An American Tragedy

Written for OLWG #414 and ZOZO
17.04.25 – Extra Prompts. Combined,
there are seven inspirations, four for
the first story and three for the second.
This is my take and these are my stories.

Joshua’s Story

Once, I was a young man full of dreams, a vibrant spark igniting happiness in every corner of my world. I had that special joie de vivre, my laughter teasing and sprinkling the air like sweetness on the tongue. But now, under the eyes of the blackened sky, I find my spirit fractured, consumed by shadows I once thought I could outrun.

Addiction crept in slowly, a whisper at first, and then a deafening roar that drowned out every hope I held close. I remember the days when I’d wake up with purpose, when the sun painted the sky with possibilities. Now, the dawn breaks, and I fall back before I even rise. My bed feels like a tomb, and I lie there, lost in the haze of foolish choices and unfulfilled expectations.

Friends have faded like distant stars, their amusement replaced by the hollow echo of my own despair. I clutch my drugs as if they are the last vestiges of happiness, remnants of a once-cherished life. But they are thieves, robbing me of the greatest treasures I once had—love, ambition, and the delight in living.

Some nights, I sit by the window, staring out at the unforgiving sky, wishing it would swallow me whole. I wonder if I am more than this obsession, if the boy who once dreamed still exists beneath the wreckage. I search for answers in the darkness, hoping that one day, I will rise again, reclaiming the life I so foolishly let slip away.

Redemption is a long and arduous journey; would I be strong enough to reclaim my lost self and find my way back to the light, back to Emily? As is the case for each of us, only I can write my story.

NAR©2025
#ZOZO

Here are the prompts: 1) give up; 2) angry moon; 3) sugar and joy; 4) these are precious things. We can use one, two, all four or none at all. It doesn’t matter; we just need to be creative.

This is “Captain Jack” by Billy Joel

ZOZO 17.04.25- Extra Prompts

⌘ ⌘ ⌘ ⌘ ⌘ ⌘ ⌘

Emily’s Story

As I sat on the edge of the bed staring at the man I loved but no longer recognized,  memories of us flooded my mind. We used to dream together, painting a vivid future and planning adventures that seemed limitless. But now, the vibrant shades of our life have faded into a dull grey, trapped behind the boundary of addiction and despair.

Once, Joshua had been ambitious, driven – a beacon of hope with a contagious laughter that lit up the darkest days. But those days felt like a distant dream, overshadowed by the weight of his choices. I could still hear his voice begging to escape his chains, yet each plea felt more like a resignation to hopelessness than a cry for help.

I wanted to believe that he could change, that he could reclaim the life he once led. But the man I loved had slipped away, replaced by a shadow of lethargy and numbness, caught in a cycle that seemed impossible to break. I often wondered if the love we once shared could withstand the storm, or if it, too, would drown under the relentless downpour. And I asked myself if I had done everything I could for him or did I let him down when he needed me most.

As I watched the rain trickle down the window, I couldn’t help but question my own resolve. Was I being foolish, hanging onto a memory, or was there still a dim flame hidden beneath the surface? With every drop, I realized that our future hung in the balance, teetering on the edge of tomorrow, waiting for a sign of hope.

NAR©2025
#OLWG

Here are the prompts: 1) woman, as a verb; 2) border, lazy, permission (three seemingly unrelated words; 3) hat full of rain. We can use one, two, all three or none at all. It doesn’t matter; we just need to be creative.

This is “Lonesome Old Town” by Brenda Lee

OLWG#414- Lockup, Again

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