Status: This isn't supposed to offend, I'm sorry if it does

Rainbow Pride

Chapter 16

Dinner with Kaden and my dad was good, despite what had happened with my parents before it even started. We talked about random stuff as we ate, college, work, mine and Kaden’s relationship, which was actually going really good.

Once we had finished eating, Kaden had to head home, and so I walked him to the door.

“Are you okay?” Kaden asked as he stepped out the door and turned back to look at me.

“I will be,” I replied with a smile, “I just really wish that my mum would stop, and see that this is who I am… I’m still me.”

“I know babe, but don’t let her get inside your head,” Kaden said hugging me, “I don’t want anything like before happening to you.”

He kissed me quickly, before walking off and I headed back indoors. I was helping my dad with the dishes when my mum emerged, and took her seat back at the table with her laptop. Every inch of me wanted to yell at her, wanted to tell her exactly how I felt but it wasn’t worth it, she wouldn’t listen.

“Why don’t you go grab your memory stick bud, and I’ll check out your story on my laptop?” My dad suggested and I nodded.

“His not going to get anywhere in life if writing is the only thing he’s good at,” My mum grumbled as I walked out the kitchen.

Running upstairs to my room, I grabbed my memory stick, as well as my sketchpad and notebook, then joined my dad back downstairs on the sofa.

“The first chapter is nearly done, but I feel like I could add something more to it, just to add that extra emotion,” I explained as I loaded it onto the laptop screen.

“I’ll read it through, and see if I can figure out what it is you need to add,” My dad replied.

I opened my sketchpad to a blank page, and started doodling on the page, as my dad sat silently reading beside me. My writing has always been something my dad is supportive of, he reads everything I write and he tells me what I should add or if there is something I did wrong… he’s my personal critic.

“What do you think?” I inquired once he had finished.

“This is really good bud, and I think I know what you need to add,” My dad stated, “In the paragraph where you’re talking about the car accident and the dad thinking he was dying, you need to add in what he was feeling, what he was thinking as they cut him out the car.”

“I should’ve spotted that myself,” I mumbled.

“Sometimes it takes someone else reading it through to see these things bud, you know… someone outside of the world you’re writing about,” My dad added, “Add that in and you’ll be set, I like how you compared the paramedics to angels… it’s a nice comparison.”

Pulling my notebook towards me, I opened it and stared at the blank page for a few moments, before writing.

‘The pain from my trapped leg faded to a dull ache, as I slipped into what I guess was something like limbo… a dream realm perhaps. Everything was more intense… more vivid, but at the same time it was peaceful.

Memories of my daughter flashed in front of my eyes, good times I had spent with my brother… he was my best friend… I also felt regret at not giving my parents a second chance after everything happened. Darkness soon closed in around me, and everything became hazy as it took me to wherever the next stop was, but I wasn’t scared… I was calm’


I showed my dad, and he nodded with a smile, passing me the laptop so that I could add it in. Once I finished, I realised I didn’t have a title for it and sat thinking. I was sat there for half an hour, before I decided on a title…

A Glimpse of the Great Beyond by Landon Barrett.