• Life that Slowly Burns

    All I wanted was a quiet life full of yearning.  A life full of desire.  A life that slowly burns.  In a family full of mathematicians, I was constantly referred to as the ‘dreamer’.  I preferred to read books and go on walks rather than solve complicated math problems.  I just could never get worked up about…

  • The New Hire

    “I didn’t hire him to do anything,” I said, confused.  My boss stared at me and slowly turned around.  He straightened his shoulders and headed back to the front of the office.  I watched him bypass the unknown male sitting at the table in the front of my partition.  I guess he must have shown up this morning…

  • The Headmaster

    “It had to be asked,” I said to myself.  “No one else was going to confront him.  Everyone else is too scared.”  I got up off the unadorned chair and started pacing back and forth in the classroom.  Had I made a mistake?  Had I gone too far?  I had just confronted my professor.  Or at least that’s what he said.  All…

  • In a Corner

    “People just don’t disappear,” I told the police officer perched on the edge of my couch.  “I know my sister, she has never been out of contact for this long before.  Something has happened.”  “How long has she been out of contact?” He asked looking back at his notebook.  I tried not to snap.  I had already told him at least three times that…

  • Missing

    I tried hard to miss you  When you left me for the last time.  I wanted to move on  But couldn’t quite figure out why.  Or how.  Why you kept invading  My thoughts  My dreams.  When all I wanted to do   Was to love again.  I wanted my heart   To open  And not break.  Strengthen.  Bond.  Laugh.  I’m starting…

  • What He Wants

    “Jake uses everyone to get exactly what he wants.  But in a way where nobody notices.” I started pulling my clothes out of the closet and stuffing the ones I wore the most into my suitcase.  My throat tightened and my eyes started to burn and I forced myself not to cry.  “He has always done that.  For as long as I have known him.  Don’t…

  • Speak with Authority

    “Watch your pretty mouth,” the stranger said as he stuck his finger into my face as I tried to back away.  I’m not even sure where this man had come from or why he was so upset.  I hadn’t even said or done anything but try and cross the street.  As he continued to yell and shake his…

  • About Me

    I never wanted everything about me  And yet, I did.  I wanted you to call.  To include me and think about me.  I wanted to insert myself  Into the fun, but didn’t know how.  Didn’t know if you would accept me.  If you even really liked me.  How could I convince you I   just wanted to be included?  You talked about…

  • Moved Away

    “He moved away and now he’s back,” I whispered into my phone.  I propped the blinds open again and watched Mark unloading the back of his truck.  Six months ago he had moved to California for some unknown job.  Or at least he wouldn’t tell me about this mysterious job he had to immediately leave for.  All he told me was something…

  • Crystals

    “She was terrified of tornadoes.  That was the only thing my mother was afraid of.”  I sat on the couch and stared at my feet.  I couldn’t believe I was even having this conversation.  Especially with the sheriff.  Everyone knew my mother was afraid of tornadoes.  She was scared of the possibility of losing her family and friends.  She was afraid to lose everything…