Grinch Heart Growing Novels & Stories

his voice was a deep low thrum that went straight to my heart. I swallowed my breath, my fingers intensively losing the scarf on my neck a bit, as I suddenly needed more air,“Yeah… I wanted to ask if you could help me study for BSA112,” I muttered, looking away from those piercing grey eyes of his. His hands pulled my chin back up to his eyes, as he slowly stared down at me, his face devoid of emotion,“ You mean Mr Cliff, of course?” “Yeah, yes that,” I coughed, my hands adjusting the scarf, as my eyes fluttered a million times to sink with the beat of my heart.

-Cade’ Tears splotch the black ink, my hands trembling as a hiccup rips from my chest. I shift my hand, placing it flat over the letter, and as I look down at the shiny diamond ring on my finger, I wish, with everything inside me, I could disappear—fade away into nothing. ⊰ Three Years Later ⊱ “Alright, Bubbles. It’s official!” I clap my hands in excitement, looking down at my two-year-old Saint Bernard as he wiggles his butt to lower himself onto the dark gray rug of the living room. “This is home,” I breathe out in contentment.

“Mr. Burt, you didn’t have to bring flowers.” Karl smirked. “How could I do that? It's not like me to visit a sick patient without bringing something at least.” He pulled up a chair and sat down with his legs crossed. “I just went to check with the doctor. They told me your heartbeat has been very erratic?” “Well, I’ve always had a heart condition. This afternoon, I had another confrontation with that brat Danielle, and that was when my heart started to act up again.”

"Listen to me. Just do your job and we'll forget this ever happened. "You've been here for seven years. Even if you haven't achieved much, you've put in the effort. The company won't mistreat you." As he spoke, he even reached out as if to pull me up. I felt sick to my stomach and shoved him away. I barely used any force, but he performed like an award-winning actor, rolling on the ground and lightly bumping his head against the edge of a desk. Chase hit his head, and Scarlett looked more heartbroken than if she had been the one injured. She rushed forward, cradled his head, and stroked it gently.

“Grey has a heart condition.” “A–A what?” “IT DIDN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT,” SHE SAID QUIETLY. “IT STARTED WHEN HE WAS EIGHTEEN… THE SAME YEAR HIS LIFE FELL APART.” SHE LOOKED DOWN AT HER GLASS. “GREY HAS A STRESS-INDUCED CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA.” MY BREATH CAUGHT.

They left the roads for nature to reclaim in her good time-- and she had started in earnest. If we look into the disadvantages of something we must surely consider the advantages. In the weathered cracks was gathered new soil, enough to temper seeds to grow. Their roots grew in, their leaves a bright green over the grey and the land began to breathe once more. Healing the scars of old. Someone patted my shoulder, I turned to stare at the person but all I saw was moving lips without hearing a thing. It took me a while to realize I still had my earpiece plugged in.

Chicken came out of nowhere and started nuzzling her head against my knee, letting out few soft purrs. "Chicks, please try to shut up that sweet mouth of yours." I muttered, flipping a page. It almost seemed like I was dyslexic; all the words jumbling up and blurring in front of me, making absolutely no sense. "Okay." I whispered to myself. "So if the velocity is zero, that means the acceleration is equal to..." I pulled up my hoodie sleeves over my fists and rested my head on them, letting out a loud, frustrated groan.

I clench my teeth and I tried to lift my legs to kick out at this asshole. My movements are too slow, he lands on me, his claws digging into my opposite shoulder as I hold his left hand in both of mine. This is pathetic! I'm struggling, holding one of his hands with both of mine! And yet it's so hard to hold that one fucking hand of his with two of mine. I growl as I watch his claws extend more. I grunt then growl again as his claws begin to pierce through the left side of my chest, right where my heart is.

I could feel it deep inside my chest. My steps slowed as I walked deeper along the path. The last bit of sky behind the tall branches faded, leaving everything dim. I kept telling myself I just needed to reach the main road. Just a little more. Just a few more minutes. Then I heard it. A low growl, deep, rough and too close. I froze. At first, I tried to convince myself it was just the wind or a falling branch. But then it came again, louder this time, shaking the air around me. My heart jumped so hard I felt it in my throat.

He devoured both once he realized how hungry he was. He dug into the chocolate chip cookies and finished off a can of pop, before changing into his shorts and getting ready for bed. Then he sat by her side and took her hand into his. Head down, bowed in silent prayer, he prayed to this distant God that suddenly seemed closer. He cried and begged. He prayed and pleaded until he finally wore himself out. He stood and kissed her forehead, moving a stray hair out of the way. Slowly sitting in his recliner Finn fell into restless sleep fraught with dreams that were bordering once again on nightmares.