Letting Go

Tuesday, 18 October, 2016


I let Ellie go today. We weren't together all that long but it was harder to let her go than any of the other girls I've cut ties with. They were passive, submissive boring girls. But Ellie.. she had spirit. A lot of fight in her. I remember how passionate some of our rows had been. She once threw a dinner plate at me; screamed that she hated me but I always managed to subdue her. I could cope with her tantrums. If I'm honest, they excited me. It's one reason I kept her with me for as long as I did. What I couldn't cope with (and what made my decision to end it) was her popularity. She was the most sought after girl I've ever met! Always in demand; always being asked after. Her friends and family said I was a creep and that she was to good for me. What did they know? They didn't even know me!

The short walk we took in the morning Autumn sunshine was pleasant. We held hands tightly but little was said until we stopped to sit down, looking out at the fantastic views of endless hills and valleys. An orange and red hue covering the treetops. I chose the location specifically. It couldn't have been more perfect location.

Ellie had tears in her eyes when I told her I was letting her go. She told me I didn't have to do this; that our life together was what she wanted. She didn't want an end; she wanted to stay with me. She clung to my coat, sobbed, begged me to think about what I was doing before it was too late; cried that once I'd let her go there was no going back.
I smiled at her and told her that I'd made up my mind. She cried harder. Big, pitiful sobs rolled down her cheeks.
I managed to free myself from her grasp before I pushed her. She gasped, looked at me with stunned wide eyes as she stumbled back, grabbing at the air as she fell from the edge of the hill. I watched her body get smaller as she disappeared.

How do I feel? Powerful. Only a few people are blessed with truly knowing that feeling. I'm walking away from this as I have done so many other times before with all the other girls who mysteriously disappeared. I suppose I'll be caught one day. But they'll have to catch me first...

Author's Note

Would just like to say a huge thank you to the nice gentlemen who kindly allowed me to use his personal photograph as inspiration and a front cover for this short story :)

Reviews

[matrixmark]

Made me chuckle - she thew a dinner plate at me - did i laugh, oh yes i did. Short, sharp yet vivid visions of where they sit on the hill is image perfect.

The 2 girls - the images which i have in my head of the girls is that the popular one is whhat i like to call plastic which simply means fake. The other girl is the nerdy one BUT has a well hidden dark side.

This flowed really, really well, just how a story is meant to read.

And here it is yet again - Tina, you always do this to me. WHY OH WHY can't i ever see these endings coming.

Mark.

QUALITY PIECE AGAIN.

[Tina H.W.]

Thank you again for your positive review, Mark.
I guess I'm just a fan of shock, twist endings ;)

[matrixmark]

Much like myself.

Mark.

[Samuel Dickens]

Those last two sentences really threw a wrench into all my notions to that point. Sneaky... but great. Very good writing, although I did see a couple of missing small words and one needed comma.

[Tina H.W.]

Thank you for taking time to read and review, Samuel. I'm glad you liked it :) As for those small missing words and comma; that was quite deliberate (just to see if you noticed) ;)

Tina

[Shannon]

This write certainly reminds me of your early ones on the Café. 'letting her go' a great euphemism, especially given how he kills her.

The last two lines are repetitive. I get that they mean slightly different things. But rewording them a but might help.

Great posting!

[Tina H.W.]

Thank you, S. Mi! You are right as usual. Looking back on it, I can see where I went wrong. Thank you for your constructive and kind comment :)

[Shannon]

I am glad you take comments as helpful. Because I enjoy your work very much. P.S. Check the date on the journal entry.

[Tina H.W.]

Oops! Altered. Thank you! That was a deliberate mistake of course... ;)

[Shannon]

Of course! ☺️