Eugene had a habit of avoiding light. His mother said he disliked all things good for him. Vegetables, water, going outside. But he especially disliked sunlight. The thought of the rays falling upon his skin made him shiver. It was the worst feeling in the world to the young boy.
He spent his days inside, reading and watching movies. He loved everything, except for romance. Romance was another thing Eugene seemed to dislike significantly more than most people. If you asked him about it, he’d say that it’s just simply a waste of time. That it made him cringe and roll his eyes.
If you asked the town people, they’d probably say it doesn’t matter. That Eugene was simply a poor, pale boy who needed to get out into the “real world”. That his mother needed to be firm and force him outside. A boy needs sunlight, they’d say. It was all anyone talked about with her.
But, if you asked his friend Amelia, she’d tell you that Eugene is emotionally scarred by his parents and their relationship. Their relationship that fell apart when Eugene was small. She’d tell you that they were in love, yet managed to hit and yell themselves into divorce. That Eugene hated love because of what it did to his parents. That Eugene’s parents loved sunny days and they still got sunburned. She’d tell you that his father is in Florida. She’d say that he was afraid of the sun because he couldn’t stand the fact that it brightened everyone else’s day yet seemed to ruin his.
Amelia wouldn’t tell you that she loved Eugene. That he was the only one who understood her. The only person that she could talk to. But she’d say that while she doesn’t mind visiting Eugene at his house and only going out at night or on rainy days, she wished Eugene would just live his life.
That’s what she told Eugene one day, sitting in his room and eating chips. Eyes avoiding his face, she told Eugene it was time to just get out there. That he’d have to go outside eventually. That she wanted to walk places with him and experience life with him. He listened, his heart beating fast, yet still he sat. Amelia sighed and then got up, walking to the front door. He yelled for her, but still she kept walking.
Amelia went outside. Outside the house, outside the door, away from Eugene and his fears. She never turned around to see if he would do it, if he would actually go outside for her. And he didn’t give her the chance to. He made it past the doorway and onto the grass. He ran into the darkest place he’d known.
Eugene fell to his knees, eyes closed and tears welling up. He dared not to move. The Sun took Eugene’s face in her hands. His eyes sprung open and there she was. What he had feared the most. A beautiful sight, his worst fright. The Sun smiled gently, her skin glowing and eyes peering into his. Eugene looked in The Sun’s eyes, and suddenly he was not afraid anymore.
He spent his days inside, reading and watching movies. He loved everything, except for romance. Romance was another thing Eugene seemed to dislike significantly more than most people. If you asked him about it, he’d say that it’s just simply a waste of time. That it made him cringe and roll his eyes.
If you asked the town people, they’d probably say it doesn’t matter. That Eugene was simply a poor, pale boy who needed to get out into the “real world”. That his mother needed to be firm and force him outside. A boy needs sunlight, they’d say. It was all anyone talked about with her.
But, if you asked his friend Amelia, she’d tell you that Eugene is emotionally scarred by his parents and their relationship. Their relationship that fell apart when Eugene was small. She’d tell you that they were in love, yet managed to hit and yell themselves into divorce. That Eugene hated love because of what it did to his parents. That Eugene’s parents loved sunny days and they still got sunburned. She’d tell you that his father is in Florida. She’d say that he was afraid of the sun because he couldn’t stand the fact that it brightened everyone else’s day yet seemed to ruin his.
Amelia wouldn’t tell you that she loved Eugene. That he was the only one who understood her. The only person that she could talk to. But she’d say that while she doesn’t mind visiting Eugene at his house and only going out at night or on rainy days, she wished Eugene would just live his life.
That’s what she told Eugene one day, sitting in his room and eating chips. Eyes avoiding his face, she told Eugene it was time to just get out there. That he’d have to go outside eventually. That she wanted to walk places with him and experience life with him. He listened, his heart beating fast, yet still he sat. Amelia sighed and then got up, walking to the front door. He yelled for her, but still she kept walking.
Amelia went outside. Outside the house, outside the door, away from Eugene and his fears. She never turned around to see if he would do it, if he would actually go outside for her. And he didn’t give her the chance to. He made it past the doorway and onto the grass. He ran into the darkest place he’d known.
Eugene fell to his knees, eyes closed and tears welling up. He dared not to move. The Sun took Eugene’s face in her hands. His eyes sprung open and there she was. What he had feared the most. A beautiful sight, his worst fright. The Sun smiled gently, her skin glowing and eyes peering into his. Eugene looked in The Sun’s eyes, and suddenly he was not afraid anymore.