Megan McCullough
Bio
Lost soul who finds herself through writing.
Stories (10/0)
The Visit
I sit in this uncomfortable bus seat trying to find a position that will hold me over until I reach my destination. I sigh and look down at my watch and don’t see the time, my attention is drawn to the brown paper-covered gift box in my lap. I mindlessly start to fumble with the twine around it and try not to get sucked back into memories that will result in me jumping on the first bus back home when I reach the final stop. It’s been so long since you have seen me, I wonder if you will recognize me at first, I wonder if you will be able to look me in the eye at all. You stopped being able to after she died, I didn’t lose one parent the day she passed, I lost two.
By Megan McCullough3 years ago in Families
Chocolate-Flavored Thud
My mother was the picture-perfect housewife. She always had treats baked and tea ready the second you came into the door and, her smile could light up a whole room. There's no surprise that for every birthday, the birthday person in question would always get the first slice of cake - it's the right thing. It's a tradition most families carry all through growing up; looking back on past celebrations it seemed to be a small overlooked detail in the bigger birthday picture.
By Megan McCullough3 years ago in Fiction
There aren't any sharks in the Public pool.
What am I doing here? I am crazy; I quickly scan the room for all exit options as I hold my breath. I am about to get up as the instructor comes into the room in a whirlwind of apologies for being late and exclaiming how excited she is for this dive. She is about to reach her desk and trips over herself; everything she was hanging onto went flying in all directions. The regret was just magnified by a hundred. I can't bail now, I have come so far, and I didn’t come this far; to only come this far. I buckled down into my seat and waited for the instructions to begin.
By Megan McCullough3 years ago in Earth
Life's Purpose
I don't know what to expect as I turn around the corner onto the homestead road. I left here at 18 so quickly I was sure I was going to see those tire marks in the dirt as I kept getting closer; no one ever comes down this road. There is a massive knot in my stomach as I turn into the driveway and see the barn, a worn-down faded building that housed animals, my teenage angst, and a million other secrets. I was extremely hesitant to come back, It had been so long and our parting words to each other were harsh and full of hate. I take a deep breath as I get out of my car. I glance over to my sister running towards me, shocked I showed up. We embraced, she told me that everyone was waiting for me in the house. I am not ready to face them; I told her to give me a few moments. I headed towards the barn and overexerted myself to pull open the thick wooden door. The building seemed to sigh in relief as it gave way and allowed me access to a place I never intended to return to again.
By Megan McCullough3 years ago in Fiction
I speak for the plants
I wasn’t new when it came to the world of houseplants but my green thumb was extremely weak. I’d look at a succulent and it would die - a SUCCULENT! How does that even happen? Something that thrives on neglect managed to die on someone who thrives on neglecting things; it didn’t make sense. A bad case of depression hit somewhere around the same time as the pandemic hit; it’s funny how 2020 managed to pull that off for me. I guess I should be somewhat thankful it did because it opened up my mind to the idea of getting more houseplants; there was a bunch of trial and error along the way. I am not here to talk about lost plant pals though; I’m here to talk about Merlin.
By Megan McCullough3 years ago in Earth
Day 1,662
Dear Diary: Growing up when I thought of the apocalypse, I thought there would be nuclear destruction, rabid mutant animals running everywhere, or even a mob of angry zombies to fight off. I was disappointed the start of the end of the world started with a virus, mobs of angry people fighting to hoard toilet paper, and the silent destruction of modern-day society. It’s kind of ironic that the thing to take out the top predator in the food chain was a cough. Scientists couldn’t find a cure and eventually, they ran out of time. There were a select few that were immune to it and after months of searching we finally found each other, there is nothing around us or even in a 300 km radius of where I am standing right now except for trees, squirrels, and a wild cannibal from the Appalachia's running through the woods beneath me, unaware I’m even here; for now.
By Megan McCullough3 years ago in Fiction
Gemini Season
Chatty Gemini we meet again, This time though, we are going to be going through a transformative period, and now is the time to make sure you have your ducks in a row. This Gemini season brings us a beautiful full Flower Moon, Mercury Retrograde, and eclipse season; which in itself is a pretty magically chaotic time. One thing to remember is that eclipses often throw you into the deep end of the pool of feelings to set the stage for a much-needed change, they can be truly eye-opening and emotionally cleansing.
By Megan McCullough3 years ago in Psyche
Tough as a Mother
A lot of my life has been made up of hard lessons I had to learn on my own because you weren’t there. Physically you were, but mentally and emotionally you checked out a long time ago. Being a mom means you’re supposed to be the first line of defense for your babies and always be a safe space to hide from this cruel world and you haven’t been that for me in as long as I remember, and it’s ok. I learned to comfort my fears and be my own cheerleader, I learned to rejoice in my successes and criticize my failures - that was something I never needed help with. Strength is something you taught me.
By Megan McCullough3 years ago in Families
The Unkown
"He came back .. different." That was the only thing my grandmother said about my grandfather when he came back from the war. He left an electric, outgoing young man and came back with a quick temper and rarely smiled. It was a shock when I got the call about his heart attack, I arrived at the hospital to find my family waiting for me. My grandmother quickly shoved a worn-out black notebook in my hands with an equally worn envelope telling me to leave the hospital"Joey, go,” she sobbed.“This is how he wanted to say goodbye.” "Goodbye?"I was so confused in that moment. I’d told myself people survive heart attacks all of the time. When I eventually returned home, I learned there were some other underlying issues he never disclosed. My mind is racing as I peered out the airplane window exhaling the thought. "I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’m flying to Germany at the command of a notebook" It wasn’t just a notebook though, it was his. When I opened it the first time and saw his handwriting my eyes filled with tears. He instructed me to buy a one-way ticket to Germany, fly into Frankfurt, and read one page at a time, starting when I got to the airport. I scoffed when I read the first page, there aren't many people who have money just lying around to buy a plane ticket. It seems as though my grandfather was watching over me because as soon as I rolled my eyes, money suddenly fell out of the notebook and the notebook had my full attention. Landing at the Frankfurt airport is an intimidating experience, it’s a maze of gates and terminals. With my limited experience with international airports; it was the time to sink or swim. I gathered my thoughts as I quickly exited the terminal and found a quiet seat in the corner of a coffee shop. I let out a sigh of relief over the long flight finally coming to an end. I looked at the faded journal; the tug in my chest told me it was time to start. I flipped to the second page and saw my name written between the aged lines:Joey, I know it might come as a surprise to you that I have watched you closely these last several years. You’re content with what you have and that isn’t good enough. You have always been satisfied to get the leftovers, doing fine and settling. That is something I can't let you continue. At this point I bet you're wondering at this point why you’re sitting in this airport, I know you’re hungry for more, hungry for adventure, and you know that you’re ready for the fresh steak. In the envelope that came with this journal is $20,000, you will need to convert it to continue. Your life starts now. -GrampsBaffled, I reread everything, I needed to make sure it was real. I held my breath and opened the envelope to reveal twenty thousand dollars of worn Canadian currency and I felt my mouth gape open. Where did he get all of this money? Confused, I start looking around and realize that I haven’t given much thought to my current situation. I am not fluent in German and I just flew halfway across the world. What am I thinking? I instantly think about returning home.It’s not like he would ever know, besides my family has no idea what happened or where I was. That’s when I anxiously grabbed my phone and gritted my teeth at the thought of the long-distance charges on my next bill. The phone trilled and I finally heard rustling and my grandmother’s sleepy voice. “Uh, hello?”“Gram, it’s Joe-” “OH! JOEY!” she cut me off. “No, Gram. I need to make this brief. Did Gramps ever tell you what was in the envelope? Did he ever show you his journal?” “Oh, honey... No, that was his outlet. I never wanted to cross that boundary. You know how he was. That was who he opened up to … and if he wanted me to see, he would have shown me. Honestly, I’m surprised he gave it to you. What does it say?”.“It’s his version of a treasure map and twenty thousand dollars.” I heard her sharp intake of breath and pause.“Grams, this is crazy I need to come ho-” “Joseph David! don’t you dare get on a plane! He sent you there for a reason, go with it” she hissed.I looked at my phone to find we were already at the five-minute mark. I told her I needed to get international call coverage for my phone and wished we could have talked longer. There is no way I will be able to afford my rent if I keep going, so I told her that I would call her later to talk more when I found a place to stay and got my bearings. I gathered my belongings and started heading in the direction the offboarding passengers of the latest planes were, I was looking around quickly trying to find a Bureau de change which I found after some time, I went in and got directions out of the maze while I was at it.Before I left, I downloaded a translator app and instantly felt a wave of relief now that I could communicate. I was met with a cool breeze when I stepped outside and scanned the area for a Taxi. A full line of them waited at the roadway, drivers shouting at each other, horns beeping. I took a deep breath and sprinted to the first taxi I saw and climbed into the back seat. I smiled and nodded at the driver and typed in "hostel" to my translator app to which he smiled and said “American?” I replied with “Canadian.” and a bigger smile spread across his face as he said, “I love hockey!” I chuckled, relieved that there was no need for awkward fumbling and frustration. Johann took me to a nice little hostel close to the airport. Once I got myself showered and fed, I settled onto the bed and flipped to the third page. which left me with two words. “Haus Wertheym” It turned out to be one of the oldest restaurants in Frankfurt. I sighed and looked at the clock which read 11:00 p.m.“Alright, tomorrow I’m going out.” I laid back, and before I knew it I sunk into a deep sleep. When I woke up the next morning, the last 24 hours hit me like a train. That seemed to be the only energy boost I needed, as I jumped out of my bed and got myself ready for the day. Luckily, Johann dropped me off in what seems to be the most tourist-friendly part of Frankfurt as everything I could ever need or want was within a walk’s distance of the hostel. I stepped into a charming bakery and had my breakfast. Being in Germany was surreal. After my last bite, I opened up the journal to where I left off and turned the page to see if there was anything else I should know before I head to the restaurant. Thankfully, Gramps wrote “Fourth row, fifth picture in” I was instantly confused, but that seems to be a constant theme as of late. I finished my coffee and headed out of the door. I found directions the night before thanks to the WiFi at the hostel, so I had an idea of where I was heading. This restaurant was a time capsule, filled with pictures of Frankfurt over the years. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the grandness and history.I found the image I was looking for, I instantly recognized the young man at the end.I’d seen hundreds of pictures of my grandfather, I’d never seen him like this. He looked carefree, with a wide grin on his face. He was surrounded by some of his platoon brothers and his arm was around a very pretty girl who was just as snuggled into him. My grandparents were already dating when he was deployed, who is this woman? A ping of betrayal hit me. I looked down at the journal, wondering if I even wanted to keep going. Maybe I should have taken the money and ran. “Why should I do anything he tells me? He’s not here, and it looks like he wasn’t always a man of his word either.” After collecting my thoughts and calming myself, I decided I needed to figure this out. I couldn’t go back home and tell Grams this, not without knowing the ending.I flipped through the journal and saw a name.Margrit, she was it for me.I could have stayed in Germany for her alone. Even though people were suffering, she still found a way to be everyone’s sunshine. I loved your grandmother Joe, I truly did. Margrit understood me in ways that no one ever had. I hated leaving her, but I had a life waiting for me back home. I had an obligation to your grandmother and I promised that when I made it through the war we would get married. I settled for a good life but turned my back on an incredible one. This journal is filled with my memories of Margrit. I need you to find her Joey, I need you to give this to her and tell her I’m sorry. I’m angered as I read the final line.He had settled for his life? My childhood memories come flooding back as the pieces fall together. He was there because he had to be. I felt my heart break into a million pieces for my grandmother. As I sat there feeling very heavy, I felt a sudden burst of homesickness. I decided that I needed to pass this journal on, it wasn’t meant for me or my family.I found a waiter and asked if he knew who the woman in the picture was, and he was hesitant when he replied he did and where to find her, but had a look of sadness in his eyes but sent me on my way. My final destination led me to a gravestone placed peacefully under a tree. May 5, 1920 - August 21, 2011She died a month ago. I felt something click. I set his journal on her tombstone and stood there in silence for a while contemplating my life and what I knew of his.He was miserable but did his duty.I refuse to live the same way. I am returning home a little wiser, I know I’ll be asked where his little black book is, to which I can only reply;Home. .
By Megan McCullough3 years ago in Families