Hunter

At 5 they met on the hill between their houses. Baked mud cakes. Lip-synced to Rick Springfield. Buried Froggy 1 and 2 with dandelions. At 10 they built a fort, their first home, in the trees. At 15 they went as cousins for Halloween. At 20 the earth shook, separating them. At 40 they found each other living one mile apart. They meet on a new hill. Remembering how it was. Deciding how it will be. Forever friends.

Sri

Perfection was a myth he would stop chasing. He woke up to her arms wrapped around his 13.7% body fat, her finger caressing an errant white chest hair, and all his self-inflicted wounds were healed. He rolled out of bed and made a couple coffees, black. “Thank you”, she sing-songed. He took a slurp and rubbed her back, tracing the contours of her spine, the last bits of his inadequacy evaporating off his fingertips.

Jessica

I weakly gripped the pole as the train sped through dark tunnels, leaning into turns like a racehorse. I was too late and knew it. The train charged on. At each turn I swung around, knocking into a stroller specked with dried milk, stomping on the mother’s foot, unable to right myself. The last blow had been the worst. He’d struck me like nothing mattered but turning back time. The nurse will lower her eyes and sigh.

Elizabeth

As parties go this one will do. What is this drink? Apple cider gallimaufry? Probably vomit before dawn. Oh crap, no, no, no, what the hell is she doing here?
"Oh hey! Hi! Wow, how funny, of all the places, to meet again. So, you got out, ok, then? I never saw which way you went or if you got caught. I, I just kept running…like we agreed. Hehm"
"Actually, no, I didn't make it. And in truth, neither did you."

Valetta

Politicians smile hidin lies behind lips and white false teeth, shake hands, pat backs, hold up a sack of money and promises. Hands slide in my pocket and slide out coins. All the while talkin sugar flattery. Hold the sack out of reach sayin “You sweet Georgia peach, can I try your pie?” A rhetorical question–they already eatin, hand movin in they pants pocket countin my money, walkin away shirt full of cherry stains.

Jane

They'd driven all day, or rather she had, because the cruise control had gone kaflooey and he wouldn't drive without it. "There it is!" he cried, waving at the air when she missed the exit for their motel and had to circle back. "Off to a great start!" They unpacked, ate. But the next morning, when she sat up, she was hit with vertigo. When he asked what was wrong, she didn't bother to reply.

norman

i survive by waking up every mourning so bright isn't late waking up ugly packaged i know i am important enough to lend daylight my personality to impersonate a good day having an episode or two of cheers at afternoons or after hours I go down to moody's dock with daylight not so much behind me as beside me on my shoulders my experience with horizon awaiting ship's departure as i drift off my mooring post

norman

boots wear their owner when his gone with her clinging to his belt to fluffed bedding hay he had bailed once with his wife once with his rather not talk about its barn smelling of their owners horsing kicking up straw after deeds have done their apple's fall from grace her skirt hung on pitch folk her mother saw as fitting her father more than herself cleaning up after their stall

norman

pigeon feathered sky message clouds winged winds painted brushed canary sun to dove white moon arose bold through mountains too wet to waste one journey drool foolish duels pride ensues wherever pigeon crafted stool yet comes my song forest light red bird sparrow or hoots in sight bats eat mice who left crap trap angle deer as their tracks

norman

rose wreathed wooded door carved scared moniker imprinted script said valley creep needled vines splintered teeth crippled leaves fallen smiles snow engulfed heavy feet walked stairs step by step stood at bell's chimed regret frowned on quest for mortal sleep one night's stay by candles keep

norman

from gremlin brains to yellow fangs to wizard's locks to spoiled chains green dragon ceased heaving smoke or haunted cave dark serpent spoke shadow's edge wet spider humped silver threads to twisted ones enjoyed beast nightly death medieval path enchanted lust clashing breath amour amour clanged lords chased adored dames for thus wanting more veiled sweet kiss to carnal cups faith alone will not endure

J.K.

Do you know how they say, especially in sports psychology, that you should visualize the achievement of your goal rather than focus on avoiding any particular mistake because fixating on what you don't want to happen will actually result in that very same negative outcome?

Yeah, well, that's exactly how I ended up shaving off my eyebrows this morning.

James

While walking one day, I tripped suddenly and fell into a very deep hole. I tried to climb, but couldn’t get a grip. I kicked the walls, but nothing came loose. I screamed, but no one could hear. I soon found a tiny trickle of water. It was just enough to drink. Below it grew a tiny patch of moss. It was just enough to eat. That was a long time ago, but still I kick and scream and eat and drink. This is my job.

David

I had decided very early on that I wanted my funeral not to be a scene of sorrow and woeful whimpering, but rather a joyous celebration.

Lucky me, then, to have this gathering of strangers just on the other side of the fence to applaud the announcement of my execution.

dennis

Emptying the Soul to Fill the Heart

Parenthood is a unique dynamic in that it requires me to simultaneously give and receive at the same moment. Giving my foundational beliefs of what it means to exist to my daughter, and capturing her evolving heart with each gesture, word, and conversation that we share.

By emptying the soul you fill the heart. The soul of: Serving. Giving. and Providing. The soul is never completely emptied because it discovers new ways to serve, give, and provide.

Once the soul has emptied it opens the heart to be filled. Filled with: Thoughtfulness. Remembrance. and Moments.

The Giver is: Parenthood.

The Giver is: Leading others.

The Giver is Serving a community of many.

The Giver Serves a community of one.

The Giver empties their soul to fill the hearts of others. Each breathing day a stillness cocoons me, and I empty my soul to fill the heart of my daughter Peyton.

Garth

He entertained an aversion to outlandish headgear. If he saw some joker wearing a funny lid he shot it off. From Wichita to Tombstone he indulged his propensity for speedy hat obliteration. Unfortunately the year was 2008.

Matt

Spiced pork rinds are not a great food for road trips, but there you are in some South Dakota gas station and the big bag's only 99 cents. In the miles to come, you’ll shake out a suckling's worth of skin, puffed and crispy, crunching like little bones–though there are no bones, just this empty pig rooting. But, oh, it is loud and energetic, it will play in, it will jostle your slop wee wee wee wee, all the way home.

David

When the horse died with its head in Elba’s lap, she didn’t cry but wanted to. She’d been crying for three nights, since the horse broke both legs and she’d learned it would die. Her eyes went dry. What she did was sing the horse a hymn (it seemed right, she’d seen that on TV), then went inside, filled a glass with water. She drank some, dabbed some on each cheek to show the tears the way out. Then she’d smile again.

seth

The call came in at 3 am. I had startled awake only seconds before from an unremembered dream. Startled awake as his spirit brushed by me in it's passing from this world, leaving me gazing in mute shock at the darkened ceiling. In the time it took
my mother to walk down the hall from his room (where the vacant shell lay, still connected to the now meaningless tubes) he had already wordlessly announced her message.

paul

Rifling through Karen’s mess of a drawer Tim knew what he’d find. Replaying his conversation with Doreen on the subway was making him move like someone scrambling for a missing wedding ring after waking in a strange bed. What an ass – believing his love was different from earlier fools who gorged on lies & incredible sex. His stomach hollowed when he pushed out the apartment door into the cold evening air.