Samlin Greenham
"When is our competition gonna start?" I ask a girl from our team, Ally and sit on a bench.
"Boys team first. Then us," she replies.
Today is the competition, I've been worrying about. It's not a big deal, just the selection for a captain. But somehow it feels a big deal to me, I'm not ready to hand my title to a new swimmer, when I've been the captain for three years.
Five hundred yards freestyle.
A crowd has already formed around the pool. The captain of the boys team is Brian Hardy. I usually don't consider people who aren't my friends, but if you asked me how his character was, I'd say he was nosy and clingy.
Well, now he's coming. I look away.
"Hey, Sam." He shows a stupid grin, then turns to Ally, "Hey, Sis. How's my mother?"
Brian is her elder br
Samlin GreenhamI suddenly open my eyes.I blink and slowly move my head. The pain in head is light, a little like when you are injected morphine.Where am I?I move myself in a seated position, then look around the room, remaining dark.It is my own room.I clamber off from the bed and stand up and switch on the light. The clothes I'm wearing is dry, surprising. The windows are opened, bringing cold air and the door is opened, so I warily step outside.Somebody brought me home.How night is it?"Mom, are you here?" I call out, wondering if someone's in our house. I stay still and try to hear any sound.It's quiet.I go downstairs and examine the front door, which is locked from inside. The grand clock says it's 7 p.m. a
Magdalen Islands, CanadaMay 2012Lynn VandestineHe picked up the pen again.Though he hesitated to write, because it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy for him to reveal his expression clearly, knowing he wouldn't be forgiven.Knowing he didn't deserve forgiveness.Knowing he had hurt her terribly.And also knowing it was his last living hour.Life.Hurt.Pain.And....love.Aren't they all similar? he thought. He had been alive for twenty years, so at least he could tell he lived. He could tell that he'd seen things, how things could be beautiful and how things could be twisted, turning into ugly.He wrote a little more."Can you imagine what am I gonna do? There's is a tiny boat waiting for me in the sea, alone. I'll lie down. I'll look up at the dark sky, at the shining stars. I'll not look back.The boat will be moving.I will be moving.
Lowell High School, San FranciscoSamlin Greenham"A new kid is coming in our class." Emilia says, arranging some books in her locker. I don't know why, but she looks happy about something."Boy or girl?" I ask and close my locker. I have to change my shirt, because I ran for almost one hour and didn't go back to home, directly came to school. God, I'm still sweating."A boy." She replies, smiling and narrows her eyes. "And you're single."I grimace. "And I am going to the bathroom." While passing her, I notice some CDs in her locker."M83, huh?" I pick one, frowning."Jesus! It's a French band, Em!" I read the labels. Midnight city, we own the sky. And.....Summer love."They formed in France, but they sing English songs. They are in America now and they are pretty good," she explains.I stare at her silently. I know M83.But something seems missing.Isn't it Jake's favorite ba
San Francisco, USAApril 2012Lynn VandestineHe was standing in an old, mouldy garage, where he had come to meet a guy. Actually, he had no other choice except keeping his order and coming here.His heart was throbbing with fear.At that moment, a man came into the place. He had a bald head, wrinkled skin and that kind of blue sharp eyes which made someone real scared. Two suited man with black sunglasses also appeared behind him."Agent Stanley." The old man, named Chief Malum, said in a deep voice and stopped a feet away from him."Chief Malum," Lynn replied flatly."I never asked you why you don't use your father's surname." Chief folded his arms across his chest, pinning him with his eyes.God, he hated this man."Because my so-called father was a good man. Just like you." He bantered him.Chief laughed lightly. "Oh, he was. It's so bad you killed him. You didn't need to."
I uncontrollably sit on the ground.Apparently I fall."Hey, hey, you okay?" Edwin hurriedly sits beside me."I'm fine." I answer shakily, closing my eyes. Actually I wasn't fine. I haven't seen my psychiatrist for almost a month, haven't taken my medication. Now, the flashbacks are gone, but I still have the headache.I am breathing hard.I wonder what caused the flashbacks."C'mon," he wraps my left arm around his shoulder and lifts me up. "The lake is near. You need some fresh air."I walk with him, dropping my head in his shoulder. I feel a little surprised by my act, because I don't even know him.Or maybe I do.His body scent seems familiar."Don't try to think too much. When you apply pressure to remember a thing of your past, which was maybe painful, it affects your neuron cells.""It wasn't painful. Perhaps," I stop walking.And I open my eyes.Sudd
Los Angelos, USAAugust 2016Lynn VandestineHe enters in this long building.The building is cloud-kissing, like it was built to stand with pride. He's feeling a bit tired because of the five hour driving, yet he can't avoid the anger in his mind.The sexy black receptionist in the desk, Landy Keller, smiles sweetly after seeing him."Handsome boy, long time no see!" She pouts playfully. "Where have you been? Oh, my mistake. Of course, you had work, didn't you?"Lynn puts his elbows on the mahogany desk, no mood in flirting with her. "Yeah, I had. Can I see Chief now?""Um__Chief's not here, Agent Stanley." Her smile immediately drops, smoothing her curly hair nervously."Landy, it's important." He ignores her, briskly stepping front to the elevator."No," she grips his hand tightly. "I'm saying it again, Chief's not here and you can't go in without an appointment. Now step aside."
Samlin GreenhamI suddenly open my eyes.I blink and slowly move my head. The pain in head is light, a little like when you are injected morphine.Where am I?I move myself in a seated position, then look around the room, remaining dark.It is my own room.I clamber off from the bed and stand up and switch on the light. The clothes I'm wearing is dry, surprising. The windows are opened, bringing cold air and the door is opened, so I warily step outside.Somebody brought me home.How night is it?"Mom, are you here?" I call out, wondering if someone's in our house. I stay still and try to hear any sound.It's quiet.I go downstairs and examine the front door, which is locked from inside. The grand clock says it's 7 p.m. and my mother isn't home yet.I look for my school bag, which is staying on the sofa and I sit in a one, pulling out my phone.Battery
Somebody is brushing hairs from my forehead. Then nudging my shoulder. "Sam, wake up," a voice tells softly.A male voice.I am feeling confused. There's no male person in our home. Then who is it? Did Dad come back?I try to open my eyes, but can't, because sunlight is hitting me. Who the hell opened the damn curtains of the damn window? I raise my hands to cover my eyes, but something is in them. Something muddy.Wait__I'm not in home, am I?"Sam," that voice tells again.I snap my eyes open.A strong face welcomes me.I adjust myself in a seated position, glancing around. Who is this guy?Shit! I fell asleep on the mountain top. All the night.I squint at the sunlight, not feeling as panicked as others should be."Who are you?" I look at his blue eyes."I can ask you the same question," he replies.I yawn, staring at my hands which are covered with