As I walked around the mall in my hometown tonight, I noticed teenagers in formal dress everywhere I looked. It must be homecoming night, I thought to myself.

~

I remember my school dances in terms of emotions.

The anticipation I felt as I spent ha…

If life included do-overs, I'd change some things. I'd erase much of the hurt. I'd hug my daddy more. I'd leave toxic relationships sooner. I'd take things slower, realizing haste leads to hurt. I'd stress less. I'd laugh more. I'd love only the people wh…

My phone chimed. Text.

Where are u?

"I'm all checked in."

What room?

"314, okay? Stop worrying! See you tomorrow."

I took a shower to wash the road trip grime from me. 12 hours of driving was exhausting. No longer smelling like french fries, I fl…

They came at night, as cowards always do.

The raid followed the typical pattern. The Advance Guard set a containment field around our house in case we took the fool notion to run. The Delegate knocked on our door and informed us that we were to be rel…

I'm going to meet my friend tonight

When we hold hands, my heart's so light

I'll kiss his face and hug him tight--

My pulses race just thinking of our date.

For months uncounted, it has been

My dearest wish, though still unseen,

To bravely ask, with…

I don't much care just what we do,

So long as Anna's tight with Roo;

I'm always sure to love the view

Our friendship's strong, and we are going out!

We've chatted long and learned the way

To interact, share thoughts, and say

The words the other needs…

People think that all ghosts are bad, but they are wrong.

Growing up, I lived in an apartment next to an old woman named Miss Betty. She kept a rocking chair on the stoop and on warm evenings I would sit outside with her and play checkers. She smoked h…

Do we orbit or dance? An orbit

is a dance

of gravity, energy, mass.

Are you afraid of collisions?

honestly, I'm not sure what you could fear.

I'm afraid--afraid of missing.

Afraid that the twisting shadows,

strangely posing are deceptions

wit…

Tea with honey and lemon

A steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup

A cough as I choke down some cold syrup

A warm blanket with an equally warm cat atop it

The remote's within reach

An excuse to be lazy and watch tv

You know, being sick is kind of nice

Besi…

Lascia ch’io pianga

I'm like a beast- other to myself

mia crude sorte

a gendered thing

e che sospiri

and maybe one last breath...

la libertà.

La libertà…

can I be an apple boy

but a cranberry girl?? Citrus

dripping sour

in my words, t…

My friend deserves much better; still, he clings,

Against all warnings, to that bastard's love,

And whether feighted or genuine, it brings

Destruction. Now the demon's poised shove

-

Its victim from the precipice! Oh, now,

He's lost his balance, inches fr…

I'm edging closer daily to despair

From which, I doubt I ever can escape.

I brood on all the times I wasn't there

When he was suffering cruelty and rape

-

I'd never known, 'til later, how unfair

His lover's treatment was--how mean, how vicious.

My friend …

A hermit crab's a humble, helpless creature

That borrows others' armor as it grows

It's fragile, having no protective feature,

And makes an easy victim, as it knows.

-

And worse than that, this poor, vulnerable chap

At times, in moments desperate and scar…

As I returned home, I was stunned to see that my house was full of lights and sound of merriment. The wedding that had called me away scarce had as much excited activity. It had only been eight days or so but even from the road, I could see the house was …

Astarlane and Tenever landed at full war pace, both of them exercising years of practice to avoid slaughtering everyone around them. Sheer willpower straining against the force of adrenalin and killing instinct, Astarlane had scant moments to wonder at Te…

I dressed as a vampire that Halloween, wearing plastic fangs that ripped at my gums and white grease paint on my face. My little sister dressed as an M&M and had to walk at a slow jog to keep up with me. My parents told me that I had to take her. I wan…

At the restaurant, I sat across from him, fidgeting with my straw wrapper. What was I supposed to say to him? Up until five minutes before, I had never even seen him in person. He was just a name in my phone contacts, a person I'd texted a few times ea…

Poryse raised his mug and took a sip.

"Not always, but it's a joy to be here when it is. Oh, excuse me - captain on the bridge!"

I turned at the same time as the officer. Captain Jerem held his gold-topped cane under one arm and leafed through the duty …

I've learned to trust that love exists aplenty,


And that most people long to be adored.


Some think that one love's all they can afford,


But open minds can oft embrace its bounty

-

And love the world entire, and each in turn!


My heart, so full of you, …

When you departed, love, you'd been afflicted

And mute so long. My strength and hope had flagged.

I felt myself alone, exhausted, ragged,

But then there came a blessing unpredicted.

-

I'd thought my love was dying, nearly gone,

And never to return, once …

I'm torn, my dear. I don't know what to do.

I wish you were alive, that you'd respond

To guide me, as before--but you're beyond

Such interactions now; still, I seek you.

-

Just hear me, please. I lack all peace of mind.

It shuffled off just after you with…

You look awful, I said to myself as I gazed disapprovingly at my appearance in the floor length mirror. I saw an exhausted, overworked woman staring back at me. She was familiar, but only vaguely so.

My hair was frizzy, but there was no time to fix…

Liavrea was a bad student.

While her teachers were explaining the intricacies of Elven Woodsinging, the history of the High Forest, or the finer points of high culture, the young Vysoren girl heard only the song of the birds, the low roar of the wind, …

Mother screamed as an angry cantaloupe chased her through the produce section of Walter’s Grocery Store. A few feet away, a horde of vine ripened tomatoes gnawed at the ankle of a little, old lady, while a head of kale viciously assaulted a dread locked …

Story is marked as mature