Hi everybody! I'm so glad you have decided to read this. Anywho, recently I downloaded an app that gives you writing prompts, such as a first line, a character, etcetera, etcetera. So it gave me the sentence, "They found his diary under his bed." That got me thinking. Why would he hide his diary under his bed? What would he be writing in it anyway? Why would they be searching for his diary in the first place? Well, I made a story from it. I hope you enjoy!
A Ring for You
Our story starts in a small café. A girl sits at the corner table, fidgeting with her braid. Where was he? She checked her watch impatiently. He was never late, not once on the thirteen years she had known him. What could have happened to him? She hoped he was all right...
Police officer Dan Michalson was driving along the back roads, almost finished with his shift, when he came upon a truck sitting in the middle of the road. The hood was crumpled, and the front wheel touched the door. Oil and coolant dripped out of the wrecked engine, pooling like blood around the car. But his headlights shone upon something much worse. A crumpled sedan lay in the ditch, wrapped around a tree.
One man made it out unscathed that night. One was killed instantly. The driver who lived was too drunk to even realize that he'd crashed. Police found him flooring the accelerator, trying to drive away. That was the night that Hiccup died.
Astrid tapped her foot impatiently. Hiccup had asked her to meet him there an hour ago. He didn't say why, but insisted that she be there. And here she was, waiting for her wayward boyfriend. Her phone rang. Pulling it out of her pocket, she was relieved to find that it was Valka. Maybe she could explain what was making Hiccup late.
"Valka, where is your son?" she demanded playfully. "He persuaded me to come here, and yet he's not here." "Sweetheart, he'll never be there." Valka told her. "What? Why not?" Astrid was shocked. Was Hiccup, the man who told her he loved her twice a minute, breaking up with her? "He won't be there, because he's dead."
Astrid's car screeched to a halt as sirens and flashing lights filled her senses. Police tape surrounded everything. Her car dinged; her door wasn't shut. She walked to the blanket that lay on the road slowly, methodically, as if in a trance. The yellow tape snapped as she walked through it. "Hey! Lady! You're not supposed to be here!" someone yelled. She didn't hear them. She was oblivious to anything but the body under the blanket. She fell on her knees, tears pouring down her face. "Hiccup..." she whispered. "...please, I need you. Don't be dead. Please..."
Another car came to a screaming halt in front of the scene. An ambulance left, carrying off the drunk who was still raving. Valka came running, her shoes making clacking sounds on the wet pavement. She too sank to her knees, hugging Astrid. Astrid wrapped her arms around the woman, both crying for a thing lost that could never be found.
Valka was cleaning her son's room, trying to make it look presentable for the well-wishers who might stop by unexpectedly. She peered under his bed, spotting a book near the wall. She fished it out with a broom, wondering why Hiccup would stash a book under his bed. Then she saw what it was. A diary. She opened it, wondering what his life was like from his perspective.
August 3rd, 2009
You'll never guessed what happened today. As you already know, today was the dance, and Astrid asked me to it earlier. Anyway, so just before it ended, I asked her if she wanted me to be her boyfriend, and she said yes! So I guess we are official now. Right? Anyway, I'm just really happy right now.
-Hiccup
Valka smiled fondly at the memory. Hiccup wouldn't stop talking about it for days. She flipped toward the back, wondering what her son's last days had been like.
November 16th, 2013
I can't believe it's been a year since we graduated. Astrid came over for dinner, and we discussed plans for college with Mom. Astrid plans on going to Burke University, but I think I might have to go to to a different one. After dinner, we curled up on the couch and watched Herbie the Love Bug, one of Astrid's favorites. It was really nice, just cuddling and enjoying each other's company. I hope we can have more moments like that, because she's so amazing.
-Hiccup
November 19th, 2013
Today is it. Today is the day that I'm going to propose to Astrid. I asked her to meet me at Belle's Café, and then I'll take her on a walk and bring up marriage, and propose. I hope she'll say yes! I'll add more when I get back. The ring's under the seat for safekeeping, and I've got a girlfriend to meet!
-Hiccup
Valka gasped. She had no idea that Hiccup was going to propose that night. Poor Astrid, she would be devastated. What if... What if the ring was still under the seat? She drove quickly to the scrapyard that held the car, and checked. Yes! There it was, tucked safely away under the seat. She opened the box and gasped; it was absolutely wonderful.
Valka's car crunched on the gravel as it drove up the Hofferson's drive. She knocked on the door, diary in one hand, ring box in the other. The door creaked open to reveal Astrid's face. She looked considerably worse from the last time Valka had seen her. Dark rings surrounded blood-shot eyes, and her nose was red. She must have been blowing it a lot lately.
Ten minutes later, they sat together on her bed, Astrid reading Hiccup's diary. A smile graced her lips as she read the different parts of their relationship, laughing occasionally at one of Hiccup's quips. "I forgot we did that..." she muttered as she read about yet another one of their enticing adventures together.
After almost four hours, Astrid flipped to the last entry. She read it, tears dripping down her face. "He was going to propose..." she said in disbelief. "That goofball was going to ask me to marry him..." Valka nodded. "Here, I believe this is yours." She gave Astrid the ring box. Astrid opened it slowly, hardly daring to believe it. "Oh my goodness!" she said "It's so beautiful."
A silver ring sat in the tissue paper. A small, gold rose was mounted on the top, and in the center of the rose was a single diamond. "To the woman who made my dreams come true. ~Hiccup" was written on the inside of the box.
Astrid smiled, tears still running down her face. Valka stood, and left. Astrid would probably need some time to herself Astrid put down the box, and put the ring on her finger. "Yes Hiccup, I will marry you." she told the empty room. A breath of warm air brushed her forehead, almost as if someone had given her a kiss. She smiled, because she knew everything would be alright. Maybe not now, but it would eventually be.
Whew! For only 1120 words, this story took a lot out of me! Or it could be that it's 23 minutes to midnight. *Yawns* Or both... Anywho, I hope you liked this story. I am pretty proud of it, but I feel that there are some parts that are really choppy. Actually, it anly took twelve hours from the birth of the idea to the finished endnote on this one-shot. As usual, please point out any mistakes and/or ways you feel this story could be better. I shall now retire to my bed. *Conks out in rocking chair*
~Yours in Destiny & Sleepiness, Joan McCreedy
Updated 1/12/16