“This is all I can give you,” he said, and it wasn’t enough for her.

She knew before he even said it that those words were lingering in the air between them.

The distance, the caution, the unwillingness to open up and really share a life.

Not to mention being the dirty little secret after years of not being a secret.

But as much as it hurts, it doesn’t touch the fear of being alone, and the dread of having no one to come home to, no one to hold her in their arms.

It never should have been him.… Read the rest

She stepped up into the carriage, her nemesis, pimply Paul, holding her hand to steady her as she ascended the two bouncy steps and onto the bench.

Immediately, she began smiling and waving to the crowds.

The horses pulled the carriage through Main Street, and the children went wild, admiring her hair, her sparkling dress.

Her fucking dress. The fabric was so hot, stiff and itchy. She was sweating her ass off and wanted to scream at every one of these people, “GO TO EPCOT!”

As she waved and smiled, she cursed herself for not going into exotic dancing instead.… Read the rest

The girls were sleeping in two rows in the living room, tucked close together in their sleeping bags, but Mara was awake and staring at the thing hiding in the corner.

It was blacker than black, darker than the darkness, and she couldn’t tell if it was moving closer to her.

“Amy, Amy,” she smacked the girl beside her.

“What?”

“There’s something in the corner.”

“What?”

“Something is here with us!”

“Just go back to sleep.”

It was then that Mara’s heart started pounding, thinking she was alone in dealing with the darkness, not knowing that she always would be.… Read the rest

There was that time we were together and not together, when we shared space but not a life.

I can’t forget how much it hurt the days I couldn’t touch you, and how sad it was to even smile at you, because I was crying inside.

We’re never going to be friends now, you and I. If this ends, it ends.

I can’t live in a world where you’re right there and I’m over here and you won’t reach out and touch me.

Eternally platonic, I would have broken to pieces, doing everything I could to feel your love again.… Read the rest

As he stands and rises above us, we hear the gurgling and churning of his massive stomach, the rolls of fat sloshing around what frame he may have inside.

“Did you bring my tribute?”

I didn’t answer. I just used all my strength and my whole body to push the sack of food closer to him.

“You came here because you want something?”

“Yes.”

“Then feed me, you know how this works.”

As I threw whole melons, birds, and loaves of bread into his open mouth, I wondered why I put up with this.

He’s worse than Jabba the Hutt.… Read the rest