September 2025 Talent Showcase
It's The Midnight Train Going Anywhere
by ajkarian
The theme of Travel made me think of when Ambrose broke up with Elsie. While other things did happen before he left Havaton, I decided to place this month's entry right after their break-up. So, it's slightly non-canon.
For more A.J. Karian, check out their blog!
http://cosistories.wordpress.com
You can also explore the world and stories the featured characters come from at this website:
ambroseandelsie.wordpress.com
I'm On A Midnight Train Going Anywhere
I had to leave town.
That seems like such a benign statement. Five words that don't do much to convey the truth: I am running away.
I ruined everything and anything that Elsie and I could be and could have been. Yes, I could blame Elsie for everything that went wrong. I could blame her niece. I could blame her niece's gargoyle bodyguard. I could blame the sun and the sky and the weather and....and...and...
It's my fault.
That is the truth.
I attacked Elsie.
I cracked her head on the hard basement floor.
I tried to bite her.
I ran away and left her there.
How can I come back from that? How could she ever forgive me? How can I hope to make it right again?
The truth is I can't.
There is no coming back from that. She will never forgive me. Elsie and I are over.
So.
Here I am on this late night train, running away as far as I can go. I'm sitting here alone and the train sings a lonely song as we run away together into the night.
I look outside my window and I see nothing but darkness. There's no moon tonight and the stars are hidden in the sky.
I close my eyes for now even though I'm not tired. I listen to the rhythm of the tracks. It's steady and soothing.
I think about what could have been and what never will be.
Regret.
Loss.
Blame.
I think about what could be waiting out there for me.
Hope.
Just hope.
I had to leave town.
That seems like such a benign statement. Five words that don't do much to convey the truth: I am running away.
I ruined everything and anything that Elsie and I could be and could have been. Yes, I could blame Elsie for everything that went wrong. I could blame her niece. I could blame her niece's gargoyle bodyguard. I could blame the sun and the sky and the weather and....and...and...
It's my fault.
That is the truth.
I attacked Elsie.
I cracked her head on the hard basement floor.
I tried to bite her.
I ran away and left her there.
How can I come back from that? How could she ever forgive me? How can I hope to make it right again?
The truth is I can't.
There is no coming back from that. She will never forgive me. Elsie and I are over.
So.
Here I am on this late night train, running away as far as I can go. I'm sitting here alone and the train sings a lonely song as we run away together into the night.
I look outside my window and I see nothing but darkness. There's no moon tonight and the stars are hidden in the sky.
I close my eyes for now even though I'm not tired. I listen to the rhythm of the tracks. It's steady and soothing.
I think about what could have been and what never will be.
Regret.
Loss.
Blame.
I think about what could be waiting out there for me.
Hope.
Just hope.
Welcome to the Dryad Forest!
by Tesariel
For this drawing, I decided to make it seem as if the viewer was walking into (that is traveling) the forest where my short film and graphic novel take place. The dryad in the drawing is greeting them as they enter and welcoming them into a new world that is the dryad's forest.
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