It wasn't clear as to how she got her life to this point, but she knew damn well that work had to be done. She got her paint set out and laid it on the table. Laying each one of them down, she was ready. This time, she really had to get fucking serious. Her hand holding the paintbrush hovered over the white canvas. Her art block was getting the best of her. She didn't like it, nor did she want it. Time was crucial to her, more now than ever before. Before, she could leave her incomplete paintings out for months without even laying a single finger on any of them... but now she really had to do work.
As she forced her hand to shape out something, anything, she could see her life flash before her very eyes. The person in front of her steadily held their gun out toward her. Pulling the trigger, killing her instantly. A sudden and loud bang could be heard, the birds flew away in the sky, and a baby woke up crying, waking up her parents.
Moranda was her name. Now, she was a corpse lying on her floor in a pool of her own blood. As the person walked away, the floors creaked with each step they took, creating a musical rhythm, a beautiful way to exit a scene with the blood of Moranda all over them.
As they opened the black, wooden door to the dark moonlit sky, they took one more look behind them to confirm her death, and then they turned away, closing the door behind them.
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Janie thought it was evidently clear that the answer to question 7 was E=32, but no, Annalise kept saying 75 was the answer. Janie gripped her hand harder to resist the urge to smack Annalise on the back of her head. The both of them continued to bicker with each other back and forth until Itsumi cleared her throat loud enough for both of their deaf selfs to hear. They immediately stopped arguing with each other. Next to Itsumi was her best friend, Freya, who reached her hand over to grab Annalise's lead pencil and use it for her own work. Annalise got worked up again, trying to snatch her pencil back, but Freya tightly gripped her left shoulder and shoved her back down in her seat. Janie, trying to keep herself from laughing at Annalise's weak self, grasped Itsumi's arm with her left hand and hovered her mouth with her right. It wasn't long before Freya continued to bully Annalise.
On the other side of the classroom, Cindy, Leona, and Rosana were sat together. To people, it was understandable, from a teacher's perspective, why the three of them would have their own little island together. Before, when all seven of them sat together, Freya and Rosana would always fight over the simplest things. From how to make coffee correctly to whose craftsmanship was better when it came to Cindy or Istumi assembling a wooden dresser. Nonetheless, every teacher sought to divide the two of them. Currently... nothing changed. Freya and Rosana still fight with each other, either by throwing paper balls at each other's heads or 'borrowing' the other's stuff. Janie couldn’t count the times Itsumi had to split the two up before they got physical, even while in school. It's surprising how Itsumi can even gather enough courage to stop Freya in her tracks.
BRRIIINNGGG~
Everyone quickly stood up and sprinted out the door. It was the end of the day, the bonus being today was Friday. Janie whacked Annalise as she got up, making her swiftly turn around to smack her back. Leona walked over to them, carrying her bag by the handle. Leona's personality... is pretty hard to describe. Sometimes, she says the most earth-shattering things that leave everyone gobsmacked, and after, goes back to being stupid and oblivious to everything around her. Everyone all presumably thought Leona only had brains when it was important, but Freya says otherwise.
Janie finished shoving all her papers inside her bag and zipped it up, throwing it over her back and standing up. Annalise and Leona were waiting for her behind while Cindy, Itsumi, Freya, and Rosana waited by the door. Leona was still holding her bag by the handle, almost looking like she was asking either one to carry it for her. Annalise grabbed it from her hand, and her whole body shifted towards the ground. Leona's bag was always heavy. Sometimes, we wonder what random stuff she has hiding in there.
Annalise grunted, trying to pick up her bag. Her limping towards the door and struggling was amusing for Freya as she began to poke fun at her. Annalise, in return, started poking her stomach. She casually ran away while Freya chased after her, accidentally stepping on Rosana's new shoes, making her chase after them. Itsumi gestured to Cindy to get them with her, Leaving Leona and Janie alone. Leona turned her head, facing Janie, as she just sighed.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Then, out of the blue, she asked, "When are you gonna pick up drawing again?"
This question left Janie dumbfounded. She dropped drawing because of how untalented she was. She wasn't interested in anything else.
"soon... maybe when I'm better at it." She said while looking away.
"you should continue it. I can tell you wanna continue it, judging how you're so disinterested in everything else." Leona said in a monotone voice, but to Janie, it sounded stern.
Leona was right. Everyone needed to submit their pathways in March XX, one month away. Janie was just stuck in the middle. She wished she wasn't so stubborn.
Leona told her she was gonna go ahead, leaving her by herself. Janie took a deep breath before actually leaving school. The sky was a beautiful blue hue. Not enough to stop Janie from hanging her head down. As she walked, feeling confused, the usual Antique shop she always passed by seemed very attractive today. She casually walks in, letting the old metal door chime address the shopkeeper that someone took interest in his thrifted stuff at this hour. Janie continued walking while being cautious of the stuff that was on the floor, spinning around to make her eye catch everything. Suddenly, her eyes stopped at this painting. The painting looked incomplete, with a splotch of something dried up on the corner of the white canvas. She took an interest in this painting. She was thinking about taking it back home to possibly complete the painting towards what the original owner was trying to do. But part of her mind told her not to do that. She just landed on just buying it and keeping it. Janie picked up the painting and headed to the counter for the guy to give her the price.
The shopkeeper looked at Janie before opening his mouth, "That will be $7.54."
Janie gave him the cash. As the guy was grabbing her change, she asked him a question about the dried-up liquid on the corner of the canvas. The guy whipped around, looking quite excited. Looks like barely anyone who comes into this shop asks him questions about the old stuff he's selling off.
"OH! You're the first person to ask me anything in particular! You see, that dried-up reddish stuff is actually blood from the original painter!" The guy said, grinning from ear to ear while pointing at the blood.
Janie just raised her eyebrows, not knowing how to feel.
The guy went on a rant about the incomplete painting and about the death of the painter. Janie stood awkwardly, waiting for him to stop, but her interest was piqued quite a bit. She really wanted to know the owner behind the painting and why she got killed.
The shopkeeper stopped his ranting and gave her the painting to go home. Janie took the painting from him and put it underneath her armpit as she quickly walked home from the shop.
As her keys jangled, opening the door, her little brother swung it open, bombarding her with questions. She wasn't expecting her eccentric and extroverted brother to bother her the minute she got home. Usually, he's on his tablet watching his cartoons or in the kitchen with their mom, helping her cook. It was very unexpected. Janie started interrogating her little brother, asking him what he did this time, and apparently, he thought she bought snacks and tried his best to be close to her to get half of the snacks. She laughed and then darted upstairs, shutting the door in his face as he followed her. She took the painting from underneath her armpit and held it in front of her, examining the canvas again.
The Janie 20 minutes ago was definitely not letting her eye catch every detail. Janie now was making her eyes inspect everything about it, from how the paint slowly staggered down, leaving little streaks behind, to how old the bloodstain must be.
Janie's mind was urging her to continue painting it. Her body started tingling, and she felt restless. She put the canvas on her table and grabbed her sets of paints and brushes from her drawer. She never thought she'd get back into art today. She sat down on her chair with the canvas facing her. She felt as if she were having a staring contest with the canvas. She couldn't figure out what the original painting was supposed to be, and she didn't want to ruin it by accident. She was left puzzled, staring intensely at the canvas. She hovered her paintbrush over the canvas, mimicking herself painting a masterpiece.
"Looks like you're revamping my work." A woman's voice could be heard behind Janie.