Inklilngs 2024

WHERE YOU’LL FIND THE SUN, THE MOON, AND ELLIOT ACKER Short Story Excerpt Sophia Romanov Imber ’24 280 Worcester Street was a house of vines and overgrown grass. They welcomed abnormalities and dismissed structure. They drank martinis and destroyed clocks. You could call Ms. Madden a hoarder but you’d love her collections. 280 Worcester Street was a place to hide. And Elliot Acker was taking out the trash. He could feel the night give way to the wind and leaves finding home on his driveway. And most importantly, the night loved Lady Vine. Only at night did Elliot enjoy where 280 Worcester Street was placed. The corner had one drain, a streetlight, and a stop sign. Lady Vine appeared by the drain where the moonlight acknowledged her black fur. The cat did not need to be recognized in the day. The Sun, What’s to Become, did not do Lady Vine justice while the Moon, What Was, kissed her beauty. Only at night could Elliot not lie. He could not lie to Lady Vine. The black cat crawled across the driveway, appearing to approach Elliot. He waited for her to come to him because he would never hurt her. He could never. Elliot didn’t know it then, and he would never find out, but Lady Vine would be killed by a Red Camaro driving 5 over the speed limit that night. Elliot will think she returned home. 62