The Creative Corner is where students can display original works of writing (either short stories or poems) to share with the ENC community. Submit your creative writing pieces to veritas@enc.edu for a chance to be featured in the Creative Corner.
Letter #1
Darling,
Thank you ever so much for responding back. I know times have been, well, not easy, but we will pull through. I cannot lie: the red river and toxic air are starting to nip at my innards. No matter how much blood I see, I still think of you, of what you said.
“It’s going to be all right, love. They will lose their appetite eventually.”
That piece of hope still ensnares me. I do hope you are doing well. Everything is growing darker day by day. We are prohibited to go outside anymore. Too dangerous, but I still sneak to the mailbox. For you. After a while I stopped receiving letters from you. No worry, I still have managed to find communication with you.
Even though your stamps are proving to be heavily outdated, I still anticipate that rusted orchid on the top right hand corner of your envelopes. The orchid helps me that there was a past before all this tragedy. Your stamps, delivered with your message, paints more hope into my doubting brain of hunger and peril.
Darling, I cannot lie, I’m growing more frightened every day. All that moaning coming from outside the windows, I don’t dare look out. Last time I stole a glance I saw…it shouldn’t even be uttered. I witnessed a baby’s corpse being dragged by his mother who was limping severely and vomiting so many fluids. Everyone else is scared here, too. I keep reminding them, “They will lose their appetite eventually.”
Darling, when is eventually?
With great love throughout all the grey in this condemned world,
Margaret
Letter #2
Darling,
Last night they found three more bodies floating in the fountain in our town’s square. It’s this bloody virus. The cemeteries are off limits and they will not tell us why.
Are you still safe? The day they called you in I held back tears. I don’t think I’m being selfish; I just want to know you’re safe.
Oh, darling, you are safe, right? I am constantly worrying for your safety and that you can come home. For the past three weeks a family of four has been living with me. They told me about this man who has died for us a long time ago. This family calls him Jesus. This family isn’t afraid, they’re confident and courageous. I do not understand this faith that this family has brought into our house.
I don’t believe them when they tell me that this dead man has died for us so long ago. He doesn’t know us; I’ve never met him. This family is so sure that this dead man will save us all from this unknown abhorrent plight. I believe that we may burn here. Darling, I’m afraid we are all going to die. I can no longer sleep. The screaming coming from outside makes me shiver in our bed. Please, write back soon. I desperately miss you.
With all my shaken love,
Margaret
Want to read more of Martinez’s story? Continue reading “Darling” here.