What Once Was

Lush greenery enveloped the room, vines wrapped around the window frames as a gentle breeze brushed Meghan's hair to the side. The warm sun shined down onto moss which had replaced what once was a glossy hardwood floor; a scene Meghan was far too familiar with. A deep sigh was followed by several steps towards the windowsill, where a chaise lounge chair was coincidentally positioned. Though its condition was rather poor, it was still the most comfortable seat in the room. The sofa may have been more so, if not for its current place halfway beneath the flooring. This house was once the residence of a family of four, a quaint household Meghan new before the event. Since then, however, the west face of the building had partially collapsed, resulting in a complete opening for the setting sun to grace the room with its evening glory. The sofa came with it, half-way at the very least. Thus, the lounge chair was the best option, and having reached this conclusion, Meghan sat down and positioned herself in a comfortable playing position.

In her hands was a novelty 12-string acoustic guitar, its body made of the finest rosewood and finished exclusively by hand. The craftmanship that went into the guitar's creation was exquisite, a job which seemed to have been done by none other than a professional. A single note played brought satisfaction to Meghan's ears, breaking the unnerving silence within the room. There were no birds; they were gone, alike almost all of the other wildlife that knew sound. A second note, picked carefully to offset the mood the first note established, filled the room before making its exit out of the west face of the building. Several notes followed, their melancholy fashion creating a feeling that suited the situation well. Meghan then stopped, a tear rolling down the side of her freckle-covered cheek. Memories of this place flooded her mind, the sweet sound of laughter filling her ears. What once was a loving place had been reduced to a memory, leaving nothing but sadness and a room kept in dismay. Meghan looked up to see the sun setting just below the treeline, wiping her tears away to return to the strong woman her father raised her to be. The memory of him was enough to build her up, enough to keep her going, when times got tough. In this world, every day is like that. Every day is a constant struggle for survival. Every situation - and the actions made throughout - could mean the difference between life and death; yet, even in the face of danger, Meghan lived on. She looked off into the distance, her eyes landing on what was left of the city. There was Virginia Tower, a 93-story highrise, leaning on the nearby Clarke News Center. Nearly all of its windows were destroyed, a consequence of bombings and eight consecutive years without repairs. Vines hung from its openings, pieces of debris falling down its many stories every time the earth beneath it quaked. There was no smoke; the fires that once burned there had long since been extinguished. Not from human intervention, but from the six months of constant rainfall that had taken place five years before. It was a disastrous scene, pictured in the many books that featured dystopias and their respective societies. For Meghan, however, this was reality.

Having seen distant rainstorm, she began packing up her guitar. After fitting it snugly in its case, she moved it around her right shoulder, keeping it close and safe from harm. She looked down towards her chest, pulling out a heart-shaped locket that was nestled between her breasts and her sweater. Opening the locket revealed a portrait of Meghan and her father. It had been several years since he passed. Another tear fell as she closed the locket and returned it to original place underneath her sweater. A familiar voice echoed in her head, repeating the same phrase over and over. It was always the same one, a phrase that she by now knew by heart. It brought the most important lesson she had learned from her father, a lesson not to be forgotten easily, or taken lightly. The same reason she has continued her journey to this home every month, the same reason she never gives up. What he told her was something she would keep forever in her heart, in her mind, and her soul.

He said no matter what, you've got to keep on living. No matter the dangers you face, the obstacles you come across, the people you lose, it all means nothing if you give up. Never give up, Meghan. Keep on living, because in the end, life goes on. You've just gotta go with it.