The Hands

The hands are asleep. I pray silently to myself that they will remain that way, but I try to stifle my worry that they will not. If they sense it, they will awaken. I breath in through my nose and out through my mouth, schooling my mind to calmness. I have taken a risk, coming … Continue reading The Hands →

Wart

She had a wart on her back that she hated, because she thought it was ugly, and she thought having something as a part of her made her ugly, as well. It was a small, brown, bulbous wart, out of sight except when she observed it in the mirror, and barely noticeable to others. At … Continue reading Wart →

The White Mask

I wasn’t the type of person who went to many parties in college. If I had to guess, I probably went to only one a week, or maybe every two weeks, depending on my mood. I just didn’t really like the atmosphere. The loud music, the alcohol, the smell of pot and sweat — it … Continue reading The White Mask →

Becoming, Part XIV

Becoming, Part XIII I once thought that I was invincible. I think you can see how I arrived at that conclusion. After all, nothing in the span of my years had ever presented a true threat to me: not my siblings, not animals I encountered in the woods, and not humans, who I had once … Continue reading Becoming, Part XIV →

Some Men Are Meant for Murder

I wouldn’t say that we have a “military family,” but two members of my family have served in the armed forces: my father, and my mother’s brother. They served during the same time period, in the same country, yet they never knew each other until my father started dating my mother. Despite that, they shared … Continue reading Some Men Are Meant for Murder →

Queen Euphonia

The story goes that Queen Euphonia, the ninth queen was so beautiful and so wise that each of Vanaprimax’s children attempted to seduce her. They did so not because of their father’s directive, but because of her incredible allure, which transcended that of any human they had witnessed before. Onosang, who watched her, at first, … Continue reading Queen Euphonia →

Camille, Pt. 3

Camille, Pt. 1 Camille, Pt. 2 Camille began to walk. She squinted up toward the canopy, trying to get her eyes to focus well enough on the trees high above her to discern her orientation. The world looked so different from this angle. All she had was the border between clearing and wood to try … Continue reading Camille, Pt. 3 →

Camille, Pt. 2

Camille, Pt. 1 I originally meant to finish this today before work, but I don't think I'm going to quite get there in time, so I'll cut it short for today. I hope for the conclusion to come tomorrow. The light of consciousness came back to her, slowly, and with the realization that at least … Continue reading Camille, Pt. 2 →

Jhor

The sun shone bright above her, bearing down with a strength that should have brought about an unbearable heat, given the season and the clarity of the sky, in which, through the small window afforded by the walls of the courtyard, not a cloud could be seen. It was nearly midday. They would break from … Continue reading Jhor →

Fatigue

Karl feels heavy. He’s overweight, as he has been for years, but that’s not why he feels heavy. Every part of his body, from his fingers to the tips of his thinning hair, feels like it’s weighing him down. It’s a struggle even to lift his arm to pick up a potato chip from his … Continue reading Fatigue →