What We Leave Behind Novels & Stories

Leaving me to huddle over the empty shell he left behind. ***

“We leave, away from all of this, we can have the life want and place all of this behind us. “I’m staying.” I breathed out.

“It’s will be offical in next week.” A stunned silence stretched between us. “Wait,” Amy said, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re… leaving?” I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “We are. We’re leaving the night after the ceremony. We need to go. To find somewhere… otherworldly. Somewhere to build our forever home. For the quads. For Anthony. For Moon. For us.” Andy leaned back slowly, the shock still painted across his face. “Damn. I didn’t think this was coming so soon.”

With my cheeks damp and the last shred of my human life in my hands, I stared out at my family—the old and new, all of which had stuck by my side. “To those we’ve left behind, because no matter how long we’re destined for this world, we’ll never be alone.”

When the extreme-heat apocalypse arrived, surface temperatures reached 158°F, and the first group of people began moving to Frostpoint Base. As a scientist, my wife had two spots to bring family members with her. Everyone thought she would take me without hesitation. But in the end, she put the name of her graduate student on the application. "He's my student, and he doesn't have his parents with him. I can't bear to leave him alone in a place this hot." She submitted the application without a second thought. Her next words chilled me to the bone. "Ethan, you're different. You've been tough since you were a kid. I know you can survive until the second group is evacuated." I forced a bitter s

We invested in research and development, leveraging cutting-edge advancements to address pressing issues in fields such as healthcare, renewable energy, and digital connectivity. Through these endeavors, we sought to leave a lasting imprint on the world—a testament to the enduring power of collaboration, resilience, and the human spirit. We recognized that the work we had undertaken was not for personal gain or recognition, but for the betterment of all. As the final pages of our alliance's story were written, we looked back with pride on the chapters that had come before. We celebrated the milestones achieved, the lives transformed, and the collective impact we had made. Our legacy was not

she finally said. "What did he want?" he asked in a gruff voice, he wasn't happy hearing that name. "It seemed Auxton Oaks was listed in the merger but it wasn't specified what will happen to it following the divorce. I told him he can retain it." "Auxton Oaks? I would very much like to have that property back." "You do?" "Yes that property matters a lot to me. I will talk to Claire about it." "If you value that property so much, then why did you hand it over to them in the first place?"

"I didn't say anything." "You're thinking it very loudly." I smile against his chest. "What endures," I repeat softly. "Why that one?" He's quiet long enough that I wonder if he'll answer. "Because everything else leaves," he says finally. "People. Money. Good years, bad years. All of it moves eventually. I wanted something to remind me that some things stay. That something can endure if you're willing to hold onto it." I absorb that slowly. Everything else leaves.

" I did not turn back. I stepped out of the detention center. Outside, the sun was shining just right. I raised my hand to block it, like I was blocking out all those dark, damp memories. I left her and the past behind for good. … I bought a bunch of old books and newspapers. High school textbooks, math, physics, chemistry workbooks, and some really worn-out college textbooks. I knew my chance was coming. The SAT was waiting for me. In my previous life, I was lost. I was busy with Shirley's career and working hard for our home.

He gently grabbed my sleeve and asked if he would ever see me in the future. I shook my head. I turned and walked away quickly, not once looking back at him. So that day, one went up the mountain and the other took the route by the river. That’s how we said goodbye, and hoped that our paths never crossed again.