SEP 2021_Our last song

[Ryuu_L]

 

 

DEADLINE 30. 09. 2021

 

 

[3ruri]

Short story submission

Theme/title: Our Last Song

Word count: 600 words

 

Spoiler

 

 

“What’s with that title? It's so embarrassing,” Carmine striked out what I had written.

I took the music sheets back from him, wrote the word “Carmine” above the original one that had been buried under his scribbles. “No, it’s not. It’s the only appropriate title.” He insisted. 

“Why can’t it be your name?”

“Dude, my name’s Jethro. Why do you think I use my last name?” I looked at Carmine indignantly.

Carmine grabbed his stomach as he laughed heartily . To be honest, I didn’t think “Jethro” was a bad name. He calls me that when we’re together in bed, or when he’s in a teasing mood. It was rather special because most people knew me as “Duke”. Nevertheless, my biblical first name didn’t suit to be a love song title.

“Besides,” I continued where I left off. “It’s a song about you.”

“No, it’s about us.” Carmine corrected. “And by calling it ‘Carmine’, you basically name the song ‘Song’. It’s literally the meaning of my name.”

I was about to counter again, but was disrupted by a knock. “It’s time,” our manager told us. 

Carmine gave me a sweet, reassuring smile. I knew my face was looking grim, filled with worries. I squeezed Carmine’s hand in mine, not wanting to leave yet. 

“We can do this,” said Carmine.

I brought his pale hand to my lips and pressed a long kiss to the delicate knuckles. I wasn’t feeling nervous; I was outright scared.

“Come on, we pulled a lot of strings for tonight. We can’t chicken out now.”

I nodded before I bent down and kissed his lips one last time for courage. It was amazing how Carmine was the one who was going under the knife, but I was the one who feared for his life. 

“I love you,” I said, turned around and left.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

The strum of my guitar drove the fans wild, cheering our names. Normally, I would be so hyped up on stage, but without the other half of the duo, I felt lost. I absent-mindedly played the intro of the song, the big screen was behind me, blaring white. It wasn’t done on purpose, it was the hospital being stark and practical. We had arduously begged the management to grant us this session, we didn’t dare asking for trivial things like strobe lights. When someone perfectly sang the first line of the song, our screaming fans went quiet.

Carmine, all scrubbed up and waiting in the prep room, was lying on the sterile bed, his back propped up a little so he could look at the camera. He was pale without make up, but he was naturally good looking, so it didn’t matter. When he finished the first verse and bridge, all the fans watching the live streaming were mesmerized by his voice. I joined in at the chorus and when I looked at the crowd, there were no dry eyes.

I had to continue the second part of “Carmine” alone since my singing partner, the love of my life, had to undergo a surgery to remove a part of his larynx - his voice box - due to cancer. 

Our duo had been together for years, busking together on the streets from our teenage years, then performing together when we got signed up as recording artists. It was always the two of us from the beginning. Although we both could do solo, neither of us wanted to sing without the other. It was our final performance before the curtain closed on our music career.

Regardless, our last song won’t be the end of our love story.

 

 

 

Sooo happy the contest is backkk. Thank you for having it again 

 

[aominecchi]

Poem Submission

Spoiler

 

Last Song

All things come to an end,

Like nature's leaves shift from green to red,

And mayflies breed and then come to rest.

 

Everything is but stardust,

Returning to the cosmos like ash,

Thus, what is it that remains, other than lust?

 

Eros is limited,

Love is eternal,

After everything is gone,

Only one shall remain;

 

That is why love is eternal,

Written from another era,

One last song of love shall prove our passion is forever.

 

My favorite contest is back! Or have I not participated in one for so long?

[crystald]

.

Here is my entry!

 

BY YOUR SIDE

 

It's been a long way

and a bumpy ride

but it's been easier with you by my side.

 

The joys and sorrows

the blocks that built

our life together like a mosaic.

 

It seems like this

is the end of the road for me

you should live well after I'm gone.

 

This is our last song

let's make it a memory

of our last slow dance.

 

Hand in hand

let me take my final steps

with you by my side.

 

Stay Safe!

 

[M-jow]

Here is my entry

(Finally got it up and running) enjoy^^

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[Kujaku]

 

          Our Last Song.
            word count: 565

 

It suddenly got colder the night before. Lukas was supposed to have a few more days of warmth, at least enough for the landlord to get someone there and fix his heating. He called what felt like ages ago, but the contractors were apparently too busy to come. Was the whole city’s heating systems broken? He hoped not, he lived in a big city.

He put on warm clothes and headed for his favourite coffee shop. Outside felt warmer than in his empty apartment. He didn’t rush. The coffee shop was a few blocks away, but he wasn’t meeting anyone and it was better to take a walk, observe other people and make up crazy stories about them, than being by himself inside. Once he arrived at the coffee shop, he sat at his usual table and ordered a double macchiato.

Lukas couldn’t remember the last time he spent so much time alone. It must have been right before college when he was a weird closeted gay kid too afraid to go face the crowd. Once he started college in a bigger, more open-minded place, everything seemed to shift right in place and it felt amazing.

For the first time he felt free.
For the first time he could be himself.
For the first time he could kiss a guy.

Gosh, his first kiss. He could still remember that one. No, not the one with Nancy, who was a pretty girl and his best friend of many years, the real one. The one with Connor. That one felt right. And, well, Nancy was just helping him figure out if he’s really gay or not.

The coffee was hot and strong, like usual. He liked knowing he could order the same thing over and over again and taste the same bitterness with just a splash of milk. No sugar. It kept him grounded. For the duration of the drink, because next he was going to get himself a nice tall glass of wine.

Was it too early for wine? Maybe. Did he care? No.

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started playing and his stomach did a somersault.
He might order that glass of wine sooner than planned. He had hoped to stretch the coffee for at least an hour, but what’s 10AM and what’s 11AM, right? Practically the same thing. And it wasn’t like he was exaggerating, he was only drinking… casually.

Lukas could still feel the shock from that night, already three weeks ago. It was at his friend’s birthday party. Everyone was drinking, feeling good, tongues got loose. It was fun. Until it wasn’t. That night he heard every excuse in the book.

   We should take a break.
   It’s not you, it’s me.
   Let’s remain friends.

And yet, he did not speak to his ex-boyfriend since. He packed his belongings and left the next day. Now the song was a sad reminder of how he’d been dumped in the middle of a happy event. They were together three years and Lukas had been completely blind-sided. It must have been his fault, right? No one seemed surprised by their breakup, but no one told him why. That must only mean it was his fault.

But since he could not figure out what he did wrong, he ordered a second glass of wine and tried to forget the last song him and Mike were still a couple.

Edited September 29, 2021 by Kujaku

[Ryuu_L]

Thank everyone for bringing their creativity and creative soul around the forum!!

Your work is really great!