Story is marked as mature

Many people like the old song sung by Doris Day and covered by countless others, but relatively few have ever heard the story of its inspiration. Hunker down and listen, then!

To start with, the idea to use Spanish for its title was inauthentic; the lady …

My name is Boopy Daniels. I just wanted to tell you the origin of my name, since lots of people seem curious about it. No secret, just a bit obscure. It's a pretty good anecdote.

Back in my grandparents' time (on my mama's side), when telephones were just…

I’m caught in a raging sea of should’s, helplessly flailing against the tide I've created. Through the roar of the sea, I hear his childish laugher. “Da…nny. Wh…hy. Danny.. Why...you?” I’m swept beneath the waves of regret…

It’s peaceful in this cold da…

The station was usually busy, built to accommodate semi trucks and newer than the one across the road. It was late when we stopped, so the lack of traffic was not unexpected. Lights were on brightly and a lone couple drank coffee at one of the 3 booths.

…

The knife cut through her throat like it was butter and her blood spilled all over my hands. It had a certain beauty really. I knew I couldn't stay long though, so I let the body drop and walked away.

I crawled back into my bed and fell asleep, knowing …

I am lost

But in between the bursts of self hate

Blooms the tentative flower of hope

I am not a failure

That is what I have written on the

Inside of my wrist

Going, right

Trying to see

the light

At the end of my tunnel

I am Finding My Way.

Her laughter broke the silence. Nervously she looked around, probably hoping no one had heard. She shouldn't have worried, it was, after all, the middle of the night, and normally no one would be out at anyway.

Unfortunately I had also decided to take …

You come home and find me sitting here

And ask how my day is going

Acting as though I have open ears

And nothing better to be knowing

Than all about you

And all that you do

I'm the one who nags about your mess

Even though you never listen

I give more, y…

“In the event of a gravitational storm, please return to your seat and buckle your restraints as demonstrated by the hologram in front of you. In the case of decompression..”

I tuned out the flight attendant. I'd taken this trip many times recently as bo…

Dear!

-

You're so eloquent as you improvise in song

A rivulet of notes with the flotsam of your thoughts

Drifting down the forest path

-

I follow your stream, my feet stumbling

Over hidden roots among orange leaves.

Your tune runs in counterpoint to ano…

It's a horrible thing, to be jealous of a dead person. You can't get angry at them. You can't even say anything bad about them. Our parents will always remember David as the honor student, as the star athlete, as the altar boy, as the perfect son.

A…

As the shade drifts by one particularly large oak, its glow momentarily illuminates a small, bulbous husk. There's just time to see a seam in the husk pucker before the shade glides by, returning the husk to darkness.

But then, a low, sustained intake of…

Night clings to the forest like a shroud. The darkness is nearly absolute, the silhouettes of the trees only just a hair's-breadth deeper black.

The sounds of life are everywhere, however. The chirps of insects and the calls of nocturnal predators. Th…

I am blissful, at peace.

I have worked for so long to achieve this state.

I know I had my personal problems before, but I have wrestled with them and I am doing better.

I hurt people. I didn't do it on purpose, and I have tried to make amends.

I have sa…

Emotions rage & flare inside my mind


I panic, scream, & quiver oftentimes,


But these explosive feelings feel confined


Behind a barricade that muffles, mutes, & binds.

I know I'm having feelings, but their sound


Is stifled, distant; my heart seems quit…

"Whatever happened to that 20 minutes of decluttering thing you used to do?"

"I gave it up when you signed me up for hot yoga. The class time overlaps with decluttering by 15 minutes, and who can get anything done in 5 minutes?"

"Very funny." She moved…

It feels like hatching.

Closing my eyes and letting the words flow from my fingers like they once did is terrifying, but some part of me is starving and certain that the alternative means death. My creativity is at stake.

I'm answering the call of a 9-…

The thought of domination stayed with her as she completed her own morning rituals in the same Lux Aeterna.

It wasn't strictly necessary, of course. Magic flowed through her body as well as the breath of life did (perhaps better), inseperably braided in…

For the first time in a long time, I feel like myself. Of course, this does have its pros and cons.

On the pro side, I'm actually social. I can actually engage people in conversation. Conversations that I honestly care about. And about anything! Music, h…

"Well then! I suppose introductions are in order!"

"Me name's Therin Ironhammer," the dark-skinned dwarf continued, "And the people of this city take less kindly te me kin than they do te yers, ain't no goodly Duergar goin' round looking out fer people…

CRACK! CRACK!

No sooner than the pair behind Hraz reached for him did a rock catch each of them across their foreheads.

Suddenly on alert, the leader of the slavers spun about, only to be met at the waste by two hundred pounds of flying dwarf. Acting …

"'Ere, boy!"

Hraz turned to see a trio of men approaching from the direction of the orphanage.

"Were you in that fire?", the middle man asked, "Look at you, all covered in soot, people will go gettin' the wrong impression, think you 'ad somethin' to d…

The wizard straightened, finally meeting the expectant gaze of the squad leader. She spoke first, her accent devoid of German influence.

"Anything, Tenever?"

"Very little. Her name is Astarlane, a sorcerer of purely human origin and power worthy of resp…

Now ain't that a curious sight.

Therin watched the fire from the alley. His eyes used to heavy darkness, he easily spotted the young half-elf, soot barely visible againt his dusky grey skin. Pulling his collar about his face, he pursued the boy.

A…