{"id":2662,"date":"2024-04-13T15:46:54","date_gmt":"2024-04-13T22:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/?p=2662"},"modified":"2024-04-13T15:46:54","modified_gmt":"2024-04-13T22:46:54","slug":"already-decided","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/13\/already-decided\/","title":{"rendered":"Already Decided"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

prompt: Set your story in a playground: two characters are having a serious conversation while on the seesaw\/in the jungle gym\/on the swings.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The two women sat in the unlit park, gently rocking their swings back and forth. What should have been a comfortable silence between them grew tense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The younger appearing of the two wore a little black dress with a name tag that read \u201cHeather Markham.\u201d Her red hair was piled in a mess of natural tight curls above a pale, unlined, freckled face with bright green eyes. She stopped her gentle swinging and looked at the other. \u201cI was hoping you\u2019d remember our spot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other woman, wearing a smart suit and a name tag that read \u201cJocelyn Josephs.\u201d Her bobbed medium brown hair was shot through with hints of grey. Around her large, deep brown eyes, the start of crow\u2019s feet showed in her olive skin despite all her efforts to hide them. \u201cOf course I remembered. It\u2019s like you haven\u2019t aged at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I had to leave early. I was making people uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn laughed. \u201cSome things never change. \u2018Creepy Heather\u2019 they used to call you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI never understood why you hung out with me,\u201d Heather said, \u201ceven though they started picking on you when you did. But, thank you for that, Jo. Without you I don\u2019t know if I\u2019d have made it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou were the most together person in my entire life at that point. More than me, for sure, and my parents were off in \u2018Last Days\u2019 conspiracy theory land somewhere.\u201d Jocelyn switched from swinging to rotating side to side in the swing. \u201cDid you know my dad was a flat-earther \u2014 way<\/em> before YouTube trolls, hell, there was no internet then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Heather nearly stood from the swing. \u201cThat\u2019s nuts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBiblical literalist. Even where it contradicted itself. Especially<\/em> where it contradicted itself.\u201d Jocelyn chuckled. \u201cEvery time I\u2019d point out an impossible contradiction in the Bible, he\u2019d just say, \u2018Through God, all things are possible,\u2019 as if that solved it, and then he\u2019d smack me for backtalking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShit. Sorry I brought it up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t, silly. I<\/em> brought it up. I\u2019m over it.\u201d Jocelyn sighed. \u201cI wish we\u2019d stayed in touch after we went away to college.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d They swung in silence for a few minutes before Heather said, \u201cSpeaking of remembering our spot, you wouldn\u2019t happen to have a joint, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, but,<\/em>\u201d Jocelyn said reaching into her purse and pulling out a bag of gummies, \u201cI do have edibles. Start with a quarter of one and give it half an hour or so to hit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heather laughed, taking the offered treat. \u201cThe creepy twins strike again. Edibles at the forty-year reunion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is nothing,\u201d Jocelyn said. \u201cHoward Mc-What\u2019s-his-name was doing lines of blow in the bathroom with anyone who wanted some. Gathered quite the crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCoke-bottle glasses Howard? McSween? The scrawny band and theater kid? That<\/em> Howard?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, that Howard. He\u2019s bald on top now. Still as small and scrawny, but his suit looked expensive as hell. Showed up in a limo \u2014 the private kind, not the hired kind. License plate was \u2018HOWARD4.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow. So how did you find out he was doing blow in the bathroom?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn laughed. \u201cIt was the women\u2019s<\/em> bathroom!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They laughed at the incongruity of it and returned to swinging in silence.  The half-moon peeked out behind the broken clouds that drifted across the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid you ever get married or have kids?\u201d Heather asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. Dated a few guys, and a few girls, but nothing ever lasted.\u201d Jocelyn didn\u2019t dare to tell Heather that she was the reason that no one else measured up. \u201cHonestly, it\u2019s made it easy to focus on work, since I cut my family out right after high school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSounds lonely,\u201d Heather said. \u201cFor obvious reasons, I\u2019ve avoided long-term relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you think anyone other than your parents knew we were together, then?\u201d Jocelyn asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. I think they were too busy calling my mom a witch and saying we were freaks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m just glad your parents were cool with us,\u201d Jocelyn said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey were cool with anything<\/em> involving you. They still ask about you all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn looked at Heather, an unasked question in her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heather reached over and grabbed the chain of Jocelyn\u2019s swing. \u201cI know you want to ask about my appearance, but don\u2019t know how.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, yeah, at first. But then I remembered your parents both looked so young compared to mine.\u201d Jocelyn put her hand on Heather\u2019s. \u201cYou started out with good genes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, yes and no.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat makes us look young has a certain\u2026downside.\u201d Heather turned her hand over so that she was holding Jocelyn\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn squeezed her hand, noticing that it was cool. \u201cDon\u2019t you dare tell me you\u2019re sick! Do you need a kidney? You can have one of mine. I hear they can do liver transplants with only part of a liver if you need that. Bone marrow is a no-brainer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heather laughed. \u201cThanks for that, but no, I\u2019m not sick per se, but\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn raised an expectant eyebrow. When no follow-up came, she said, \u201cHeather Helen Markham, if you don\u2019t tell me now, I\u2019m going to start calling you \u2018HeHee\u2019 again.\u201d She sang the \u2018HeHee\u2019 in a Michael Jackson impersonation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnything but that.\u201d Heather took a deep breath. \u201cI guess I\u2019ll just come out and say it. I\u2019m not aging for the same reason my parents don\u2019t age. We\u2019re vampires.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAss! I thought you were being serious.\u201d Jocelyn poked at Heather\u2019s arm, looking for a playful reaction. When it didn\u2019t come, she was at a loss for words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am being serious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The look on Heather\u2019s face told Jocelyn that she was, indeed, serious. \u201cHow long have you\u2026thought you are a vampire?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A soft smile crossed Heather\u2019s face. \u201cI don\u2019t think<\/em> I\u2019m a vampire, I am<\/em> one \u2014 a born vampire. We age like regular humans for the first twenty or so years, then we pretty much stop \u2014 unless we don\u2019t feed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut \u2014 you eat food, you drink wine, you even had an edible, I saw you in the sun earlier this evening. It doesn\u2019t make sense.\u201d Jocelyn shook her head. \u201cMaybe I\u2019m imagining this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not imagining anything, Jo.\u201d Heather grabbed Jocelyn\u2019s hand again. \u201cWhat you see in the movies is bullshit. We don\u2019t turn to dust in the sun, we can eat and drink, we just need a couple quarts of human blood once a month or so to keep us healthy. Without it, we age rapidly and starve to death, regardless of whatever else we eat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not funny anymore, Heather.\u201d Jocelyn pulled her hand back and crossed her arms. \u201cQuit playing and tell me what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heather sighed. \u201cCan you see the top of the play castle tower over there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Jocelyn could blink, Heather was gone from the swing next to her and crouching atop the tower. \u201cThis,\u201d she called out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as fast, she was back in the swing next to Jocelyn. \u201cW\u2014was that a magic trick? Some kind of illusion?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. Look at my teeth, tell me what you see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn looked. \u201cI see your teeth, they\u2019re normal like alwa\u2014\u201d she cut off as Heather\u2019s canines seemed to grow. From the close view, it was obvious they were sliding down, then the angle shifted  as they locked into place. She reached out and touched the tip of one and found it sharp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heather\u2019s eyes shone in the dim moonlight. Her canines shifted their position again and retracted into her gums. \u201cSay something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy? Why are you telling me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are two ways that vampires come to be. Some are born, like me. Some are made, like my mother.\u201d Heather took Jocelyn\u2019s hand in her own again and held it with a gentle touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre\u2026are you asking me to\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heather looked into Jocelyn\u2019s eyes. \u201cI\u2019m saying, if you want to be a vampire, I\u2019ll do it. I can\u2019t think of anyone else I\u2019d want to hang out with for a few centuries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn watched the reflection of the moon in Heather\u2019s eyes. She tried to weigh the consequences of the offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to decide right away,\u201d Heather said. \u201cI can wait as long as you need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn looked at her former lover and still favorite person in the world. \u201cI\u2019ve already decided.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

prompt: Set your story in a playground: two characters are having a serious conversation while on the seesaw\/in the jungle gym\/on the swings. available at Reedsy The two women sat in the unlit park, gently …<\/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":[210,209,220],"class_list":["post-2662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trunk-stories","tag-fiction","tag-short-story","tag-urban-fantasy"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pxT7i-GW","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2662","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=2662"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2662\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2663,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2662\/revisions\/2663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}