202 comments

Inspirational

I was nowhere and everywhere.


The waves crashed over me. My eyes stared up into nothing as I laid on the beach, but my mind... well, it was tranquil. There was nothing that it focused upon in particular, but it was still and centered nonetheless.


There was a cloud above me. From where I laid drawn to the earth it seemed like a ghost, an apparition. Quick thoughts transformed it into a being floating across the skyline, and for a while that was what it was. There was no objection in the silent state of mind I existed in.


When the seagulls flew overhead, I didn't look up or flinch. I didn't gasp at the noise of their calls. I laid. In the sand.

**


Lilliana's vacation had been perfect. No one found it in them to object; there was clear evidence of her happiness and serenity on returning. In fact, no one took it upon themselves to bring it up. There was no point in ruining her mood by reminding her it was over. To her, though, it never was.


Lily drank no coffee or tea. To the coworkers that had seen her fits of caffeine-craving anger, this came as a surprise. To her, nothing more normal had ever been.


She left work each day in a happy haze, letting the inconveniences fall away. After all, what good was there in exciting herself over them? They would pass, and bliss would sustain.


Whenever Lily woke up at night in the month that passed her vacation, she got straight to business. There was no wasting time on her end; running to the pier to get her blood flowing was now a daily activity. It was no matter to her that she consistently awoke at four in the morning. To her, the vacation was gospel; even time bent to the will of her vacation customs.


The beach, that was where she had gone. Not a special beach, not an important one, not one of sentimental value. She had needed a break, so she got one.

**


Three months earlier, as Lilliana Hawbur awoke, she grumbled without shame. Her hair was frizzy with curls tangling themselves over and over. Even as she ran through her mug with a brush, it popped back up to bite her.


"Damn! Ugh, work already?" Old age had stretched her watch's leather until it was almost white, but Lily didn't notice. She was a sloth and proud, and there was nothing she would care about if she could help it.


As she hurried to slop on a pile of peanut butter on a floppy slice of bread, the refrigerator made a clanging noise. Lily popped open the door to check out what had fallen. Ah, the glass jar of milk. Lovely, spilling everywhere, shards everywhere. Well, that's something for tomorrow Lily to worry about, she decided.


When she got to the office, the door was ajar. It wasn't wide open or closed shut, just ajar. Lily also didn't notice this. There was nothing but the bare minimum that crossed her mind. After all, what else could she need?


Oh, dang it. She hadn't gotten her coffee. In all her rushing she'd forgotten. It was the fifth time this week, she thought, what could I be doing wrong? That wasn't a question that she was ready to answer, though, nor did she think it mattered.


Lily would pick some up at the break room. That was an efficient solution. See, no problem whatsoever. There was nothing to worry about after all.


Then she realized they were out of coffee. That's a shame.

**


Two months before the vacation, Lillian walked out from within the changing room.


"Do you like it?" she asked. Had she asked this question a month ago or two months in the future, there would be no answer. In this point of time, there was.


"Of course I do! It looks stunning on you, babe."


"Aw, Jamie, stop flattering." She soaked in every piece of praise he gave her, despite faking annoyance. Lil, what Jamie called her, relished each and every moment she had with her beloved man, nothing less.


"Wanna go home? There's a boxing match on." Jamie, always rushing rushing rushing. Well, it had tired Lil out anyway, though she simply stood there and modeled like a glamoured pig.


They fired up the engine to the car as the heater blasted the interior with warm air. It was wintertime, not the warmth of summer, which neither of them appreciated. Despite the sharp cold, one had to admit there was never a dull weather moment in their town. Certainly not while they were alive. Why, there was the hurricane in '02, some sort of tropical storm in '08... there were too many to list. None of the trivia mattered to our sweet couple, though, they simply cared about each other. Nothing more, nothing less.


While the lovebirds were making their way home, the pier was bustling miles away. Shrimp was being dropped off. Gallon after gallon after gallon of shrimp. Oh, and some trout. How could anyone forget the trout? It would be uncanny to imagine how Lil would see the pier in a couple dozen days... to live out those days indifferently in the eyes of one person to have a new start in a meaningless measure of time...

***


One month before the vacation, depression had found Lilliana. There was no other way to say her name, no fond nickname that didn't constrict the edges of her throat in sadness. She was sad. That was it, the purest form of sad. A sad that takes over all things, a sad that fogs up the glasses through which you see the world.


There is no other sad or happy in a world of this type of sadness. There is only the pain. After all, the sadness brings about the pain, and it is nothing if not efficient.


Lilliana had come to completely lose faith in all sorts of feelings. They were, to her, not a waste but a plague. A cautionary tale was all she was now, all she felt to exist as. There was no other purpose to life. In other words, nihilism.


Love? A nincompoop's attempt at making the world pretty in the form of another person.


Happiness? A delusion.


Lasting pleasure? There is no such thing.


Sadness? Now that's a truth. That's there and will always be there, was there when Jamie took his car from her driveway. Stars were watching above, she thought, laughing at me. Well, its not as if I deserve better.

**


Two months after the vacation...

March 01, 2021 21:47

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202 comments

Heyaaa, I know this is random but do you mind upvoting this author? He's a really good writer, and he got downvoted 2k+ points. Thanks! https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/writer-maniac/

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13:33 Mar 05, 2021

Oh Maniac!!!!! Ofc!!!!!

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Yeeees tankkkz

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15:33 Mar 05, 2021

I got her to 2000

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I thought it was a he?

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15:34 Mar 05, 2021

Nah, she's she/her

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Nainika Gupta
19:42 Mar 04, 2021

CHANGE EMOJI PUZZLEEEEE AHHH im dyinggggg eheeh

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19:50 Mar 04, 2021

I will tomorrowwweeeeewwwwwwww

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Nainika Gupta
20:03 Mar 04, 2021

ugh mkay XD

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20:04 Mar 04, 2021

Lolol

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Nainika Gupta
17:19 Mar 06, 2021

hehehehehe okokokok im readyyy *cracks knuckles* ok.... i know its by a russian and set in russia modernish classic NOBEL PRIZE IN LIT??!!! somewhat similar to the gulag archipelago hmmm *thinking*

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18:35 Mar 06, 2021

LOL you’re never getting this... but Annabelle already did XP

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Philia S
09:56 May 03, 2021

Hey Luke! I've been a silent reader of your stories for a long time, and this story really got me hooked with the beginning! (Anything poetic gets me hooked, lol) I'm probably REALLY late, but yeah, I just wanted to say, the story was amazing! Btw, if you don't mind, could you review my stories? Thanks! Sue

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11:05 May 03, 2021

Thanks so much Sue!!! And OMG I LOVE PHILOSOPHYYYYYYYYYYY!! Ofc!!!

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Philia S
11:10 May 03, 2021

:D Me toooooooo! Tell me if you ever wanna talk about 'philosophical' stuff, I'll make sure to make the convo 3567 years long!! Lol Thanks!!!

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11:32 May 03, 2021

I WOULD LOVE TO

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Philia S
12:05 May 03, 2021

:D Philosophy is life!!! I can't understand why some people try to 'avoid' it...like seriously, they are missing on GOLD!!!

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16:40 May 03, 2021

I KNOWWWWWWWW

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15:08 Mar 07, 2021

Nice Story

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Sapphire 🌼
23:17 Mar 06, 2021

Weird question but.... Do you know what Noetic Science is? I'm asking because it literally focuses on- like you said in your bio- existence, life, and death. :) Sorry If I'm bugging you lol

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00:23 Mar 07, 2021

Can you explain?? Maybe I’ll remember... I’m a big Existentialist...

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Sapphire 🌼
01:07 Mar 07, 2021

Basically focusing on how your thoughts, consciousness, beliefs, intentions, or even your existence altering the physical world...in a non-physical way. Like is it possible for your consciousness and existence to change physical matter, or physical phenomena? Its rooted on the belief that we as humans are all interconnected, not just with each other, but with the nature or reality, and that we are all one in the sense that we are all created from the stars. There's an experiment that's currently being held, and it focuses on getting an idea ...

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01:42 Mar 07, 2021

Ooh, well that sounds very interesting!!! I would love to educate myself on it, even though from a first glance I don't think I subscribe... (shall i explain sartrian existentialism?)(no, better not)(eh, to hell with it) XP Well my philosophy is basically rooted in beliefs of individualism. I think that everything was created by an accident and that nothing has any inherent, divine, authoritative purpose. However, we give things purpose in our own ways and no one can truly advise you on the correct choice because their answer is just that: t...

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02:59 Mar 07, 2021

Oh my goodness I didn’t even read that paragraph but FREAKING GODS THAT IT LOOONG *a moment of silence for the sheer word count of that comment*

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12:49 Mar 07, 2021

Omg looking back on that it is... the complications of having an intense philosophical standpoint lollllllllll XP

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Sapphire 🌼
20:22 Mar 07, 2021

Why is it so fun to rant about our philosophical beliefs ifjknbjkfgnr I've always been curious about individualism, and I love researching about all things metaphysics! Your philosophical beliefs actually sound SO MUCH like noetics I'm surprised. The concept of feelings itself is very complicated, and understanding your own feelings is a cumbersome task on its own, but having other people try and understand them? That....is set for failure. Perception is yet again a complicated concept. The way we perceive the world is unique to our own a...

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20:41 Mar 07, 2021

I dunno why it just is lolllll Ok, so there are some big differences in my philosophy but I do see some similarities. I’m saying that perception is controlled by us and that the world is all subjective to us, but I don’t think we can control the actual world just how we see it. Also, I don’t subscribe to collective consciousness but noetics sounds super cool!! I’m like a garbled mix of stuffffff

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Sunny 🌼
20:40 Mar 06, 2021

I- (You said your other stories are gonna be about death and life I'm so scared my heart's gonna burst) Ok. Truth this story was GREAT! Wow I really enjoyed this story what?!

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21:03 Mar 06, 2021

Yerppppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!

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Hi there! If you have time, please upvote this writer. Her points got taken all away, and she was originally at 5,000, please help if you want to. (I understand if you don't wanna get involved into all the upvoting/downvoting.) Link: https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/writer-maniac/#

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21:03 Mar 06, 2021

ALL OF THEM?????? POOR MANIA!!!!!!!! THAT'S ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!!! I'LL HELP IF I CAN...

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Yesh poor her :((

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B. W.
20:00 Mar 06, 2021

Hey

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20:07 Mar 06, 2021

Hey hey hey

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B. W.
20:58 Mar 06, 2021

How are you doing?

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22:04 Mar 06, 2021

great great great!!!

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B. W.
22:33 Mar 06, 2021

So are ya working on a new story or anything?

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22:34 Mar 06, 2021

Yeah... I don't know if I'll finish it thooooo

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Maya W.
23:21 Mar 05, 2021

Hi Luke, new story out!

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<inactive> .
20:09 Mar 05, 2021

Hey Luke you good..? You seem kinda down, idk :(

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20:40 Mar 05, 2021

OFCCCCCCXX I AM

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<inactive> .
04:53 Mar 06, 2021

That’s good to hear 😄

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14:37 Mar 06, 2021

:D

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19:13 Mar 05, 2021

New emoji puzzleeeeee Does the flag mean the author was Russian or the book itself is Russian?

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19:28 Mar 05, 2021

Lol well the author's russian and its set in russia.

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19:31 Mar 05, 2021

Is the author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn?

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20:40 Mar 05, 2021

I dunno no hints ;)

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21:56 Mar 05, 2021

Ahahahaha ok. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich?

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21:58 Mar 05, 2021

... check the leaderboard Yerp

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Jexica Marcell
18:06 Mar 04, 2021

Hey Luke its Cass, but i changed my account name and deleted almost all of my stories!!! (Im so smart) Anyway loved the story btw!!!!!!

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18:11 Mar 04, 2021

WHY????????????

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Jexica Marcell
18:17 Mar 04, 2021

I'm starting over. Fresh new start. you know. :)

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18:19 Mar 04, 2021

Well that's great!!!!!!!!

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Jexica Marcell
18:30 Mar 04, 2021

I hope. i was gonna make another account then i relized i shouldnt bc i took me forever to get here lol.

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18:34 Mar 04, 2021

Lolllll

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Woah woah woahh woahhh, hold your horses. LALIA LAVENDER LEFT?

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12:16 Mar 04, 2021

Yeahhhhhgggg

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Sia S
01:23 Mar 04, 2021

EMMMIE LEFT??!

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12:45 Mar 04, 2021

yeah...

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Sia S
14:37 Mar 04, 2021

oh gosh... when?

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14:52 Mar 04, 2021

i dunno but emerald told me..........

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Sia S
17:19 Mar 04, 2021

Oh...

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17:22 Mar 04, 2021

i knowwwwwwwwwwwwwww

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11:08 Mar 03, 2021

Emmie's really gone now :(

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Maya W.
03:49 Mar 03, 2021

Hi Luke! Nice work here! I liked Lilliana's character and the general way you described the setting. The ending kinda confused me, though, so if anything just make that more clear. Also, new story out!

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13:47 Mar 03, 2021

Thanks so much, Maya!!!! I'll check yours out soon!

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Lilliane Wei
01:39 Mar 03, 2021

Hey, Luke! This is such a great story, it's very beautifully written with the air of elegance and classical writing you usually portray. The timeline was a little wonky but nothing too confusing. Awesome job! -Lily Ps, on the doc earlier, you called me 'Lil' like in the story lollll

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13:48 Mar 03, 2021

Thank you so much!!!! I did think of your nameeeeeeee and yesh I didddddddddd

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Lilliane Wei
17:46 Mar 03, 2021

Hahaha XD

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18:00 Mar 03, 2021

:DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

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Sapphire 🌼
20:20 Mar 02, 2021

What. Is. Happening.

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20:20 Mar 02, 2021

NIKA KICKED ME OUT OF EDITING

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Sapphire 🌼
20:22 Mar 02, 2021

SAME this is chaos That spammer guy is the worst

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20:23 Mar 02, 2021

UGH. I go on the doc like ONE TIME AND THIS HAPPENS LOL

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Sapphire 🌼
20:25 Mar 02, 2021

LOL Lily sorted it out- he's gone FINALLY

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23:52 Mar 02, 2021

GOOD

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Lilliane Wei
01:34 Mar 03, 2021

Sorry I didn't notice for a while, I was afk.

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Lilliane Wei
01:34 Mar 03, 2021

Sorryyyyy

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20:02 Mar 02, 2021

LAILA AND EMMIE LEFT?????????? NOO ME FRIENDS!

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20:03 Mar 02, 2021

Yeahhhhhh it so saddddddd

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20:07 Mar 02, 2021

Add Emmie to the Tree of Lost Writers, as I've been calling your list. It seems she's not coming back :(

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21:04 Mar 02, 2021

NOOOOOOOOO

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10:49 Mar 03, 2021

I know, right? SHE HAS A BUNCH OF PART 1 AND 2S WITH NO FINAL PART! I'LL EXPLODE IF I NEVER FIND OUT HOW THE BRIDGEBROOK STORY ENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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13:47 Mar 03, 2021

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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TJ Squared
19:57 Mar 02, 2021

hey, some random spammer wants to talk to you on the doc, he is literally begging.

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19:58 Mar 02, 2021

I don’t know anything about this can you give me the doc link please??

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TJ Squared
19:59 Mar 02, 2021

sure https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jnTO2_RBMf0A45gw38pgM6aXANTqhZIhDvSUHk0_gXo/edit#

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TJ Squared
20:00 Mar 02, 2021

also, you just need to scroll down to page 16 and then you will see

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. .
20:03 Mar 02, 2021

I honestly have no idea what it’s about... what do you think?

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TJ Squared
20:05 Mar 02, 2021

i think you should talk to him so he gets off, but you make the decision

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