Worlds Apart by Meeko

[Graeme]

Worlds Apart by Meeko

Alex and Shawn lived in two different worlds, though with a connection between them that went beyond being best friends.

 

 

:nuke: :nuke: Spoilers Below!!! :nuke: :nuke:

[AFriendlyFace]

What a cool story! It was very moving and it kept me guessing all the way though!

 

It seems that in the end it really was Alex haunting himself. On the other hand I suppose it could have partly been him and also partly the influence of Shawn. It definitely raises interesting questions.

 

I have to say, that upon reflection I don't particularly like Alex or Shawn. Obviously Alex was self-involved, mean, and manipulative, but Shawn was definitely at fault for allowing himself to be so affected by Alex. I was also struck by the irony that the little girl/Shawn criticised Alex for blaming others for his problems, but the person in this story, IMO, who ultimately blames others for his problems is Shawn.

 

I guess to me it goes back to "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." I think that Shawn should indeed have moved on from the emotional control which Alex, and Shawn's mother, influenced over him, and certainly after ten years. I guess that's easier said than done though.

 

Anyway, great job Mike

 

-Kevin

[Graeme]

One of the strange things that struck me is that, even after years apart, Alex still considered Shawn to be his best friend. He went around to his house, expecting to be greeted by the family and seemed shocked that that didn't happen.

 

Shawn wrote each month while Alex was away, and Alex never replied. But did he read them? I have to think he did -- otherwise it wouldn't make sense that he would still consider Shawn to be a friend, let alone his best friend.

 

I think there was more to the relationship than we were seeing. Shawn saw Alex as using him, but Shawn loved Alex and let him do it. Apart from the sexual relief, what did Alex get from the relationship? It couldn't be the feeling of control, because he didn't execute that control while he was away.

 

As Kevin indicated, neither of the two guys came across particularly well. Alex, as the young man, came over the worst, but did he change while he was away?

 

And I'm still not sure who the little girl represents. Someone like that usually depicts 'innocence' (what's more innocent than a cute little girl?) but she definitely wasn't. Was she Alex's alter-ego? Shawn's spirit in a vengeful mood (with the appearance as Alex to mean that he/she/it was what Alex had made)? Any ideas?

[Tiff]

Neither characters were that likeable or redeemable. Alex was a total ass in general. I also don't know what he got out of the relationship, other than sexual relief. Maybe he was just a user in general, and on some level he liked the control he had over Shawn. He'd snap his fingers and Shawn would come crawling. It wasn't complete control in an authoratative way really, because the control didn't follow over through the years, but Alex did like his sense of power. Power is an awfully good feeling.

 

But Shawn did allow himself to be used because he was weak and thought he was in love. Love can be dangerous in its own way, and its a shame Shawn went through so much pain and agony over someone who so obviously didn't care for his feelings.

 

Great job, Mike. I'm so glad I kept hassling you to finish this, whenever you were ready to throw in the towel. BTW, the title is great. I'm glad you finally thought of that, because some of the options we were going through can't compare to the one you've come up with.

 

P.S. I hate Alex. Remember my scary stories? Yeah, I'm kinda scary too, during my free time. Die, Alex, die!

[Dolores Esteban]

A scaring story. I don't like Shawn because of his longing for revenge. We can't blame others forever for our faults. I don't like Alex because he's ignorant and selfish. I like the story. It's scaring, captivating, very good.

 

[Meeko]

I guess to me it goes back to "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." I think that Shawn should indeed have moved on from the emotional control which Alex, and Shawn's mother, influenced over him, and certainly after ten years. I guess that's easier said than done though.

 

Anyway, great job Mike

 

-Kevin

 

Hey Kevin

 

thanks for reading the story, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

I agree with you 100 percent, Shawn should have moved on, found someway to get away from all the memories and the feelings he kept inside. It's hard to let go of someone you thought you've loved your entire life, sometimes it's just easier to run away rather then resolve your problems and in a sense that is what Shawn did. He knew Alex was due home, he knew this was his chance to talk to Alex face to face. But he was scared, he knew he wouldn't be able to do it so he simply, took the easy way out.

 

 

 

Shawn wrote each month while Alex was away, and Alex never replied. But did he read them? I have to think he did -- otherwise it wouldn't make sense that he would still consider Shawn to be a friend, let alone his best friend.

 

I think there was more to the relationship than we were seeing. Shawn saw Alex as using him, but Shawn loved Alex and let him do it. Apart from the sexual relief, what did Alex get from the relationship? It couldn't be the feeling of control, because he didn't execute that control while he was away.

 

-Mike

 

Hey Graeme,

 

Didn't Alex have control though? he knew Shawn would write him every month, he knew that as much as Shawn wanted him to reply he didn't have to because Shawn would still write to him. Sure maybe Alex didn't even get the letters, but Shawn knew he was reading them, somehow he just knew.

 

And I'm still not sure who the little girl represents. Someone like that usually depicts 'innocence' (what's more innocent than a cute little girl?) but she definitely wasn't. Was she Alex's alter-ego? Shawn's spirit in a vengeful mood (with the appearance as Alex to mean that he/she/it was what Alex had made)? Any ideas?

 

You've asked a very good question, All I will say for now is that the said little girl was the light, trying to show Alex what happened due to some of his actions, but seeing it have no effect upset Shawn, causing him to follow a different approach.

 

-Mike

 

Thanks again for everyone who read this story, and commented on it

[kitten]

The story is well written and engrossing - it kept me guessing right to the end.

 

I agree with the others who commented and said they felt little or no sympathy for either character. Alex is a bastard and Shawn is at least partly to blame for his own misery - wallowing in his self-pity instead of getting a grip and moving on with his life.

 

Having said that, the fact that you could keep me interested in reading right to the end, when I didn't like either main character shows your skill as a writer.

 

Kit