SHORT STORY

Here she is, my short story, Superfruit, an exploration of choices and responsibility. I chose to title my website this as well as I found its message to tie in all of the emotions behind this project. Before diving into this project by conscious was flooding with questions about my recent loss. How could it be Kassy? And less than a month after her 20th birthday? I saw her just last week, how can I be sure this is real? How exactly did it happen? Did she know what was happening as the scene unraveled? Did she know those were her last moments? And can I really put the blame on the driver? The final question was the one that stuck with me the longest. When unexplainable things happen, our first instinct is to find a reason or a person to blame. Unavoidable circumstances are feared and at least for me personally, I find comfort when I know why things occur as they do. This time, things were different. After all, it was an accident. Can you place the responsibility of something so sour on a single ingredient?

The question of responsibility is one heavily examined when it comes to topics in the environment and climate change, with men in suits lacking intellect arguing over whether climate change is real and if it is, if it's accelerated by anthropogenic or natural causes. In a complex sort of way, trying to find a person or thing to place the blame on causes more stress than simply accepting things the way they are and working to fix them without questioning who is at the root of the problem. I found solace in this connection, realizing that it is not just me in my present situation losing my mind over where the responsibility lies. We all do it. For a variety of things, whether minor or heavy.

So I applied the concept of magical choice-bearing fruits to my life. I could continue filling my empty stomach with sour fruits or consider a sweeter one. And that's a choice only I am responsible for.

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I hope you enjoy my short story and can accept this project for what it is and not what it could have been. I know it could use improvements but these are rough times, I'm trying!

(BTW: translated dialogue is at the end of the final page)