As a sort-of followup to yesterday's entry, here's a potential letter from Rin that may appear later. Tomás, My letters have always been important to me. They’re a part of who I am. They’re a part of my self-definition: I, Rin, have beautiful handwriting. That’s a fact that I accept about myself now, because I … Continue reading A Letter from Rin
Tag: Fiction
“Letters,” Chapter 4
I've posted three excerpts from this work before: An Excerpt from Letters, or “After Her”; A Second Excerpt from “Letters”; and “Letters,” A Third Excerpt. I've also posted two entries that are related to, but not currently part of, that work: Dinner and An Entry from Birch’s Journal. “Do you want me to stay again tonight?” Birch asked. “I have to … Continue reading “Letters,” Chapter 4
Responsible
Today's entry is short, but it touches on delicate material. There is something she talks about to no-one. It is a thing that she did, or — a thing which was done to her. She makes no distinction between the two, most days. When she does, it is her who is responsible for the action. … Continue reading Responsible
Incomplete
Junette felt incomplete, as though there was a large piece missing right out of the center of her that had never filled in as she had formed within her mother’s womb. It was not painful, not like a cut or burn or abrasion, but it was uncomfortable, like when something’s pressing on your chest and … Continue reading Incomplete
No Word for Goodbye
In a public space, like this café, there was no real privacy. At any moment a person that they didn’t know could view them, sitting there together, sharing their time. If someone made the effort, he could lean over and hear the contents of their conversation. Yet of course nobody did: their conversation wasn’t that … Continue reading No Word for Goodbye
Puzzle Box
He opened his chest to show her his heart. She did not react as he expected. Among the line of people to whom he had revealed this part of himself, none had reacted in a positive manner. He was used to polite grimaces, or blank stares, or even disgust and irritation. Most of his partners … Continue reading Puzzle Box
Substitute
It is easier, sometimes, to do that which you would rather not do, when confronted with something you want to do which is difficult, or which, for one reason or another, intimidates you. The difficulty doesn’t even really matter, in the end. It’s the intimidation. The fear of doing that thing, or of not being … Continue reading Substitute
Part of It
She wanted everything to be perfect. Not in life, or in everything, but just for this one party. If she could make that happen, maybe other things would start to follow. Maybe, if she made this party go well, she could start to make the rest of her life go well, too. So Gina put … Continue reading Part of It
Booker’s Garden
The collection of pots and planters that Booker keeps on his balcony is not, by some metrics, impressive. There are those who would hesitate even to call it a garden, since it is not planted in the ground, and perhaps even because it takes up such a small place. None of that matters to Booker. … Continue reading Booker’s Garden
Touch Him
We had sex. We didn’t plan to do it. If anything, we actively planned against it. Not out loud, mind — that’s not the sort of thing you discuss out loud, any more than you discuss planning to have sex. No, our planning was furtive and silent, made up of subtle glances and faint shakes … Continue reading Touch Him
