I'm glad you decided to enter, Saravi Boo! :D I've added your entry.

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Iltu
Word Count: 511
Theme: Tear-Jerker
Entry: Do you remember
that universes collided in her eyes
and starlight laced her words
and moonbeams moved with her hands,
laying emphasis on her light parts?

And do you remember
that her hair kept the sunlight,
and that the air lifted her feet from the ground,
and how the earth sighed with relief
each time she was safely returned?

And do you remember
that her laugh sounded like a brook,
and do you remember
how she always pulled a face
and said “Oh god, you’re making me a cliché,”
but then laughed her brook-laugh as she spoke it?
And do you remember
how then you impulsively told her
that, instead of a brook,
her laugh sounded like the Milky Way?
And do you remember
how much she liked that?

And do you remember
that she kissed you
or that you kissed her
or that you kissed each other,
and that you stared into the collision
pf everything that lay in her eyes?
And do you remember
how she touched your face just barely,
and the moonbeams still followed her hands,
and accented your light parts?

And do you remember
how you held her hand,
and how she held yours,
through the fiery leaves of autumn
and the soft winter snow
and the flowers that littered the springtime?
And do you remember
that you still held onto each other’s hands
back into the stars that were flung across her summer?

And do you remember
that horrible fall,
and how no one moved to grab her
because they were either too shocked
or too terrified
or convinced that surely she would grow wings
because the edge of a cliff couldn’t kill her?

And do you remember
the deafening noise of her passing,
and how it rang in your head,
and almost drowned out the earth bawling
along with that girl in leopard print and red heels
“I thought you would catch her!”
And the air howling back
accompanied by that tall boy
whose hot tears were already strangling his broken words
“I thought you had her!”
And everything and everyone else around them shrieking
“Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!”
while the sunlight, and starlight, and moonbeams
rushed in, and snatched her away to be theirs?

And do you still remember
at night, when you walk through the fiery leaves of autumn
and stir them from where they rest on the ground,
that starlight flew from her tongue,
or that she laughed like the Milky Way?
And do you remember
when you wander about the soft snows of winter
that sunlight would remain in her hair,
or that moonbeams that followed her tiniest motion?
And do you remember
when you carefully step over the flowers that litter the springtime
that sometimes the earth and air still sigh
and even weep, because they miss her too?

And when you look up at night
in the summer that used to be hers,
beyond even the stars that are flung across the sky,
do you remember
the universes colliding inside of her eyes?



We are allowed to enter in multiple categories but only win once, right? c:

That's right! :)

I've added your entry. ^^

Okidoki, thanks so much! :)

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Winter Wind
Word Count: 218
Theme: Traditions Span Across Time
Entry: "How To Get a Hong Bao" - a true story from long ago

“Aw man…I really really can’t speak Chinese!” cried a little girl, throwing her hands up.

“But you have to, or else you won’t get a hong bao,” piped a little boy.

“Why can’t I greet them in English? It IS America after all, right? And for heaven’s sake, I’m not even part of Chinese school!”

“It’s tradition. That’s what my dad told me. If you say xin nian kuai le or gong xi fa cai then you can get one. It’s not that hard.”

“That’s what you say.”

“Here, I’ll teach you. Shing nee-an koo-ai leh. Now you repeat it.”

“Sheng nie-un kai lei.”

“Uhm...almost. Shing nee-an koo-ai leh.”

“Sheing nee-an kuoai leih. It still doesn’t sound like what you say though.”

“It’s ohkay. The elders will be able to understand you anyway.”

“Sheeng nee-an kuoai leh. Hey, I think I’ve almost got it!”

“Mhmm, good job! Now try “gong hay fat choi.”

“Wait, I’ve heard that before…it doesn’t sound like Chinese though.”

“It’s how my mom says it, but it could be that she’s Cantonese.”

“Gong hay fat choi. It’s a lot easier…but I feel like an American when I say it.”

“Well, you are American, aren’t you?”

The little girl and the little boy laughed, then raced downstairs to see who could greet the most adults.



EDIT; Crap, I didn't realize I was on my mule when I submitted this...
T________________T;;
So Sorry! D:

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username- Sinsue Hoshigo:
Word Count: 728
Theme: The Tear Jerker
Entry :
The Suicidal Note

Things had bean going rather well for Suki and Thomas in the last year. They had finally gotten over their differences and were now planning to get married after dating for three years. Well it was going good until Thomas got a call from the hospital. The caller told Thomas that there was an accident and Suki was in the critical care unit at the nearby hospital. Thomas left as soon as he was off the phone to go to the hospital where he found out that Suki might very well be in a coma.
"Why Suki, why now?" Thomas said with his head down on Suki's bed
"Sir we might be able to save her but it's a long shot." A sergeant said as he came into the room. "She's not brain dead so there might be a chance."
"How much of a chance what's the probability?" Thomas asked as he looked up at the man.
"We're not quite sure. If you give us until tomorrow I'll have your answer."

"Ok, just please if it's bad news don't contact me I don't think I could handle it." Thomas said as he stood gave Suki a kiss on the head and left.

The next day came quicker than Thomas expected. He had not gotten a lick of sleep due to the haunting thought of loosing his Fianc'e. As the day sluggishly passed Thomas was haunted more and more.

"Thomas where are you? Why did you leave me? I'm dieing Thomas why did you leave me to die?" Suki's voice whispered clear as day in his ear.

"Suki?" Thomas said looking around but she was not there.

There had bean no word of Suki's condition that morning but Thomas looked ahead hoping that he would get word soon on her condition. Hours turned into days and days slowly turned into a week with not even one call. She was obiosly not dead for the fact that every day or so Thomas would make a trip up to see her.

One day Thomas went to the hospital and Suki was not in her room. "Um Ma'am? Where is Suki Kazuno she's not in her room?" Thomas asked with fear running deep in his soft voice.

"Miss Kazuno? Um... Ow Miss Kazuno is in surgery. Dr.Michel said that she should be better after surgery. They should be out any time now if you want to wait I can call you when they're out." The nurse said reassuringly.

"Sure I can wait." Thomas replied as he went and took a seat in the waiting room. A half an hour passed when finally the doctor came in to talk to Thomas

"Sir I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but Miss Kazuno... She's... I'm sorry we could not help her she was to far gone when we took her in this morning." The doctor said trying to find the right words.

Thomas left the hospital feeling as if there was something that he could have done to prevent all this.

You fool! I'm dead and it's all your fault! If you had just went with me like I asked you to I might not have ever died. I hate you! Suki's voice rang anger filled every word, this time Thomas could see her. her white hair was pulled up in a pony tail, her white kimono crimson and ripped, her face almost unrecognizable. Thomas pulled the car to a halt at the side of the rode.

"Suki." Thomas's face was now soaked in tears and drowned in pain. One thought ran through his mined, he couldn't live with this. Thomas got out of the car and walked around it to the side where you could look down into the clear water. Thomas pulled a folded up peace of paper out of his pocket. The note hit the ground as Thomas simultaneously hit the water. An hour passed a cop found the note and started to read. This is what it said:
My love
my love
my sweet dieing love
where will you go
when push comes to shove.
My sweet
my sweet
Where will you be
when ice turns to heat
And our love fades into the deep
And you find no peace
in the darkness in which you sleep.
My death
my death
Ow where shal you find me
In the dark place
where my lover fell into
your deep icy grip
There he sleeps
and there I shal find him.

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Closet Shadow
Word Count: 513
Theme: Tear-Jerker OR Anti-Valentine. I wasn't quite sure where it would go.
Entry:

The king with no Heart

The air was cold. It always was this day of the year.
It was Valentines day. A day of love and joy.
But in the eyes of the king, this was a day of pain and heartbreak.
In the eyes of the king, this was a day that should have never been named.
You see, I live under the rule of Elleron Rawdroll. The king with no heart.
Literally.
Years and years a ago, a woman, who I cannot name upon pain of death, killed the king. Or at least, she got as close to killing him as she could. And when she supposedly killed him, she cut his heart out.
Some rumors say his heart was black. Others say it was made of ice.
But this woman locked his heart away. In a box the rumors say. She locked it away and hid it from the king. Just in case he were to come back, he would be broken. Like she had been.
You see, the king killed her love, so she killed him. It was only fair, right?
But you see, the king was in love. He was in love with this woman. But she loved another. And the king knows little of love and what it is, so he didn't know what to do. So he did what he knew. A tyrant and warlord would do something as he did, for that is what he is.
And you must understand, the king only knows so little about love because to do so would kill him.
To say "I love you" and mean it, will end his life.
And the only woman he has ever loved is the woman whom can not be named.
But she's dead.
He killed her himself.
Survival instinct.
So the king has stayed alone, locked in his castle of black marble. He never comes out any more. He doesn't fight any more wars. His lust for conquest is ended.
And he cries.
He cries tears of crimson blood.
So are the tears of a vampiric god.
But he cries for her. He cries for her death. He cries for the love he can never have. And because of his tears, ice pelts down on our roofs. The snow piles up against our doors and freezes the animals and crops.
We're starving.
We're cold.
And we are praying that she will come back.
Praying that she'll hear our cries and feel the sorrow and guilt of our king.
We pray that she, the angel that she is, will descend from the heavenly cities and heal our land.
But our prayers are going unanswered. And probably will never be fulfilled. Elleron Rawdroll is the king with no heart. He can never love. And he has killed so many in cold blood. Who could ever love him?
So we wait.
We starve.
We freeze.
And we pray that the king will cry himself to death.
Or maybe admit his love and free us of this torment.
Either way, Valentines is a very cold day.

Um...
Yeah.
This is my OC Elleron Rawdroll.
Same guy that's in my signature.
That story is a sort of summery of his love life.
Which is more-or-less non-existent.
I've never been able to give this guy a real happy ending.
'Cause if he were to never say "I love you" he could have a relationship.
But he can never say it.
Ever.
So he'd have to be mute.
Not insanely happy.
But it's the best I could do for the poor guy.

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Hayzel
Word Count: 199
Theme: Tear Jerker/Anti-Valentine
Entry:



The jewels sparkled in the dim light. The perfect shape of love
in gold, silver, ruby and diamonds. It wasn't a cheap imitation
either. It was mostly small ruby gems nestled together with diamond
fragments glittering between them. There was an outline of gold that
seemed to pop out in the shape of a heart. Another outline of silver
that was thicker also seemed to have the sparkling diamonds and that was
outlined by a less noticeable gold rim. Attached to a silver chain, it
would catch the eye of anyone in the room. It was simply beautiful.
Two matching earrings that seemed like slightly shrunk duplicates of the
pendant made the set to-die-for. My guess was definitely nearing a thousand
dollars for the entire set but I knew little of appraising fine jewelry.
I gazed at it. It made me feel torn inside, as it was my best friend holding
out the entire set for me to see. Yes, torn was a good description of
the word. The act of opening up the box to show me tore my heart halfway.
Although it wasn't until he spoke that my heart tore fully.

"Do you think she'll like them?"

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Mnemosyne
Word Count: 743
Theme: Love story
Entry:

Quiet, acting as a shadow, a boy knelt behind the bars of a white metal fence. His fingers wrapped white about the gate as he heard soft footsteps lightly rustling in the fresh spring grass. The deep chasm of the sky was held captive by the many stars brightly daring the clouds to appear as they consumed the earth in their ethereal glow. Their silver glow was cast upon the dew dripping from each undisturbed blade of grass like a melted necklace dripping into the earth. The footsteps ceased and the boy went rigid.

His eyes were mesmerized on the shape a few yards off. There, sitting upon a stone pedestal, draped in silence, was a girl. The deep brown pools of her gaze were illuminated by the stars as she casually glanced about the silent garden. She was a rose among weeds even in such a tranquil and beautiful surrounding. The chime of her laugh, a small tinkling bell, would draw even the most foul of creatures to his very knees. The boy wondered if he could dare risk speaking to such a fragile creature. He imagined he might risk destroying every petal if he should give into his urge, but to leave such alone could drive one mad. He craved only to have but one word for he felt it would cause him to gain eternal bliss. However, he also felt that if he were to give in he’d lose his every nights rapture at the very sight of her. A peace unknown to any other was lost in every moment words ceased to fly from his lips. He felt that if innocence was one to be captured in an image it would be the likeness of his midnight princess. Deciding he could not lose her to his wishes just yet, he remained at the gate again as only the lady’s devout and unseen lover.

Every night this same struggle was undergone in this boy’s mind. Every night he sat crouched behind the gates watching her sit there in the moonlight with only the stars to guide her path. Every night since the first night he happened to see her he had been there to wait and to watch. Never could he manage to bring himself to enter the garden and speak to the enchantress that had mesmerized his spirit. He was uncertain of how she would feel at his coming. However, he was more uncertain of how he would feel at tainting her beauty and innocent stroll with his words. Could he still rejoice for every moment she sat there still under the moonlight if he inserted himself into the picture? He was afraid his view would be tarnished if brought too close, but he was more afraid that she would vanish.

His worst fears came to light. Upon coming to the clearing there was silence. He waited behind the gate. More silence. His heart began to race. Where were the soft footsteps leading his grace to her throne? The dew on the grass began to seep into his britches just as the shadows of loss began to drip into his heart. The silence continued. That night he’d hear nothing more than the rustling of the trees as the earthen critters scurried through their leaves. That night his dreams would be filled with unrest.

Night after night he returned to his spot behind the gate only to travel home without a soul tethered to his chest. On this night, a night in which he promised would be his last in visitation, he traveled to the garden, but did not take his spot behind the gate. Instead he walked slowly and quietly into the clearing where the girl he’d adored had been. He went to her pedestal and sat upon her seat. His eyes glanced round at the garden trapped within the gate. There were soft footsteps upon the grass. His heart began to race. The rustling of soft feet in morning grass became a loud thunder upon his ears. His strength was in not turning to break the dream. A pale hand slid onto his tense shoulder and immediately life flew back into the boy. As his head slid slowly to look back a soft bell-like laugh hit the air and his heart jumped. The girl looked down upon him, her dark hair drifting off her frame as she leaned towards him and whispered into the night, “Been waiting long?”

So I'm not sure which theme this one fits better, but I'm going with the Traditions one, since it's mostly about the eve and the first day...
Still, if you find it fits the general Lunar New Year one better, you could just move it there? =3


♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Luenola Marxiel
Word Count: 800 (Yes, exactly that, if Microsoft Word is to be believed)
Theme: Traditions Span Across The Ages
Entry:

Family Picture
~Other Side of the Moon~

The Lunar New Year is traditionally a family affair. The most important events are usually the reunion dinner on the eve and the gathering on the first day at the home of the family head. Everyone wears new clothes, shares meals and spreads well wishes for the coming year. It's the perfect pretense every family keeps up, even when having six households under one roof only means one thing: too many skeletons packed into the same closet.

Day one goes like this: My father and uncles spend all morning currying favor with my grandparents in hopes of inheriting this bungalow. Then we all smile for the family picture before gathering for lunch, and my aunts ask the same questions they ask every year. “What was it you're studying again?” “How are your grades?” And they always finish the same way: “I wonder where your parents failed with your brother; if only my kids were more like you.” I smile thinly and ignore the venomous glances from across the room. Because I'm not my brother, I won't punch my aunts for their parental failings.

This scene replayed every year until my grandfather passed away. Then it worsened. My father received most of the estate despite being the third son, which sparked an enduring animosity. My uncle resented his responsibility as the oldest son to care for my grandmother, so she moved in with us after months of my aunt making it subtly clear that she was a burden. My cousins never were fond of each other, understandably, so they were only too eager to encourage the family in-fighting.

I suppose I had it easy. I was the crown jewel of my family, the top student that makes “good” life choices. My brother was the black sheep, the school dropout pursuing a career in professional gaming who races cars illegally for a hobby. That’s why our cousins always hated me and adored my brother. My parents wouldn't stop bragging about me; my father disowned Li Yong for skipping reunion dinner one year to attend a tournament in Tokyo.

Yet, I envied my brother; using his prize money, he remained in Tokyo, so he escaped the drama early. It was six years before I finally ran, married a French businessman and moved to Marseille. My excuse for not visiting? I couldn’t leave while applying for permanent residency. Before I knew it, it had been a decade since I last set foot in my homeland, and the family picture we took the year my grandfather died is all my seven-year-old daughter knows of her maternal relatives. Half the people in that photograph on my mantel probably haven’t seen each other since before she was born.

Speaking of Justine, she’s taking awfully long to exit school today. I rarely get so much time to reminisce in my car about how yesterday was celebrated miles away and years ago. I see her now, chatting with another Eurasian kid as they walk. I step out to give her a greeting hug, and she runs up to me.

“Maman,” she chirps, “Guess what? My new friend, he has the same family name you do!”

“Does he?” I turn to the boy just as he begins waving excitedly at someone.

It’s my father’s curls that I didn’t inherit and the sardonic twist in my aunt’s smile that I recognize, not the face of a cousin I grew up knowing.

“Justine, he’s your second cousin.”

I smile uncertainly as Yi Chun approaches. He’s always hated me the most.

“It’s been a while,” he says, breaking the awkward silence.

I swallow nervously. “When did you move here?”

“Last month.”

I don’t know what to do. Out of the blue, I find myself apologizing.

He laughs. “Li Xin, I’m not sixteen anymore. It’s not your fault my mother was the way she was. My father couldn’t stand her either. They divorced the year after you left.”

“I see. Have you been back recently?”

“Hell, no! Have you? Sheesh, by eighteen, I was begging Li Yong to kidnap me. Anyway, look, here’s my business card. I have some errands to run before I pick Annalise up, so I have to go. Come now, Alain!”

I watch as Justine waves goodbye, and this picture looks so wrong. My daughter shouldn’t meet her second cousin as the new transfer kid. And the card in my hand… What are we, business associates?

“Yi Chun, wait!”

He turns.

“It’s a bit late, but… any chance your family could come for dinner tomorrow? I’ll call with the details.”

He blinks, then smiles, and it’s not my aunt I see anymore. “Certainly, I look forward to it.” He waves before rounding the corner, and I grin.

“Justine,” I announce as we climb into the car. “Let’s go grocery shopping.”

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Hayzel
Word Count: 495
Theme: Tear Jerker/Anti-Valentines Day
Entry:


For 10 years my wife and I had been married. Never once had she allowed us to celebrate the one day a year dedicated to love. She never spoke about it, and she was always sad on valentines day. I never understood why and the one year I gave her a rose she started crying and locked herself in the bathroom for 2 days. It was strange and unlike my wife in ever aspect to act that way, and there was simply no explaining it.

It was valentines again that day. She and I were going to pick up our son from school when she decided she needed a kiss. Instinctively(after being married for 10 years, it becomes instinctive) I leaned over and kissed her on the lips. It was the last thing I would ever feel on earth.

When I look back on it now, I realize how I disregarded the icy roads and the oncoming cars. Being on the outside of the world, on the outside of time and with no time limits on anything I could watch over and over again as the tires slid on the ice and how the oncoming car had drifted into our lane. Crunching of glass and squealing of tires deafen the scene for a moment before all falls silent under the light snow.

It wasn't until I went back in time that I found out what had happened. I went back in time to watch my wife grow up into a beautiful young woman in her teen years. She and a few friends in college had decided to defeat fate and get their fortunes told. The fortune teller they saw was uncanny and knew things of the kids pasts that she never could've known. As a result, her tellings of the future were a bit more convincing. I listened to the prediction.
"On the 14th day of the 2nd month, your husband will leave you after giving you something."

Now my wife was not a gullible woman. She would not have believed something like that. I zoomed a few years farther into her life. She was getting married, but not to me. That was strange, she had never mentioned a 1st husband. I watched as I saw her walk away to a honeymoon with another man. I watched about two weeks worth of her life with this other man before I couldn't take it any longer. I waited until he was on his way home before wrapping my fingers around his neck. Honestly I was expecting him to continue walking right through me. Instead he stopped and started coughing. I didn't understand what was going on, but I also didn't care. I dragged that man into an alley way and strangled him before securing him in the chimney of a nearby building. It wasn't until then the true realization came to me. Both of my wife's husbands left her on valentines day. Both were my fault.

darn, I forgot I was actually going to do the writing contest this time....I guess I better start crackin.

I've updated the list! Thank you for entering everyone! :D

Just a few things to point out.

Make sure to pick ONE theme per entry. If you put down two, I'm just going to go with whatever you listed first.

Anti-V-day is actually more toward bitterness, frustration, and anger toward the holiday rather than your typical happy go lucky lovey dovey feelings.

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: iinsanely Sane
Word Count: 510
Theme: Tear Jerker
Entry: That lonely park bench
She hated sitting alone on the same day, every year. Nothing changed, not even the weather. She would sit every year, on Valentine's Day, on a park bench away from all the laughter, away from all the commotion, where no one could bother her. It pained her to be alone all the time, she had thoughts that she would never find someone, but being optimistic, she'd dismissed the thought and faced life with a strong determination. Now, what was left of her was little, and she craved some happiness in her life, something to strengthen her frail weak heart.
She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, exhaling just as slowly before repeating this cycle, in order to stop her tears from flowing freely. Even though she was alone, she did not like admitting any sign of weakness, and those tears that were building up inside her were refusing to leave her alone, wanting to burst right out of her own grey eyes.
Blonde hair cascaded down the side of her face, covering one of her nicely made up eyes, a touch of mascara and a hint of eye shadow, natural and beautiful.
She refused eye contact with her surroundings, because even though she had checked to be alone, she felt self conscious enough to think someone was there, someone was watching her. She ignored the peaceful twitters from the birds, and blocked out the sound of the rippling river nearby, and concentrated on her own breathing, the breathing that came out in short gasps, restraining on letting go of her life so soon. Jill was never a girl who went black, or decided to end of her life because of her depression, but she was the girl to not say anything, to live a lie in order for others not to show any concern.
Keeping these tears in for so long was doing her head in, and as the smallest sob escaped, she broke down. Falling to the floor, her shoulders shook so hard it appeared more than an emotional breakdown, as if someone had stabbed her in the back so hard, more than a number of times.
"No no no no no..." she mumbled, her voice wavering as it got louder and louder, until she couldn't stand her silence any longer, until she started shouting.
Her fists hit against the stone floor as she wailed to herself. She felt a million tears sting the sides of her lips, her cheeks wet, her mascara spoiled. Yet, no matter what her appearance, she was beautiful.
As she stared at the floor, tears spilling down her cheeks, hitting the ground with a drop, a hand caressed her cheek. Her pained smokey grey eyes glanced up, and fell into the sea. There he was, the man she so severely desired, his eyes such a dark blue they held the dangerous waves of the oceans, and as his lips fell into a smile, a sudden jolt of butterflies in her stomach told her she would finally think again before hating Valentines Day.

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Kat Dakuu
Word Count:653
Theme: tear jerker
Entry: Time Don't Love

“Did you think that I couldn’t grow? Then why look at me as if you don’t mean that much?” Mick questioned, his face almost pained at the surprise on Hannah’s face as he stood in the grassy field on last time. Mick looked at her, his breath in his throat. His lungs seemed to have imploded so that inside, he was completely filled with air.

“You are my whole world. If I loved you then…” His voice faded into a flicker. He looked at the clock on the white shelf, then back at the green field Hannah stood in. It was 11:57. At midnight, this wonderful life they had lived would exist no longer. Everything he’d never told her threatened to boil over, but he had no time for that.

Hannah stared at him with tear-filled, wide eyes. Realization dawned on her face and it caused Mick’s heart to thud terribly. “Mick!” she choked out, a sob tearing through her body. “No, no, Mick! You can’t. This can’t be!”

No mask covered Mick’s face now. Every emotion of his was open to her, his heart flowing out with all its anguish. The pain inside him twisted his face, creating hooded shadows in his eyes and Hannah started to sob in earnest. He wished he could tell her so; that it wasn’t over, but it would not be fine in the end. This was the final goodbye. They both knew it. This love was simply not meant to be.

“Hannah…” he groaned, tears growing in his eyes.

“Oh!” was all she managed to squeak out. She lunged towards him suddenly and he drew in a sharp breath. Her arms passed through him, his image giving a tiny shimmer then settling back to normal. She stood there before him, tears streaming down her face; arms desperately wanting to hold; to be held.

Mick’s image flickered again. He didn’t have time. He had to tell her, even if it meant nothing now.

“I love you, Mick. You know that? You know that don’t you?!” Hannah wailed.

“Yes!” he screamed as he began to panic. He tried to grab her shoulders that shook from sobbing and cursed as his hands passed through her.

“Hannah! Hannah, I have to tell you that…” He unconsciously paused for a second and would regret it for many centuries. “I lo-”

Hannah’s gasp broke into a full scream of agony as Mick disappeared entirely. Forever. Never would he return to her, hold her, act like an unemotional fool who cared for no one. But she and only she knew the side of him that cared.

‘I love you…’ It was just the slightest noise, one she wasn’t even sure she heard. Was that whisper her imagination? Or was it…could it have been him?

“No,” she whispered to herself, despite the ‘yes’ her heart screamed. All along, she knew it would end like this. She knew the portal between the worlds would close and even their technology could not cross the distance now. They simply, she thought as she fell o the ground and gave in to her sobs, were not meant to be.


“-ve you!!” Mick gasped, awkwardly lurching forward as he found himself standing back in his sterile lab in his home world. But it didn’t feel like home. Nothing felt right without Hannah, but the portal had closed and nothing would open it again, not even love. As he stood there, something wet touched his cheek and numbly he raised a hand and brushed his fingers along his skin. Teardrops. How long had it been since he last cried? Centuries, whispered his thoughts. He was an unemotional type, his whole species was, but…he welcomed the tears. “I love you…” he breathed aloud as the tears started to fall, like a sad, but healing rain. It may not have meant to be, but maybe, having been was enough.

Kat, that was lovely! I loved it. My eyes were tearing up over it. A few grammar mistakes (actually I think I only counted one or two) but it was just great.

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Cicadetta
Word Count: 756
Theme: The Ultimate Challenge
Entry: Skies and Sweets


Leo and Marcy sat comfortably on a bluff overlooking their small town. A bit of frost lightly covered the crisp grass, but the weather was still unseasonably warm. Between the blanket and the clear skies, the pair could focus on enjoying the view.

The parade, held on the first day of the Lunar New Year, was festive enough to be seen even from a distance, its small fireworks exploding over the rooftops, the music in the streets carrying far and wide. Between all the people (Ellisburg had a substantial Chinese-American population, and just about everyone else joined in the festivities), the noise, and the energy, Marcy much preferred to be away from it all. The slight, nervous girl, with eyes as dark brown as her hair, hated crowds.

The young man sitting beside her had no such issues. Leo was a second-generation American, and this would be his first time sitting out the New Year parade. Short and wiry, his frame belied his almost uncanny abilities in basketball. His speed, agility, and nearly perfect aim more than made up for his stature. As such, he was one of the "popular" ones.

He had long harbored love for astronomy, though, and it was only months ago, in that high school class, that he had met Marcy. He couldn't quite remember how they'd ended up working together, but there it was. And there they were now, enjoying the solitude and, with the aid of a telescope, the sky.

"I'm glad it's not cloudy," he commented as she gazed through the telescope at the eastern horizon.

"Yeah, me too. Saturn's amazing tonight."

"Good thing the town's not any brighter, huh?"

She laughed a little at that. "Yeah. Good thing. Leo, come on, you have to see this!"

"I'd... rather look at something else."

Marcy turned to look, quizzically, at Leo. "But the rings are beautiful..."

"I know." He was smiling. "Come here for a sec, please?"

"Um... sure." Suddenly, her nerves kicked in. She could practically hear her own heart beating to the rhythm of the distant music. Or was it the drums she heard after all?

By the time she reached Leo, he was shuffling nervously between one foot and another. This alone was disconcerting. Leo was never nervous, not even before championship games or final exams! It took her a few long moments to realize that he was holding something out for her. "Leo, what...?"

"Here. Just... This is for you."

She squinted, trying to make out the odd-shaped parcel in Leo's hands. "Um, did you remember, um, a flashlight? Because I didn't."

"Oh! Right! Yeah!" He shifted the bundle to one arm, and pulled a pen light out of his pocket. And then he drowned out the stars to illuminate an orange stuffed tiger clutching a bright red box of chocolates. "Do you, uh, want to be my Valentine?"

Marcy couldn't be certain, but she could swear Leo was blushing as she accepted the gift. From the own warmth rising to her cheeks, she knew she was. "Thank you and... Yes!" Surprising even herself, she leaned in and found his lips with her own, the plush tiger squashed between them. Nearly a minute passed before she pulled back, breathless. "Yes, I will!"

Leo was grinning from ear to ear at his red-cheeked girlfriend. "Happy New Year, Marcy!"

"Happy New Year to you, too!"

Then they both fell silent, listening, realizing that the parade noise had died down to a whisper, and that the party had retreated into private households.

"Marcy, I was thinking. Now that we're a couple, do you want to meet my parents? I promise there won't be too many people."

She closed her eyes, thinking. Not too big a crowd. She could handle a private party. Sure she could!

"Yes, I'd love to," she replied, still smiling. And so they packed up to go, still (or already) contemplating rings.

---

Years later, Leo and Marcy would still recall the warmth of his parents' house, their quiet acceptance of their son's new girlfriend, the elegant party conducted in colorful lantern-light and flower-scent. From that party on Marcy would attend the celebrations, feeling protected by his family. In turn, he would join her family to ring in the Gregorian New Year.

And, many years later, Marcy would pass the tiger on to her first-born daughter, who loved it even as she had.

The chocolate, of course, had long since been eaten.

Originally Posted by ToriKat

@Lovers Never Tell: It says in the third post under themes that you are to choose one of the following themes per entry. If you'd rather have your entry under Anti-V-day, let me know, and I'll move it.

The list has been updated.

But, I have two entries in my post. We can't double post, so I put them both in one.

Updated the list!

@Lovers Never Tell: I'm sorry, I mistook your entry when you asked your question for several others who were posting two themes for just one entry. I posted your post under both themes. :)

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Xandriana
Word Count: 483
Theme: The Tear Jerker
Entry: Two Roses, One Bullet.


He walks through the dark alone, as a damp pressing mist forms around him. Stopping on the spot his heart has come to dread. This lonely cold grave, no place for his love to rest. He kneels down to clean off the stone, dusting it off to look at it through the glow of the lantern. A small gray slab of stone to mark her resting place. Telling only her name, date of birth and date of death. It tells nothing of her life, of the family she left behind, or how she died. Beside it lay two roses gone black with decay, roses were her favorite flowers. He picks them up to throw them away then he stops and puts them back. Sadly he looks at them laying there, as she lay below them. Cold, decaying, bereft of life, he could only hope she had found love and joy in the next world.

"No father should out live his child." He whispers taking out a gun. Ten years it had been before he brought her killer to Justice. Ten years to see the man who had taken his daughter from them be convicted of his crime. In those ten years he had watched his wife struggle. The light and joy gone out of her eyes as it had their lives. Now sad and weary he lay down. He slowly brought the barrel of his gun to his heart. One bullet finished what her murder had started, the ripping of his heart from him. He set down his gun and composed himself as to sleep. He closed his eyes, he would be with her soon.

The next morning they found his body. All the papers carried the story, they played on the tragedy. Reminded the people of the tragedies in his life, of his daughters murder and the search to bring the killer to justice. They told of his wife how she died giving birth to his son, only two months prior. They told of his son now an orphan, the last victim in this great tragedy. They told how the boy was to be raised by his fathers sister, now his only living kin. They pestered his sister for an interview, and for pictures and videos of the baby. The sensationalism lasted a week before the story was replaced by the next big thing. After the fan fair died down, the story was hardly spoken of. When people did speak of the Sheriff and his daughter it was always as a tragic story. Half truth half legend, the living proof, the poor boy left behind. He grew knowing the story, he grew up with the pain and wondered. What would his family be like if his sister hadn't been killed. That question always in mind he followed his father becoming Sheriff in his own time. Hoping to prevent tragedy from happening again.

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: fuyumi_saito
Word Count:193
Theme: Good ol' Fashioned Love Story
Entry:

when we first met
I smiled as you tripped over your shoes
You laughed, and said it seems I'm already falling for you

Make my heart skip
the way that you smile
The twinkle in your eyes as you laugh.

I smile when you smile
cause you're smile is so contagious to me
you run your hand through your hair nervously
and I can't help but think how delectable you seem

I want you all to myself
I need you all to myself
but you belong to the world
and there's not chance I can compete with that
I want to take you someplace far away
where no one knows you
and we can stay the same
be together forever
without a care in the world
I would have you all to myself

I know I'm selfish
but I can't help it
please don't be angry
I don't even understand it myself
I just know that I don't want to share you with anyone else.
Please hear me.

Every time you talk, my heart seems to race
every time I see you without your make up I fall more and more in love

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: fuyumi_saito
Word Count: 205
Theme: tear-jerker
Entry:

drying to a dark crimson
the cut on my feet
left by the chains
still stains my skin
like coffee on a white shirt

forever scarred
forever lost
the pain that shots through me every time I think of past incidents
I don't want to remember
I want to forget
Though the scar may be covered and fade a little with time
it will forever remain on the inside
I can't erase the words from the board
they seem to stay there no matter how many times I go over them
Frustration and pain
I want it to end
yet there is no end to this cycle of loss
keep going and lose more
gain much but still have loss
the past the present the future
even if I live for the future I will never forget the past
the present is where I work so hard
my feed begin to ache
with every single step I take towards the doorway
that leads me to you
I can't go on
but I must
I force myself through the pain
through the heartache and suffering
slowly building a wall around myself
that I'm afraid I won't be able to take down when I finally reach you

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: fuyumi_saito
Word Count: 119
Theme: the ultimate challenge
Entry:

The heart pounding way I felt
As I looked at you and the fire works in the sky went off
A new year, a new love
how will my fortunes unravel

the stars in the sky seem so bright
and so do the ones in your eyes
you smile and tell a joke
then at the end you say will you be my valentine?

I feel shock
the fireworks keep going off
I don't want this feeling to end
New Years please don't end...

I say yes while laughing happily...
I reach for your cold hand...
I watch the blush on your cheeks, knowing I'm more red
every second seems to last an eternity
New years please don't end..

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username:Malady Grimoire Valentine
Word Count:516
Theme: Anti-V-Day
Entry:Alesana--a scorned girl--She has banished all thoughts of kindness as the last person in the town to treat her as a person has finally abandoned her in the worst way. Betrayal. Backstabbing agony. Spite and hate has corrupted her fagrile and dying soul. This person she trusted with her life, her heart and he had ripped it out and stomped on the red beating organ as if Alesana was nothing but some plaything for him. A joke--A toy--for him to use and throw aside like a spoiled child who has found something much better to play with.

Was she nothing to this boy? Never has she really cared much for Febuary 14th, but that doesn't mean she wanted to be discarded like trash on that very day. Her face is stained with the smeared black eyeliner she wears on a daily basis, by the raging storm letting loose on her. Her black and red hair is highly disheveled as she sits on the park bench, she bites her pierced lip as a voice enters her mind as she sits in the silence of the dark park. It offers some pretty awful idea's as to what this tormented girl can do to regain a small portion of her santiy and pride.

She gives a wicked grin as these thoughts seem right, not right in a legal way, but right to her stressed mind to regain some of her that the boy destroyed at this very spot earlier today. Alesana stands and straightens her black lolita dress and pulls up her black and red striped stockings before her combat boots disrupt the large puddles of muddy water.

The drenched girl stands before a small home. She advances on the home, there are no lights on, but she knows it isn't quiet in there. No, not in the bedroom.

Stealthy she enters the home, the noises she hears makes her sick. From the shed out back she has taken a canister of gasoline. As sneakily as a ninja Alesana drenches the home in the flammable liquid. She drips the odorous liquid down the bedroom door and silently she opens the door, not far enough to see the sight she knows will kill her, but enough to dribble a little gas into the room. She closes the door and lights a match.as she stands at the front door and drops it on the gasoline covered carpet.

The home quickly erupts into flames as the girl makes her way to the bedroom window to gleefully watch them die. Not even the rain will be able to douse this raging fire of hate.

She stands at the glass and watches in as the two in the room frantically dress themselves to find a way out, the flames engulf the room quickly. They rush to the window and look hopefully at the drenched girl as a wicked smile fills her face as the hot scorching flames lick the two inside.

Their screams fill the scorned girl with such joy. What a way to end Valentines Day--the most worthless day of the year.

I've updated the list!

Finally found some inspiration for your Ultimate Challenge. =3

♥ I Stitched a Tale! ♥
Username: Luenola Marxiel
Word Count: 791
Theme: Ultimate Challenge
Entry:

Midnight To Remember

In my city, people start preparing for the Lunar New Year weeks in advance. They go shopping, decorate and clean, and get new currency from the bank for red packets. Trips are planned, New Year music plays and shops are adorned with red and gold greeting cards and decorations.

Thousands of miles and twelve time zones away, it's a quiet affair. Sometimes I barely notice that it's coming until it's here, and the only reminder I get is the lanterns being put up in the local Chinese restaurant. Sometimes, I feel embarrassingly detached from my own culture.

This year, the decorations around are mostly red and pink, love songs are playing everywhere and all my friends are making Valentine plans. I'm knitting my boyfriend of three years a scarf, and it takes the lady at Peach Garden asking me if I'm going home for the reunion dinner for me to realize that the first day of the Lunar New Year is also on the fourteenth.

Still, I don't have family nearby to visit, and I can't fly home at this time of the year. I may as well keep planning Valentine's day with Darian. We've never been fans of Valentine's day -it's more a retail festival than anything else-, but it's on a Sunday this year, and that's the only day we're both free to spend time together. Thus, we figured we'd do something special.

So on the night before, I'm putting the finishing touches on the scarf and mentally going over how I'm going to give it to him during dinner tomorrow at Beluccia's when my cellphone rings.

"Heya, done with work?"

"Mmhm, are you free right now?"

"I guess so. What's up, dear?"

"I want to show you something. I can be there in fifteen. Up for it?"

"Depends. Is there a dress code?"

Darian laughs. "No, and when have you ever walked out the door looking anything less than presentable?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be ready. Come on over."

I'm waiting at the door when he arrives. He gives me a kiss as soon as I’m in the car and I ask, “So. Where are we going?"

He turns out onto the main road. "You'll see."

Fifteen minutes and a few streets later, I realize we're headed towards the house he grew up in.

"Darian, you should have told me we were coming here! I would have worn something more appropriate for seeing your family!"

"It's not like they haven't seen you before, and what you wore the first time was the subject of family discourse for weeks." He puts an arm around me reassuringly. "They're not even going to blink, honey. Don't fret."

"Gee, thanks," I mutter, pressing my palm to my forehead.

There are a lot of cars around when we arrive, which does nothing for my nerves.

"What's going on?"

"You..." he replies. "...are about to find out."

He runs to the door, half-dragging me along, and Rhiannon opens it before he even knocks.

"They're here~" his sister trills, and before I know it, I'm being pushed through a sea of hugs.

"Finally! Dinnertime!" his cousin Joshua proclaims, rushing for a seat at the table.

It is laden with food when I finally see it, and I feel like everyone in his family is here, bar the few I only see at Christmas. "Darian, what..?"

He puts his hands on my shoulders and seats me in a chair. "I know this isn't quite what you're used to, but it's the Lunar New Year tomorrow, isn't it? Just because you're not home for your reunion dinner doesn't mean you don't have family here."

His mother steps out of the blurring crowd. "Darian was calling everyone from a month ago, saying they HAD to be here."

I throw my arms around him. "Thank you so much! This is just the sweetest thing ever!"

"Can we eat now?" Joshua asks impatiently.

"Yes, yes," Darian says, sitting down beside me. "Wouldn't want you to starve."

Everyone sits down for dinner, and as we're driving back to my apartment, I'm wondering if I have space for tomorrow's dinner in my stomach. I invite him in, and the clock chimes midnight just as he closes the door. I skip over to the scarf that I was going to wrap.

"Lookie what I made!" I announce, throwing the scarf about his shoulders. "Happy Valentine's Day!"

He pulls me into a hug on the couch. "Happy Valentine's Day to you too. I don't think anyone's knitted stuff for me since my grandmother passed away."

We've never been fans of Valentine's Day. It's an over-commercialized event celebrated on the anniversary of a massacre. But, this time, it's definitely going to be a Valentine's to remember.

I've added your entry. ^^