melinaxcampbell:
open starter
location: the rail trail
Melina hopped off her bike, hiding it in the bushes that crowded amongst the maple trees. She’d grown up here, & nobody had bothered to steal it then. Somehow, she doubted that things had changed all that much. Maybe it was a gamble, but she didn’t mind. She wanted to walk along the railroad tracks, just as she had as a teenager when she wanted to escape prying eyes. Both before & after the camp incidence she was constantly striving to push from her mind. Clearing her throat, she pushed back a curl that had come loose from her french braids & began to walk along the tracks. Leaves crackled underneath her chunky black boots, & she tugged at the end of her left sleeve, contemplating things. She hadn’t ever thought she’d end up back here. Figured she’d escaped the little town & the majority of her family, many of whom had seemed unwillingly to stay in touch. Which was fine with her. She hadn’t made an effort, either. Not with them, nor her old friends. Melina had been happy to make her way in a big city, making it through law school on her own merit with partial scholarships & hard work. Things were fine. That is, until she’d gotten a very attractive job offer from Medulla back home. She was hesitant to take the job, but they’d offered her more money than she could’ve dreamed of. So, instead of fighting for people’s rights against big companies, she’d sold out, promising herself it would only be until she could pay off the loans she’d taken out & made enough to save up to work for some kind of nonprofit. Still, she felt guilty, & it was hard not to feel the stares from people as she made her way through town. They haunted her, especially her mind; she was so preoccupied she didn’t notice the person in front of her until it was too late & she had bumped into them. “Shoot; I’m so sorry, man.”
There were very few places in Maple Creek which Shaily found secluded enough to consider them as actual ‘hiding’ spots. For her entire life, she couldn’t help but to feel as though no matter where she went, everyone in town could see her. Most especially her family. Even if they couldn’t, someone somewhere was sure to relay every minute detail of everything she did while outside of their scope. Still, the railways had been one of the few places in which she found herself able to think, at the very least. Even so, she hadn’t been to the railway in ten years, and the truth of the matter was she couldn’t quite remember what had brought her here now. Really, she should be home, helping Ella get ready for the festivities that evening. And yet, here she was, arms crossed over her chest as she studied the trees on the other side of the tracks, her eyes seeing them but her mind not quite processing. Lost in her own thoughts, she also didn’t notice the approaching figure- at least, not in time to stop the collision. “Oh!” Shaily exclaimed, tossing an arm out in an attempt to balance herself. “It’s alright, I think I’ll live.” She responded with a chuckle. “By all means, don’t worry on my account.” Offering a small and soft smile, Shaily shifted to rest her weight on her other foot. “Now, the question becomes, are you alright? I’m so sorry, I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings.”