{"id":2192,"date":"2021-01-17T15:07:32","date_gmt":"2021-01-17T22:07:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/?p=2192"},"modified":"2021-01-17T17:26:17","modified_gmt":"2021-01-18T00:26:17","slug":"stubborn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/17\/stubborn\/","title":{"rendered":"Stubborn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

prompt: <\/em>: Set your story in a remote winter cabin with no electricity, internet, or phone service….<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

available at Reedsy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What good is it being stubborn if you don\u2019t keep trying? <\/em>Alik stared at the cabin in the center of the clearing, her snowshoe tracks trailing back three miles through the sparse alpine forest to the road. She knew how this would probably end, but she had to try. She checked the device on her wrist, and watched it count down the seconds before she began moving again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sky was darkening with clouds as she crossed to the cabin. It always seemed larger from the outside. The deep covered porch welcomed her, and she removed the snowshoes and let herself into the mud room. It wasn\u2019t much warmer than outside, but it was dry. She shucked her boots and gloves and parka, putting them neatly in the spaces provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt looks like you forgot something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alik jumped. \u201cGods, Neery, I didn\u2019t hear you come out.\u201d She turned to give the smaller woman a hug. \u201cWhat do you mean I forgot something?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMail? I don\u2019t see any.\u201d Neery searched through the hanging parka and made exaggerated searching movements around the mud room. \u201cNope, no mail here. I fully expect you\u2019ll forget to bring something you need for your own funeral.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t forget it.\u201d Alik\u2019s mouth grew tight. \u201cI\u2014 can\u2019t bring it anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey shut down your box. Something about being four months behind on your box rent. You\u2019ll have to go in personally to pick up any mail, but I paid your overdue bill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAssholes. World\u2019s full of them.\u201d Neery hugged Alik again. \u201cNow you know why I live here. Come inside and get warm and dry, dinner\u2019s on the stove.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s dinner?\u201d Alik asked<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s that meal that comes in the evening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSee, I think you\u2019re<\/em> the asshole.\u201d Alik stuck her tongue out. \u201cYou know I meant, \u2018What, dear sister, have you prepared for our dinner?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMystery soup.\u201d Neery winked. \u201cI\u2019m running low on spuds, otherwise it would be mystery stew.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside, the cabin was lit by oil lamps. A wood stove provided heat and a cooking surface. A meticulous stack of firewood stood near the rear door, while glassware lined the open-front cupboards like soldiers on parade. Everything in the cabin was placed just so, making straight lines and right angles, nothing out of place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They ate in silence, Neery casting curious glances at Alik. When they had finished, Alik collected the bowls and spoons and washed them in the basin to one side of the cabin, full of cold soapy water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlik, what are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would say that I\u2019m just here to see my sister,\u201d Alik said, \u201cbut that would be a lie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo shit.\u201d Neery took the bowl Alik was drying. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want you to come stay with me.\u201d Alik raised a hand to stop Neery\u2019s response. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to, I know. But I miss you, and I worry about you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGods you\u2019re stubborn. You don\u2019t stop, do you? I won\u2019t ever go back. Especially while\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMom died,\u201d Alik said. \u201cLast month. I sent you a letter, but you haven\u2019t picked up your mail in six months.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly.\u201d Alik took the bowl back from Neery and placed it in the stack in the open cupboard. She took the time to ensure the rims of the bowls were exactly one finger-width back from the edge of the shelf and perfectly centered, the way Neery liked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI feel like I should be happy finally, or relieved.\u201d Neery sat heavily in the chair nearest the stove. \u201cTruth is, though, I don\u2019t really feel anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWill you at least consider staying with me over the winter?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cConsidered it, don\u2019t want to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeery, I mean it. Take some time to think it over.\u201d Alik sank into the overstuffed sofa. \u201cMom\u2019s gone. You\u2019re all I have left in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you supposed to be my<\/em> support?\u201d Neery asked. \u201cYou\u2019re the big sister here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNee-nee\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, I\u2019ll consider it. Sheesh, you\u2019d think I ran away from you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou kind of did,\u201d Alik said, \u201cbut I understand why you had to leave. I still don\u2019t understand why you had to go to the ends of the Earth to do it, but you had<\/em> to leave; I get that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile you\u2019re getting things, there\u2019s a bottle and shot glasses in the cupboard nearest the wall,\u201d Neery hinted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alik brought the bottle and glasses and set them on the low table. \u201cI know you thought about getting a dog,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve got enough space for one and a fenced yard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s stopping you<\/em> from getting one?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no one to watch it while I\u2019m traveling for work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neery laughed and poured shots. \u201cThat\u2019s why you want me to come back; to be a dog-sitter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not true,\u201d Alik said, \u201cbut if you<\/em> wanted to get one, you could.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is just like the time you convinced me to buy the Molly doll with my birthday money instead of the roller-skates I wanted.\u201d They drank their shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou said it would be fun to have the matched set with your Millie doll and we\u2019d have tea parties every afternoon.\u201d Neery poured another round. \u201cInstead, you played with it almost all the time and I\u2019d have to beg to even see the doll.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was six, give me a break.\u201d Alik swallowed the second shot, feeling its warmth spread through her. \u201cIf you really want skates, I\u2019ll get you some high-end roller-blades.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re such a bitch,\u201d Neery said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s why you love me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCheers to that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They drank in relative silence, Neery adding the occasional log to the fire, for what seemed like hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had enough. I need to sleep,\u201d Neery said. \u201cSame as usual, I sleep near the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alik nodded and waited until Neery had climbed to the sleeping loft before clearing up the bottle and glasses. They\u2019d gone through half of it. That was probably too much, but at least she\u2019s calm.<\/em> She checked the device, saw the time, and smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Alik lay down her sister was already snoring. She had no sooner gotten settled than Neery snuggled up close to her. Sleep overtook her in minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alik was awakened by the sound of metallic scraping. Faint morning light showed in the windows, the bed was empty next to her, and the unmistakable aroma of coffee enticed her out of the warm blankets. Climbing down from the loft, she saw Neery scooping ash out of the wood stove into a pail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMorning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAbout time you woke up,\u201d Neery said. \u201cThought the coffee would do it, but since it didn\u2019t, I figured I\u2019d just get on with my day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t change your routine for me,\u201d Alik said. \u201cIf I\u2019m in your way just say so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neery held the pail and fireplace shovel out to her. \u201cCould you put these in the mud room? And bring in the small dust brush and dustpan on your way back in?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alik took the tools and walked out to the mud room. The door clicked behind her and she turned, expecting Neery to be there but she was alone. She set the bucket down on the stone paver it had been sitting on when she arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She began to look for the dustpan, knowing that Neery would put it away in such a manner that it would be plainly visible. It wasn\u2019t in the mud room. She tried to step back inside but the door was locked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeery! Don\u2019t do this!\u201d she cried. \u201cWe can work it out! I\u2019m here for\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shot rang out and echoed in the cabin, scaring the ravens out of the surrounding trees. Alik kicked at the door until it opened. Her sister lay still in a growing puddle of blood in the middle of the otherwise spotless room, the revolver still in her hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alik closed the door and donned her parka, gloves, and boots. She stepped out of the mud room and put on her snowshoes. It took only a few minutes to reach her tracks at the edge of the clearing. Positioning her snowshoes into the earlier tracks she took a deep breath and pressed a button on the side of the device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alik spoke into the device. \u201cNeery died at 8:04 am; she shot herself. Beginning attempt eighteen.\u201d She touched a control on the device and found herself in the same position, again, on the previous day. What good is it being stubborn if you don\u2019t keep trying?<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

prompt: : Set your story in a remote winter cabin with no electricity, internet, or phone service…. available at Reedsy What good is it being stubborn if you don\u2019t keep trying? Alik stared at the cabin …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[208],"tags":[214,210,228,209],"class_list":["post-2192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trunk-stories","tag-drama","tag-fiction","tag-science-fiction","tag-short-story"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/sxT7i-stubborn","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2192"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2195,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2192\/revisions\/2195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}