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Note: Something different this time, basically teenage angst served up with a metaphor :D

Interpret the ending however you'd like to :)

In the beginning, She created both the same and decided they would be soulmates to each other. She named them "friends".

A bond was forged, a metal chain around their waists.

Each link of that chain was created with infinite effort, a marvel of engineering. But its building blocks were not mere rocks and sand. Each link was made of trust, and affection, and mutual understanding.

She tied the chain tight, cinched around them, and said:

"This chain will enable each to be present for the other; to provide help and support and to remain together for as long as they wish. However, this will not last forever. They must work at maintaining this chain, adding new links when needed and removing some when no longer required."

In was thus that She left them.

For a while, they were happy, scurrying around tirelessly in their attempts to keep the chain bright and new. They attended to it in their spare time, often devoting hours to forging new links for it.

Their friendship flourished, and She was relieved.

Until one day, the first changed.

The first no longer had time to maintain the chain and got caught up elsewhere, leaving the other to peg away at their bond. Alone.

What the first failed to realise was that the chain would not remain unless worked upon at BOTH ends.

And so the chain slowly dissolved, falling to the ground link by link while the other continued trying to salvage its remains.

She was horrified, but there was nothing She could do. As each link fell to the ground, it turned to corrosive ash that dug into the soil, until the same place where the chain once gleamed against the earth was a ravine with steep, impassable cliffs on either side and a deep river at the bottom.

At this point the second gave up, and laying down those worn-out tools thought, "If the first won't try, why should I?"

Both lost, yet too proud to cave in to their need. Sitting on either side of the ravine with backs to each other and noses in the air.

Meanwhile, ivy was creeping up the impassable cliffs.

My exam superstitions

So, since exams are around the corner (already started in my case), I thought I'd address my inner insecure idiot and list out all of the superstitions I have regarding exams :)

Now, I hope I'm not the only one out there who does these things, but I'm pretty sure everyone has their own variations of stuff like this:

1. I have a pair of lucky gold earrings my grandmom gave me when I was a baby, and I NEVER EVER go to write an exam without wearing them.

2. I have to have a family member feeding me a spoonful of dahi with sugar before I leave, and I cannot take it by myself, someone has to put it in my mouth.

3. I used to be obsessive-compulsive about writing only with an fountain pen, but the last exam I wrote with a ballpoint and I did better than usual, actually. So I'm having to revise my thoughts about that one :)

4. The morning of the exam, I have to go through my books one last time, no matter how "unhealthy" it is.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. I'd like it if you could let me know what your superstitions are, just so that I can feel a bit better about myself :D