The Summer of ‘98-A Short Story

I remember the summer of ‘98 like it was yesterday. The sun was a relentless tyrant, and the air was thick with the smell of cut grass and dusty sneakers. The neighborhood kids, a motley crew of preteens with scraped knees and boundless energy, spent every waking hour playing street soccer in front of old Mr. Atley’s house. He hated us, and we loved the thrill of annoying him. He was the grumpy Goliath, and we were the plucky Davids, a soccer ball our only sling. The best player on the street was Kevin. He was a year older than the rest of us, with a mop of sandy hair and a cocky grin. He was faster, more agile, and had a way of dribbling the ball that made it seem like an extension of his own foot. He knew it, too, and his constant showboating drove me crazy. I was a decent player, but Kevin always found a way to make me look like a clumsy oaf, stealing the ball from me with a quick flick of his ankle or nutmegging me with a cheeky grin. One day, our game intensified. It was just Kevi...

Broken Promises

The air turns brittle when words are said,

and trust is broken, hope is dead.

Each uttered vow, a silken thread,

now snaps and frays inside the head

The future planned, a painted scene,

is torn to shreds, a cruel machine.


The heart a garden, fresh and green,

is trampled on by what has been. 

And though the sun may rise and set,

the bitter taste lingers yet.


A scar on faith, a long regret,

a promise that you can't forget. 

The weight of silence, a heavy shroud,

hangs in the space where once was proud

the easy laughter, strong and loud.

Now only echoes fill the cloud.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Thanksgiving Cheer

Hope

Summer by Adel J. Cardor