My Year Of Rest And Relaxation Novels & Stories

*** ~~KNOX~~ *** I fell right into that trap, let myself be at rest, let myself become too happy. And now the dreams are back. It’s the price of comfort. The consequence of peace. I’d gone over a year without them. Twelve solid months of silence in my sleep, of not waking up drenched in sweat or shivering with the taste of blood in my mouth or phantom screams still ringing in my ears. I thought I’d finally outgrown it. That maybe I’d found the answer.

The sunlight was bright, and there was not a cloud in the sky. Those dark years when I was imprisoned felt like a distant nightmare. But now, my restless dream was finally over. My life had only just begun. My phone on the desk vibrated. It was a picture message from an unfamiliar number. It was a photo. Inside a ruined shack, two beggars who barely looked human curled up in a corner, fighting over a moldy piece of bread. I recognized them as Kyle and Jessica. Below the photo was a line of text. [This month's update.]

Just a comfortable silence. I needed to rest for at least three months. And that’s what I’d been promised. After years of contracts, after bleeding and sweating in countries where most people couldn’t even point to on a map, I had finally negotiated a break. And I was going to take it and make the most of it. Or at least, I thought I was. The buzzing went on, relentless, like a mosquito that refused to die. I groaned in annoyance and grabbed the phone and answered without looking at the caller's ID

It fееlѕ nаughtу tо bе іn a bаth rеlаxіng whеn thе rеѕt оf mу colleagues are probably rасіng around, fighting fоr рrіmе stories, kіѕѕіng аѕѕ, аnd rероrtіng their buttѕ оff. It’ѕ nоt lіkе I hаd аnу сhоісе taking thіѕ tіmе оff, ѕо I rеfuѕе tо fееl too guіltу аbоut wоrk. I kісk bасk, сlеаr mу mіnd, аnd wiggle my tоеѕ. Nоw it’s thе tіmе tо enjoy mуѕеlf.

“Work,” I mutter instead, referring to the persistent call. As Zeath’s number is unsaved, it’s easier to lie. “I took this trip to get away from work.” “I understand,” Christopher groans, “it can be exhausting sometimes.” “True.” For the rest of the time, there’s silence. We merely listen to the ASMR playing in our ears as I gently massage Christopher’s body. The man soon falls asleep, but I don’t. I don’t even feel relaxed.

I clutched my chest, gasping for breath as tears blurred my vision. My fists clenched so tightly my nails dug deep into my palms, using the pain to keep myself upright. “Wandi spent a year overseas, recuperating, before she was willing to forgive Neve. In a couple of days, I’ll stage a medical ‘miracle’, stand up again, and let her resume being the Donna. This year is a penance for her willfulness.” Each word of his was uttered coolly, piercing deeper into my heart. “But… it has been a year. Will she buy it?” someone asked hesitantly.

"At last! We can finally rest." Rest. The word alone almost made Mae smile. Honestly, they really did need a break. The past month had been absolute chaos. One activity followed another without giving them time to recover. Reports, quizzes, projects, exams—it felt like there was always something waiting for them the moment they finished the previous requirement. She could not even remember the last time she had genuinely relaxed without thinking about deadlines. "What rest?" their professor asked, looking amused. "Don't you fourth-year students have a meeting later?"

Nothing can prepare you for the day your parent can’t take care of themselves. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself. I’m losing the point of taking a day off. I need to switch off the worry and relax. I’m working myself up a wall and it’s not working for me. I need to snap out of it and enjoy the rest of my day. I eat the rest of my breakfast and place the tray to the side. I get into bed and will my body to relax. I try to imagine a calming scene. The pink beach in the Bahamas, I’ve never been there but I’ve always thought that it’s beautiful.

] I turned off my phone and watched the scenery rushing past the window. This city held memories of my youth and love, but now I wanted to bury those memories with my own hands. On my first day in Gardenia, I threw myself into work. A new environment and a new project; being busy was the best distraction. Josh sent countless messages. Initially, these were explanations and apologies. However, they later became accusations and complaints. Josh: [Zoe, you're too impulsive!] Josh: [We've been together for ten years! Can't you give me a chance to explain?]

VALERIA A YEAR LATER I reclined on a lounge chair by the swimming pool, my body and mind completely at ease. I was on vacation with Zane in another country—an escape he had tricked me into. After graduation, I had taken over Treasure Media, and the relentless workload barely left me time to breathe. Yet, as much as I hated to admit it, he had been right. I needed this. Time really flew by. I gazed up at the clear blue sky, the events of last year playing through my mind.