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Silencing The Thunder
Here I am again, lost in the crowd, just another face in a sea of faces. It's overwhelming, this island buzzing with so many people, each one seeming to matter more than me. I can't help but feel small, and insignificant. As I watch others, I see them making their mark, living lives that seem to count for something. And here I am, stuck, just existing. It's like I'm meant to do more, but every day shows me I'm probably not. I know I'm no different than millions out there; my existence barely makes a ripple. But deep down, there's this nagging feeling, a voice that won't quiet down, insisting I was born to make a difference. It's frustrating, knowing I might never live up to that. Why am I even here, in this body, in this life that feels so small? It's a question that haunts me, a feeling of wanting to do so much more but being trapped in a reality where it seems impossible.
"Ellion!" Ryan's voice cuts through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. I had drifted away once again, lost in my contemplation. The clamor of people shouting fills my ears.
I searched around for Ryan when suddenly I felt a jolt as someone leaped onto my back, wrapping their arm around my neck. It was undoubtedly Ryan; he was always jumping on me. He had dark eyes and a warm, friendly smile. His shining-black hair was always ruffled, but his Taíno blood gave it a smooth texture that made it look effortlessly stylish.
"Gotcha, cabrón!" he exclaims, gripping me tightly. "Come join us! We're about to bring down that wall." He points to the giant cement wall on the sand as he begins dragging me away.
Ryan has always had a way of coercing me into things, just like he's doing now. We find ourselves on a beach, participating in a protest against the construction of a wall meant to separate the beach from the locals, reserving it solely for some foreign hotel.
There were many people here at the protest. Over the past few years, several beaches have been closed off, but Solsticio Beach it's a special place for the islanders. On a specific day during summer, when the sun is closest to the Earth, the beach's sand emits a golden shimmer, as if concealing hidden treasure. Of course, there is no actual treasure, but it has become a tradition for locals to gather on that day. Children excitedly dig through the sand in search of the imaginary riches buried beneath its surface.
As we approached the still-under-construction wall, I noticed Ryan waving to some people in the distance. I turned my gaze forward, scanning the crowd to see if I recognized anyone. That's when I caught sight of a girl with striking green hair, standing out from everyone there—Ivory. She's quite popular around here. While I don't know much about her, she seems to be known by everyone and often hangs out with other well-known individuals.
The two guys beside her right now are Alexander Montserrat and Charles Williams. Alexander is a professional volleyball player representing Vanity Island, whose team has earned several gold medals internationally. He always had a calm and contemplative face with a hint of seriousness. His eyes were a vivid light blue, and he had neatly trimmed short hair.
Charles Williams comes from USC (Union States of Columbia) but considers himself a local. He's an actor who has taken on numerous roles here, often portraying Vanitans (or Vaniteños). He has also been vocal about his feelings towards the island and regularly participates in protests. With his concave and raised nose, pale skin, long black hair, and silver eyes, he always stands out in the crowd. Even though he has Vanitan blood from his mother's side, no one believes him when he says he is from Vanity.
Ryan is naturally sociable, and I've hung out with these guys before, though I doubt they remember me. I was always in the background while Ryan mingled with them, cracking jokes and having a great time. Meeting new people, especially those who are popular and have achieved so much, makes me uncomfortable. I can't help but compare my lack of accomplishments.
"Um, if you're going to hang out with them, I'm fine with staying in the back and watching everything from there," I said to Ryan, attempting to convince him to let me go. I even tried to pry his arm off me, but it didn't budge an inch.
He grinned and shouted back, "Nonsense! I'm not letting you miss out on this. We're about to be part of history! We need to be right up front! Sí o sí!"
He continued to pull me along, and as we drew nearer, my heart raced, pounding in my chest like a runaway train. Thoughts raced through my mind at lightning speed. What should I say to them? Should I reintroduce myself? What if they remember me? Although I doubted they would, the uncertainty bothered me. We were getting closer, and I could feel the anxiety building. Shit!
Ivory's dark roots transitioned to green hair, which shimmered with a dim blue shade that turned it turquoise under the sun. She had light brown eyes and dark brows. Her smile greeted us as we approached, while Alexander and Charles engaged in their conversation. Ryan interrupted them, yelling, "Vamonos! I can already see people climbing the scaffold!" It was typical of Ryan not to bother with introductions; he assumed everyone already knew me.
I mustered a smile for everyone, but by the time I turned my attention to them, Alexander and Charles had already continued off in another direction. Ivory remained, her gaze fixed on me, her smile unchanged. "Hey!" she called out.
"Hey," I replied, the forced smile still plastered on my face, as she continued following the path the others had taken. Reluctantly, I found myself forced to follow them, something I despised doing. I deliberately allowed them to move farther ahead, planning to fade into the crowd and wait for Ryan. But then, out of the blue, I heard my name being called. It wasn't Ryan. I looked in the direction they had gone, and there was Ivory, shouting my name. "Ellion! Pick up the pace, don't get lost!"
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
I was shocked. Not only did she know my name, but she also waited for me to catch up. Hastily, I quickened my steps, realizing that none of the guys were with her; she stood there alone. "I'm sorry. I tend to get lost in my thoughts." I said hurriedly.
She looked at me with a puzzled expression, her eyebrow raised. "Come on! The guys are almost there." she urged, before turning and resuming her path. I followed her, steering through the crowd as she skillfully pushed people aside, moving along.
After a few minutes, the uproar of the crowd grew louder, making it difficult to see the scaffold ahead. It was engulfed by people, some perched on top, brandishing hammers in their hands. "It's starting! Avanza!" Ivory exclaimed, picking up her pace.
That's when I noticed a woman with orange semi-curly wild hair, holding a megaphone in her hand. "No more! This is our final stand! We have tolerated enough! We can no longer rely on our government to save us from The Union takeover! They have seized control of our lands, our natural resources, and our reserves for far too long! They do not care about us or the land! Their only concern is to own us!" She continued to shout, her words resonating against the backdrop of the USC.
"Lucía LaBorda es la mejor!" Ryan exclaimed, admiring her spirit and confidence. The others joined in, cheering and supporting her, just like the rest of the people on the beach.
"How dare they attempt to strip away the precious gift nature has given us, all for their selfish gains! This land does not belong solely to us but to future generations and those who choose to protect and preserve it in its purest form, just as nature intended! No! More! We will not remain passive watchers while our island spoils bit by bit! THIS ISLAND IS NOT YOURS!" Her words echoed through the air and with that, she flung the microphone aside and grabbed a sledgehammer, striking the cement wall with determination. The crowd around her followed suit, unleashing their strength upon the structure.
Ryan pulled me towards a section of the wall and handed me a small hammer, attempting to say something amidst the cheers that flooded us. His words were drowned out by the cheers of the crowd. Armed with our hammers, we began our assault on the cement barrier. Everyone around us was doing the same, and so I summoned my courage and joined in. A surge of adrenaline coursed through me as cracks started to appear across the surface and the cheers grew even louder.
And then, what appears to be rays of sunlight pierced through the crumbling wall, as if the light had been concealed within its very core. A collective triumphant cry erupted from the crowd, and I found myself jumping and cheering alongside them, amazed that I had become a part of something truly revolutionary.
"Part of history, cabrón!" Ryan said while he hugged me tightly. He sought out the others, extending his embrace to each of them in turn. Lucía ascended from the scaffold, raising her fist for a brief moment, a symbol embraced by the crowd as they chanted in unison, many raising their fists in solidarity. Then, she disappeared into the mass of people.
Ryan was once again lost in conversations with Alexander and Charles when I noticed Ivory approaching me. I tried to avert my gaze, pretending not to notice her, but she spoke up, "Are you trying to avoid me?"
A sudden knot formed in my stomach. "Not at all! I just didn't expect you to come up to me, that's all."
She looked directly into my eyes and asked, "I just wanted to see if you enjoyed the protest?"
"Yeah, it was quite an experience. I'm not usually one to participate in these things, but I'm grateful that Ryan dragged me here against my will. Hitting that wall, stirred something inside me. It's hard to put into words, but it felt strange, yet oddly fulfilling."
A smile graced Ivory's lips as she responded, "That's the feeling of doing the right thing. Born and raised here, you have an understanding, even if you haven't witnessed it firsthand. When you find yourself in situations like this, fighting against the oppressor and protecting something or someone, it feels instinctual."
Her words lingered in my mind, causing me to contemplate the situation on this island. I had always kept to myself, focused on school and taking care of my little sister. Ryan was a college friend who had become a close companion, but I hadn't forged connections with anyone else. Everyone seemed to live in their separate worlds, but the truth was, I often dwelled too deeply within my thoughts, detached from the act of truly living. However, this experience felt different—it felt right.
"I see a grin on your face. It means what I said was right, huh?" Ivory teased me. I couldn't help but let out a goofy laugh, which I immediately tried to suppress, deepening my voice to appear less foolish. She chuckled, clearly amused by my response. "I've been curious to meet you for quite some time now, Ellion. Ryan talks so much about you, and I've been wanting to see if it's all true."
She wanted to meet me?! Does Ryan talk about me?! I didn't know what to ask first. "What do you mean, Ryan talks about me? What has he been saying?"
"Only good things, I promise." She laughed again, her smile infectious. "The reason I wanted to meet you is because I have a question to ask, but I can save it for when you guys come over to my house later."
My eyes widened, curiosity burning within me. Before I could question further, she added, "Ask Ryan, he knows all about it." With that, she walked away, joining Charles and Alexander. Meanwhile, Ryan approached me, a wide smile on his face, holding two drinks in his hands.
"Did she tell you?!" Ryan asked bluntly.
"That you talk about me? Yeah, she mentioned it." I replied though it didn't seem to faze him in the slightest.
"No! I meant heading to her house. If she didn't like you, she wouldn't have invited you over. But I can see it in your face, you passed the test! I knew you would." He said, handing me the drink. "Vamos!" He quickly downed his drink and started walking toward the car.
"You've got to stop making plans for me and assuming I'll be okay with it." I told him, although deep down, I knew that without him, my life would lack excitement. Right now, for the first time in a long while, I don't know what lies ahead, but with this newfound feeling, I would like to experience it again.
Name: Ivory Vestalis [https://img.wattpad.com/2dec52fb4892c8adf5692293261da908b3a1cc68/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f7a3831636f4d574d3244422d42773d3d2d313333383931333535352e313762323463313738313334393062663136353537363435303336322e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Name: Ivory Vestalis
Character Info: Has natural green hair, which turns turquoise when the sun reflects on it. Very popular among the protesters on the island, she's been a revolutionary since she was only 12 years old.