2012 . . .

“Race you!” August giggled as she bolted through their suburban neighborhood towards the playground, her prosthetic leg making a clanking sound against the concrete as the eight-year-old sprinted as fast as she could. However, she was still bit a slowed down despite her headstart. She heard Victor yell at her in Spanish behind her as he fruitlessly tried to keep up and she snickered...

There she was, Allison, swinging by the woods. I knew I’d find her here. She was always here, swinging on the swings. I asked her one time why she always swung on the swings everyday. She said her and her dad used to come and swing on the swings everyday. Before her dad died, he told her to keep swinging on the swings that he’d always be there with her. She said its the only place where she can st...

A girl

swinging

he knew she used to run out of the school building at recess

just to claim the swings for 15 minutes

so he’d give her 15 minutes

before he cut her up into 15 little pieces

for the murder of his daughter...

The wood splinters and leaps up as the bomb hits the ground.

Everyone starts to scream and flee as black cylinders of hate start raining down. Frantically, I look around.

“Azalea!” I call. A big chuck of mud smacks me in the face and lands in my mouth. I spit it out and keep calling my daughter’s name. “AZ-A-LE-AAA!”

Another bomb lands behind my back, and the shockwave knocks me over. What kind...

Lacey and June had been best friends since kindergarten. Lacey was painfully shy, and did not go out of her way to interact with the other children, whereas June was the complete opposite. In fact, June was extroverted almost to a fault.

“I like your braids! I wish I had hair as long as yours!” June had exclaimed after crawling on the ground to get to Lacey, who was kneeling on the ground under a...

Children shrieked on the playground—awfully restless and loud. “That’s why I don't have kids,” she thought, sitting on a park bench and her gloves grasping her coffee.

She seemed to be alone in the cold. Except for the parents, talking underneath a pine tree. They know each other. They must talk frequently. Have a lot of connections.

I should get into connecting. Talking more, she thought.

She ...

It was cold. The leaves were falling as I was walking towards the swings where you waited for me. Sitting on them with slow and small swings forwards and back. You are wearing the scarf I gifted you on your birthday. It has these red stripes. Ohhh how I loved to see you wear it. You saw me and yelled „Com’on. Push me will ya?!“ with a big beautiful smile. Proudly showing your toothgap and the smil...

Up and down

Up and down

My mood always switches

I never know which is which

Up and Down

Up and Down

Tears are descending

And my soul is ending

Up and down

Up and down

My mother yells

Come on stupid brat

Up and Down

From smile to frown...

It does not matter the sky is dull or rain is dreary

I will stay calm and be protective

For eyes that shine trough darkest nights

For lips that hides the words of kindness

And even if im far away

Ill hug you thightly

With me you're safe...

The body sways precariously. Little feet dangling above the dirt floor.

The feet are too little, and my heart catches in my throat as I watch them sway. I want to reach out, to hold the body, to whisper the words that have now been lost to time.

By the time I build the courage, it is falling, and I have missed my chance again.

No, not falling. It jumps to the ground. The body is a boy who hits th...