Starting Anew Novels & Stories

I put the white, gold-rimmed rectangular business card into my purse as she walks to her black Toyota Venza and drives off. I look at the structure that was once my home. The structure where my mother and I had lived for many years. Every happy memory I experienced was in this home, right here in Dublin. I had numerous firsts, including my first word, my first step, my first pet, my first love, my first car, and my first effort at baking.

No! Just then another man came in. He grinned at me. “Let’s get started, but I’d go first.” He said rubbing his palm together and licking his lips. I began crying out loud. They came up to me. Just then a man came out of nowhere. Let’s just say he beat the crap out of them. I passed out.

I planned to start traveling soon. In the past, I was always busy with household chores. Whenever I had free time, I could only hope and pray that Arthur would be in the mood to take me abroad. Now, I understand that it was better to count on myself rather than on others. My life was quite mundane and peaceful these days. In comparison, Arthur’s was total chaos. To attract the older demographic, the wedding boutique studio used the collection of pictures Arthur and Sylvia had taken over the last two decades as an advertisement.

It was a harrowing journey through the veil of night, every minute a testament to my unwavering resolve. When I finally reached a safe distance from the place I had once called home, the world opened up before me, a vast expanse full of possibilities. In that moment, I embraced the profound significance of the first step I had taken toward a new beginning, a beginning untainted by the pain of rejection and the cruelty of my past.

It was a place I found love and felt betrayed simultaneously. I said goodbye to the capital city and moved to the next city over 500 km away. I wanted to start afresh where no one knew me, and I knew on one as well. I left the business plan consultancy agency to Cindy and opened a new business. It was a sign of a new beginning. I wanted to start afresh, and it was working.

The woman staring back at me is familiar yet transformed, her gaze steady and unflinching. "Today," I whisper to her, "we begin anew." With each step toward the door, the shadows of doubt recede, replaced by a clarity that propels me forward. This decision is not an end but a beginning, a chance to rediscover the passions that once defined me and to embrace the love that now beckons with open arms.

For once, he didn’t feel like he was trying to rebuild something broken. He felt like he was building something new. Something slower. He reached for a fresh sheet of paper, uncapped his pen, and started writing again. This time, without hesitation.

Just a tiny room, a desk by the window, and a second-hand air conditioner that hummed like a tired bee. I changed my phone number and deleted all my social media accounts. The day my new life began, I walked to a convenience store and bought a pack of cigarettes. I didn't smoke. Never had. But it felt like the kind of thing a new person should do. A small ceremony. A quiet celebration of my rebirth. I used the savings I had hidden away to rent a small storefront on a quiet street. A little workshop. I made architectural models—wooden castles, bridges, lighthouses. Simple things built from simple materials.

In her quest for a fresh start, Ayana stumbles upon a charming house nestled in a tranquil neighborhood. The quaint exterior and inviting ambiance immediately capture her attention, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty of her circumstances. With each step through the front door, Ayana feels a weight lift from her shoulders, the promise of safety and security beckoning her forward. As she envisions the possibilities that lie ahead, Ayana knows that she has finally found a place where she and her son can begin anew.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 / 01 / 2022 5 : 45 am I close my eyes embracing the winds of change as they blow through my hair and caress my face. I feel a bright smile appear upon my face – this could be because I am going home , or because my new has started off on a good note. I feel as if there is some thing in me just bursting to come out – call it a new found strength , or new excitement for new beginnings.