his hands, something that he only did when he was nervous. But why was he nervous? His Aunt and Uncle had cared for him from the time he was two years old. He had never lacked for food, clothing, or advice. Still, something in the tone of Nathan’s voice was strange, different than he had ever heard it. The worn wood of the chair suddenly felt hard, almost unbearably so. Pierce wanted to run out of the room and never hear the end of what his uncle was about to tell him.
“I’m saying that there is no longer a place for you in this house. Two lions cannot share the same territory,” he said, shrugging. “Goodbye, Pierce.” With that, Nathan stood up, walking out of the room.
For several minutes, Pierce stayed at the table, unmoving. He had no idea what he would do now, or if his uncle was even serious. Pierce’s mind was racing, but somehow he was not thinking. Goodbye Pierce. The words echoed through him, penetrating every part of him. He felt weak, like he was no longer in control of his body, like the table was a prison from which he could not escape.
When he finally extricated himself from the table, he looked over at the doorway. There was a backpack sitting there, his backpack. But he did not remember bringing it down from his room. Strange, Pierce thought.
He walked to where his backpack was, and picked it up. It was full. When Pierce looked inside, he saw that everything inside of it belonged to him - the picture of his parents, a copy of his favorite book, and his wallet. There was also food, sandwiches, cookies and fruit. This was real, he thought, there was no going back from this.
With that thought firmly in his mind, Pierce turned and walked down the hall. He grabbed his coat and went out the front door.
