A Not-So Vacuous Venture

• Madison Cox, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2021

"You must understand that the truth lies, just as I do," a woman, hair red as fresh blood and eyes twitching with unconcealed angst, begged. "I can not offer anything of more value - just a place by my side and what we shall return with."

"And you must understand that I will not abandon all that I hold dear for a fantastical, vacuous venture, Mary-Beth," another woman - Liana - replied, stepping backwards.

Curls of brilliant red bounced as she bounded forward, grabbing onto Liana's shoulders, grasp strong but fingers trembling. She stared into the other woman's eyes - icy blue into golden brown -, face fluttering with emotion.

"Please, Liana," Mary-Beth implored softly, "I know I have asked a lot of you in the past... Even now, I am asking more than you might be willing to give. But I need you with me - I can't do this without you. I don't want to."

Liana's stoic mask wavered, revealing the terror that lay underneath. "What's to say that it won't end like last time? That you won't leave me in favour of adventure elsewhere? That I won't be forced to rebuild all that I hold dear?"

"I'm only asking that you come and get groceries with me, Li," Mary-Beth replied, letting go of Liana's shoulders as amusement began dancing across her lips. "It's not like we're going on a quest or something... you always make everything so dramatic."

Liana let out a light huff, softly pouting while twirling one of her ghana braids. "So what - you abandoned me in line last time!"

Mary-Beth let out a light laugh, leaning back against the backrest of their couch. "Yeah, for ten seconds. I was grabbing bread. You could literally see me from where you stood."

"...still!"