Perfect Peace: A Novel Novels & Stories

The news flickered on. Specials Break Peace The screen flashed below the anchor woman. Specials break peace I read to myself again. “Turn it up Micheal” I ordered. He rolled his eyes but obliged. “Peace has been held for 15 years and today an extremely dangerous special broke it. We are unaware what caused the incident to spark. Soldiers were deployed to Barker Street. Officials have not yet released the number of killed or injured, but we can tell from footage it is a large number. We are estimating at least 50”

He smiled while looking at the photo he took. "It's so peaceful here. Watching sunsets makes every day extra special." I said while I was still amazed by the view. There were only a few students roaming around. "It's actually the person whom you watch it with that makes it special." I smiled as I heard him mumbling, and maybe he did not intend me to hear it.

Elena's heels glinted in the light, as Maria placed them on the floor in front of Elena. With a gentle movement, Elena lowered her feet into the heels, her toes sliding into the sleek interior. She stood tall, her leg extended as the heel seemed to mould itself to her leg, its glass surface glinting as she moved. Maria's hands went up and down, then came to rest to her sides, her eyes cast downwards as she bowed her head. "You look breathtaking."Maria's lips barely parted, her voice a soft sigh that seemed to dissolve in the air. Elena's gaze met Maria's, a soft smile playing on her lips."Thank you, Maria. You've outdone yourself."

They were finally at peace. THE END

Josephine falls asleep on my chest, her breath steady, her body warm against mine. I could stay like this forever, her weight anchoring me to something that feels terrifyingly like peace. Like home. But peace has always been temporary for me. A blink. A mirage. I run a hand down her back, careful not to wake her, and stare up at the ceiling. The kind of quiet I used to hate now feels like the only thing I want. And it scares the shit out of me. Because for the first time, I want forever. And for the first time, I’m afraid I’ll ruin it.

Skyla Morning felt wrong. The sky was pale and washed out, too soft for the world we had left behind. The fire from last night had burned itself down to embers, leaving nothing but a circle of ash in the courtyard. Survivors moved through the ruins with heavy steps, cleaning, salvaging, and building something new out of what had been broken. I stood by the doorway of the safe house, clutching a chipped mug of bitter coffee, and told myself this was peace. Or the closest we were going to get.

“Matthew failed to tell you that he’s in love with the mother of his child. He took you and marked you on an impulse, but he has no intention of being with you.” I watched as her tears filled with eyes. “Why? What’s wrong with me?” “No, no, no, baby. You’re perfect. I’m just already in love with someone else. I want her and my child. I can’t be with you.” He quickly told her. “How can I be perfect, yet you don’t want me?” She cried. “It’s not your fault. I’m really sorry.” He said as he rubbed her arm. I could tell that he was doing his best to resist the tingles that their touch created.

I reluctantly agreed. My confusion did not take away from the absolute perfection of RU. Everything was so organized and reminded me of a well-oiled machine. Which was funny in my mind since that’s what they actually produce. There were so many inventions and ideas around the building. We slowly made our way over to a dimly lit section. I thought it must have been an idea that was put on hold. Until we got closer. Then it hit me. There was an arm on this table. An arm just like the one Will had. He wasn’t kidding. They literally built his arm.

“Mr. Williamson has his own house, and he doesn’t stay there. We have the whole place ourselves,” I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I did not answer, and I was just glad he did not push the topic anymore. He gave me a quick kiss on the lips and pulled me closer to him. This was the second night that I drifted into a peaceful sleep. I embraced myself as I took a moment, stopping for a while to admire the beauty of the sunrise. No one can beat the magic it creates as the sun ascends slowly to the sky, scattering beautiful colors to the world. The swash wave on the beach kissed my feet, and I smiled as I felt the cold water leaving a tingling feeling to my toes. But my smile vanished as

Her voice was light and playful because it had to be. Ethan laughed, leaving a kiss on her temple. "Of course, love. You just need more sleep." But sleep wasn't the problem. Reality was. The house, the life, the husband-it was all too perfect. And perfection, she was starting to realize, was its kind of prison. --- The scent of freshly ground coffee and toasted bread filled the kitchen, blending with the crisp morning air. Ethan sat at the breakfast table, reading the newspaper as he always did, a portrait of effortless domesticity. A plate of eggs and fruit waited for Lena, prepared exactly as she liked.