Prompt: At 18 everyone gets a letter from their future self. Your letter contains a warning.
Nadine stood at her bedroom window waiting in agonizing anticipation for the mailman to appear. She had been 18 since midnight and she couldn't bring herself to fall asleep. The day had finally come to receive her letter. The letter from her future self. Her mother said it was normal to be this excited. She told Nadine all about her 18yh own birthday when she received her letter. She had hoped for promises of wealth and success, but instead received an address for a book store. It was at this book store that see met a moody and decrepit old man with no children. Her Mother began visiting the book store everyday and taking care of the man. When he died, he left her his bookstore. It wasn't the life her mother wanted, but it was a life that had made her abundantly happy.
"Whatever your letter says, don't be disappointed." He mother told her. "It could be the start of a whole knew adventure for you."
However, Nadine already.knew what she wanted. It's wasn't wealth or success. It wasn't a career or a house. She wanted just one thing. The young man who had captured her heart. Samuel. He was a regular customer at the bookstore and she used any excuse she could to talk to him. He was a handsome young man with a head of dark curls, rich brown eyes, and he was always so kind, and soft spoken. She had been infatuated with him for years. As she sat at her window, she prayed that her letter would tell her of a beautiful future with him in it. The sound or a truck floated into her room and she darted down stairs at the first glimpse of the mail truck. She leaped three steps at a time and was out the front door by the time the truck stopped in front of her house.
"Finally that time, huh?" The usual mail man chuckled when he saw her sprinting around the lawn. He climbed in the back of the truck and handed a red envople to her directly.
"Thank you so much!" She said as an after thought, haveing already started running back to the house. She ran passed her mother, back up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door behind her. She wanted this moment to be private. She took a few deep breaths and sat on her bed. Her hands were shaking hands as she pealed the envelope open with reverence. The letter was just regular lined paper that looked to be torn out of a notebook. Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. When she pulled the letter out there was an glaring redish-brown splash on the page. There was only one thing written in bold, rushed letters.
STAY AWAY FROM SAMUEL
Her lungs stopped working and her throat clenched shut. There was no way. There was no way something could be that wrong with Samuel. He was gentle, and had never seemed the least threatening. Her letter painted a different picture. Only one letter is ever aloud to be sent back, and it could have come from any point in her future. She didn't want to think the worst. It was a long time before she moved. She just sat there holding the note in her hands until her mother knocking. She panicked and hide the note under her pillow.
"Come in!" She called out.
"Is everything alright?" Her mother asked as soon as she opened the door. "What did your letter say?"
"I'm not sure." She said anxiously. "It didn't really make sense to me."
"Don't worry about it, love." Her mother said putting an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sure it'll make sense in time."
Nadine hoped she never found out what it meant, but she didn't have time to think about it. She needed to get ready for her afternoon classes.
______________________________________________
Class had been a mistake. She couldn't even focus on anything, it was all just white noise. It was over before she even realized the time. It was the time she usually ran down to the book shop to catch Samuel, but now she had no idea what to do. A voice in her her head told her to listen to her own advice and stay away, but another more primal voice urged her to go see him. She couldn't help herself. It was only a few blocks to the store and she was conflicted with every step. He was already inside when she arrived, looking through the horror section. The irony wasn't lost on her. He was flipping through one of the books and smiling to himself. She truly couldn't believe something about him. His smile was too sweet and earnest.
She watched him from afar and when he left she followed him out and down the street as she always did. His apartment wasn't far and she enjoyed seeing him at home. He kept his curtains open, and she was able to see everything he did inside when he thought no one was looking. He lived alone and spent most of his nights cooking, or reading, nd ever so often she would catch him dancing and singing to himself. Usually he went straight home, but today he stopped at the corner store.. She waited outside for him in case he saw her in the book store. He wasn't inside long and he reamerged with clear bags filled with snacks. They weren't his regular choices. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was off today. He finally went home and she took up her usual position on a bench across the street. She was so thankful his apartment was on one of the lower floors. She watched him tidy up his usually clutter living space, and her eyes started to get heavy. Her lack of sleep was starting to sink in, and she found herself dosing off.
She didn't know how long she slept, but when she woke up, she immediately fixed her eyes on Samuels windows. He was no where to be seen and she panicked. It was to early for him to be asleep. She moved fast and was across the street in seconds. She slide her hands over all the buzzers praying someone would let her. The door unlocked and she slipped inside. She knew exactly what apartment number he was and was there in no time all. Her chest was heaving and she had to force her hands to stop shaking as she picked the lock. She had only done this once before, but this was an emergency. She was sure something was wrong. She managed to get the door open and all the lights were off inside. She walked fast, but as quiet as she could. The apartment looked completely empty, but she made sure to double check everywhere. Soon the only the only place left was the bedroom.
Nadine's memories where fuzzy after that. She knows she saw Samuel, and that he hadn't been alone in that bedroom. But there was a gap between his eyes meeting her and her standing on the street corner after he sun had already gone down. There was red everywhere. On her hands, on her clothes, and in her hair. She had a red envelope in her hands and she slide it into the mailbox. She heard sirens somewhere close, but she didn't really care. She didn't feel anything.
💜 Thank you for reading! I know this is a little darker then usually, but I had a good time writing it. I'd like to thank my friend for requesting it, and I'll be continuing to take writing prompt requests in the future. Our first spotlight in a while is Paige Turner. She is a write that makes beautiful Haikus, please check out her twitter!
https://mobile.twitter.com/paigekturner?lang=en 💜
