Alicia Borghese
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Stories (6)
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Jack in the Night
The shadows were long over the river and the sun was sinking into the horizon when I saw the man walking slowly along the riverbank. The ancient hound attached to the leash looked as though he would have rather been tucked up in a warm bed, but was leading the man amicably along, albeit at a painstakingly slow pace. The man did not seem to mind. His face looked as though he were somewhere a million miles away, perhaps on the moon that had just begun to rise in the dusky sky. As he approached, he glanced up, probably hearing my footsteps on the crisp fallen leaves. His face changed, and I saw that he was an expert at pasting a friendly face over the true emotion rippling beneath the surface. A professional then. I smiled and raised my hand in return. “Hello” I greeted him. “Hi there” he said, and nodded toward the dog, “I hope I’m not trespassing; I’m just walking Byron before we bunk down for the night.” I looked at him closely, noting the worrying lines in the corners of his eyes. His salt and pepper hair blew gently in the breeze coming in off the river, a faint spray of chill bumps sprang up on his neck. “Its fine” I replied, “the river is so peaceful at sunset, and I was just walking down to watch the starts come out.” I hesitated a fraction of a second, then added “Would you like to sit for a minute before you go on?” The man glanced down toward the dock and noted the chairs there, then back at me for a moment before the dog made the decision, and started tugging toward the water, anxious to sit down where the dirt was not. This was a dog not accustomed to the feel of dirt beneath his paws. “Thank you” he responded, “I walked a bit further than I meant to, and a few minutes of rest will be nice, By the way, I’m Jack” “Hello, Jack” I replied, I’m Alicia” I smiled and continued my leisurely pace toward the dock. I knew if he wanted to speak, he would. Humans are not nearly as mysterious as we try to imagine.
By Alicia Borghese3 years ago in Humans
Under the Pear Tree
They met each night under the pear tree in the back orchard. The only pear tree, oddly out of place in a field of apples, it had grown almost as if of its own accord. They chose it as a meeting place because of the mystery of the thing, itself. The lone pear tree, out of place in a vast society of normal expectations. The perfect place for a couple as out of place in society as the pear tree among apples.
By Alicia Borghese4 years ago in Fiction
The Barn to Freedom
In the distance she could see an old barn, the broad side shadowed in the falling darkness. The door stood open, welcoming, though to anyone else, it probably would have looked ominous and rickety. Bethany checked once again to make sure that she wasn’t being followed through the deep Pennsylvania forest, then ran across the meadow toward the haven of the cavernous depths and comforting darkness.
By Alicia Borghese5 years ago in Families
Car Thoughts
The one place I feel most relaxed and comfortable is my car. Is that odd? My car is my "safe place" from the world. I don't think I have an illogical attachment to my car, in particular. If I had to get a new one, I would be fine with it, but in that car, I would still find solace. When I am in my car, I can avoid the things that are out of my control. I can sit there, in a relatively small space, and be in control of the moment. The world sometimes seems so large and so many things in the world are out of control or unpleasant, but in my car, I can be free from all of that and just live in the moment. I am limited to the surrounding environment, and I feel safe.
By Alicia Borghese5 years ago in Longevity
Victoria's Lesson
To start with, there were three things Victoria knew would be essential on her trip. Water, sunscreen and a hairbrush. What else can a girl need on a yacht? She looked up at the calendar, jotting the last plans for her summer vacation down in her fuzzy notebook. Three days until the end of Junior year. Three days left of the endless droning of the teachers, the awkward lunch line, and only three more days of watching her best friend, well, former best friend, making lovey dovey eyes at her boyfriend. Former boyfriend. The double heartache was the hardest lesson she had learned this year, and it had nothing to do with school.
By Alicia Borghese5 years ago in Fiction
The Locket
The sun was high in the sky. The boy lingered in the doorway, glancing again at the cloth wrapped packet in his hand before tucking it into the inner pocket of his tunic. It was illegal to be outside when the sun was up, but a caravan had arrived from the west with travelers seeking refuge. Odd, to have a caravan arrive in the daytime, but perhaps it was a sign that this would be the day that he had waited for. The day he found the person with the matching locket, identical to the heart shaped trinket he had just tucked into his shirt, his most guarded possession. He glanced once again at the bright orb in the sky, wondering how long it had been since the last solar flare.
By Alicia Borghese5 years ago in Futurism
