"Sometimes you write a collection of stories. This collection, it’s less written than accumulated over 14 years. The earliest story, I think, was written in 2008. I usually work on multiple projects at the same time, a long project and then stories. So, I didn’t think about the collection until we had more than enough stories. It’s interesting to go back. These stories are like my life in the past 14 years, starting at one point and ending where I didn’t expect it to end. I view these stories as placeholders for my life, and the losses over the years, and also the changes. I am not a young writer anymore. I’m solidly middle aged. And 14 years is a big chunk of one’s life. So, revisiting the stories, I think I feel happysad, one word. It is a track of my life. It’s a placeholder of my life. And I do love every story. So, I thought it’s a good collection to put out at this point in my career."
—Yiyun Li, "The 14-Year Making of 'Wednesday's Child'"
0 notes
Bianca: Let me get this straight...
Yoko, with widest grin: Girl, there's nothing straight about this situation! *She holds a child, resembling miniature Wednesday*
Bianca: Right... So, Wednesday was casually playing god and now you have a child.
Enid, noticeably disheveled and with eyebags: Yep, that's pretty much it. I believe that's my karma, for teasing Wednesday about having children.
Bianca: *Raises an eyebrow* She wants to have children?
Enid: Nooo. Idea terrifies her... In a bad way.
Bianca: Interesting...
Yoko: Do you want uppies? *starts throwing child up and catching it, while they deadstare back*
Bianca: So what, is it her clone or something.
Enid, barely not falling asleep: Wednesday called it "Homunculus"... I don't know, it's basically is. Just more accident prone.
*Loud crack of wood interrupts conversation. Bianca and Enid turn, to see Yoko with terrifyed face looking up. There's a hole in the celling, with child's feets hanging from it*
Enid: Hema! Don't worry baby, mama's coming! *Runs out the room and up the stairs*
Yoko: *Runs after her as fast*
Bianca: *Observes hole in the celling* This ought to be interesting.
518 notes
·
View notes
Sonic never thought running too fast would ever be a problem. If you went fast enough nothing could be able to stop you.
Tails had been nagging him about it for a while though, scolding him every time he ran straight into a fight without stopping to think of what might happen.
It didn't matter to him though. Even if he somehow got hurt, it'd eventually heal and he'd be back on the run in no time.
But now that he was on his knees, cradling his brother as he desperately tried to stop the red from staining the white fur on his chest, he really wished he had listened.
The only reason this happened was because he ran too fast. He didn't stop to check for any sort of traps or hidden badniks, far too focused on beating Eggman so they could all go home.
He never thought that going too fast could get someone else hurt.
He still wasn't sure what happened. All he knew was that he spindashed into a motobug, then a laser fired and a horrible, loud scream followed.
It took him two seconds to realize it was his brother that screamed. He could feel his heart stop beating as he watched the fox drop to his knees, his paws clutching his chest.
Sonic had the kit in his hold a second later, whispering about a million apologies to him. Knuckles and Amy decided to deal with the combat, letting the hedgehog take care of the youngest.
They had managed to drag Eggman's attention to another area, which meant that the two brothers were alone.
Sonic had tried to pick the kid up to take him to a hospital, but Tails refused. He begged the older not to take him anywhere near a hospital.
He wanted to die in his brother's arms, not in a hospital bed.
Sonic tried to tell him that he wasn't going to die. They just needed to get to someone who could help him and it'd be fine.
But then Tails showed him his communicator.
The screen was colored in the brightest, most headache-inducing shade of red he's ever seen.
Written in a bright white text were the words, ‘!Vital Organ Critically Damaged!’
That was the message that was programmed to show if they were ever too injured to receive medical attention. Going to a doctor would be useless, they wouldn't be able to save him.
So Sonic just held him instead. He had called Knuckles and Amy a few seconds ago so they could come see him.
Tails whimpered and pushed into the hedgehog, clinging onto his chest.
“Just a little longer, buddy.” Sonic whispered, trying his best to keep his tears from falling as he held the fox tighter. He couldn't cry right now, Tails didn't deserve to see that.
His ears twitched at the sound of footsteps approaching. He turned to watch as Knuckles and Amy ran up to them with matching horrified expressions.
Amy dropped in front of them to grip the youngest’s paws, “Oh, Tails..” It was easy to see that she had already been crying, but her eyes grew wet once again.
Knuckles kneeled at Tails’ head, but stayed silent. He placed his paw on the back of the kit’s head, gently rubbing it with his thumb.
It wasn't long until a soft rumble filled the air. It was shaky and it stumbled every now and then, but it was there. And it broke Sonic's heart.
Tails was purring to try and comfort them. Even while he was dying, he decided to put his siblings first.
“I'm scared.” Tails admitted quietly, closing his eyes as he hid his face in his brother's shoulder.
“I know, bud.” The hedgehog ignored the way his voice wavered. He's not sure how much longer he can hold back his tears.
“You'll be okay, little one.” Sonic's never heard such a gentle voice come from the guardian, but he guesses that's because it was saved for moments like this. “Your fight is over. You can rest now.”
“I–I don't wanna go.” Sonic bit down on his tongue at the sound of Tails’s small, broken voice. Every whimper or whine that came from the youngest broke his already shattered heart even more.
He could feel a tear run down his face. He was going to just let it fall, but Amy reached over and gently wiped it away.
“Think of it this way,” She whispered, her gaze moving back to the eight year old, “You can always keep an eye on Sonic now and yell at him for pulling stupid stunts.”
That at least managed to put a smile on the fox’s muzzle, even if it was small.
The air fell silent around them. Sonic knew that other people had gathered around them by now. They were in Station Square after all, there's always people staring.
“Guys?” Amy’s hold on the youngest’s paws tightened at the quiet voice. He was basically whispering, too weak to talk any louder. “Please—Please look after each o-other.”
“Don't you worry about us, keed.” The response was natural. It's what he always said whenever Tails got too worried about them. It was sweet, but he tended to ignore his own needs when he focused on his siblings.
“We’ll be alright, bud.” Knuckles said, still continuing his gentle petting. The fox whimpered at the nickname. He wished he could hear Knuckles say it more.
“I'll keep these boys in line,” Amy promised, smiling at the kid despite the tears streaming down her face.
“We love you, kiddo.” Sonic whispered, nuzzling the younger’s head. He hated how he could feel the strength in his little brother's body fade out.
The small paw that had been clutching his chest finally let go, limply falling to the ground as the little fox released his final breath.
Sonic curled around the lifeless body, hiding his face away in the soft, golden fur as his tears began to fall down his face now that the hedgehog had stopped trying to hold them in.
Knuckles pulled Amy into a hug as she began sobbing. He ignored his own tears that trailed down his muzzle as he embraced his little sister.
Losing someone during a battle had always been a possibility, they all knew that.
But even so, none of them ever expected their youngest brother to be the first.
It wasn't right. He should've been the last of them to leave Mobius, not the first. He was far too young to be taken from them already.
But there was nothing they could do about it now.
Tails was gone.
106 notes
·
View notes