“I have no choice!” My throat closed up. Of course, I thought bitterly. That’s how it always began. “If I don’t, then what? Do you think I want to do this?” The young woman-I refuse to call Hope by her name-was shouting at me now. “My baby is coming in 3 months, much sooner than expected!” A raw cry toor threw her lips. “Unlike you!-“she pointed an accusing, shaking finger at me “-I’m not old, living at a retirement home where I’ll be taken care of for the rest of my meaningless life!” Tears were now rolling down her cheeks, but she didn’t notice. “I wouldn’t do this is Fred wasn’t dead.” Her voice, a whimper, begged me to understand. “With Dan dead, I’ll be the first to inherit the money.” Her voice was taking on a dangerous edge. I open my mouth to speak, but she plows on, not giving me a chance. Why did the people I love most always hurt me the most? “He never even gave me a crumb of bread. Not. One. Crumb. Not in Fred’s fire. Not after the pregnancy test. Fred and I were fine, you know. Sure, we were a new couple. But we would be fine if It didn’t happen. And if Dan had loaned me even two thousand dollars, I wouldn’t have to…” her forehead veins bulge, but I know she won’t say it. “It’s a girl, you know. And she’s the last I have of Fred.” She looks at me, her eyes turned to steel. Finally, I speak. “No. I’ll leave here, sell all my clothes. I have my engagement ring still. I’ll find someone to pay me to live in my room. You know that I can’t use my money towards anything else-it goes straight to the senior home, as stated in the will-but I’ll sell everything I have. Anyway, my time’s coming. I can feel it.” My daughter breaks. “But mom… only you, Dad, God, and Fred loved me. Dad’s gone. God will hate me soon. And Fred’s gone. If you’re gone, then who will love me?”

Marty scrubbed a hand over his shaved and cologne scented face. He hated Mondays and children and today’s bring Your Daughter to Work Day would be a nightmare. Why me? Lincoln and his five little horrors walked in through LifeWell’s revolving door. Marty’s smile widen as Lincoln approached. Lincoln quirked an eyebrow and they put on their professional faces. “Mr. Perez it is so kind of you to allow some of my Advanced Biology students to visit your facility,” Lincoln said. “Well it’s not my company, Mr. Forest, but LifeWell is committed to the future of science,” Marty said, giving the five ten year olds a 1000 watt smile. They stared back at him blankly. Marty launched into boilerplate speech on founder Trish Tran-Gray and meteoritic rise of LifeWell, pioneer in biologic 3-D printing of organs and tissues. Tilting his head, Marty smiled again at the mini monsters. Lulu one of his staff photographer took copious photos of them. The group walked across the terrazzo tiles past the expensive artwork towards the gallery overlooking the kidney room. “Questions?” Mini monster 1: “if you can make parts of people, could you make a whole person? Are the reports of your merger with Quell Computing true?” “Well it’s possible more than possible to create… artificial helpers, with positronic brains and enhanced skeletons. You know super smart machines to do things too dangerous for regular people,” Marty answered. Mini monster 2: “we’ve reached the point where AI is indistinguishable from humans.” Marty chuckled. Mini monster 3: “excellent point Misha what makes a person a person. With living hearts and muscles and brains aren’t you making people.” Marty’s smile slipped past his cuff links. “Not like real people,” Marty said. Mini monster 4: “so like slaves.” Marty coughed. Lulu stopped taking photos. The little girls launched into an assault of questioning. Lincoln corralled his students into silence. “So we’re done here,” Marty said wearily. He turned to lead the little gremlins to the rows of plump kidneys, livers, unbeaten hearts. There were bags of marrow and shelves of skin. LifeWell has an eye room but no one was allowed to see it. Mini monster 5 raised a grubby hand. “What,” Marty snapped. Lincoln paused. “Insurance doesn’t cover gray organs. What happens to the people who need an organ donation and can’t afford it? I feel bad for those sick people. Just bad. “ Marty snorted. Lincoln’s face dropped. The group headed through the swinging doors towards the future.

“I have to tell trouble something” Alex says out of nowhere while helping clean the kitchen. “Ok? Spill” Michael says walking to stand in front of Alex just close enough that Alex’s chest rest against Michaels crossed arms. “I did something bad” Alex says stepping back so they are no longer touching. “How bad? Alex what did you do” Michael stepped forward placing his hinds on Alex’s shoulders. Alex started to tear up “I killed him” he sobbed “I killed my dad” he said collapsing into Michaels chest. “You wh- I thought he just skipped town” Michael stated rubbing his boyfriends back soothingly. “He threatened to expose your secret, I had to stop him” Alex stood looking into Michaels eyes searching for any type of emotion. He expected to see hatred, fear, anything and everything bad but all he saw was concern and love. You see no matter how much the two of them have been through somehow they always end up back in each other’s arms. “You don’t hate me” Alex said shocked. “How could I hate you? Your dad was a horrible man, I’m literally proof” Michael said holding up his hand revealing his messed up hand that Alex’s dad smashed with a hammer when they were just 17 after finding them together. “Alex no matter what I’ll always love you” he said stroking Alex’s cheek. “So did you already hide the body?” Michael asked backing up a few steps. “Yeah I already took care of it” Alex sighed covering his face with his hands. “Ok then, everything’s going to be fine baby” Michael said pulling Alex’s hands from his face and putting the around his shoulders “I love you ok? No matter what happens I’ll always love you” Michael said putting his hands around Alex’s waist. “I know” Alex said kissing the love of his life “I love you too.

(THIS IS SO BAD. And old. Sorry I didn’t post it earlier🤷🏻‍♀️)

Racing

Of all the places that Quinn Eleazar could turn up after being missing for six goddamn weeks… her doorstep was not a place Athena had been thinking of.

She should hex him, really, not show him that she had been worried sick for the last month and a half. But she helped him inside anyway, thanking her lucky stars that her parents weren’t home yet.

If they found the future High Mage in her room, she was absolutely fucked.

The boy didn’t seem to register anything she said or did, just letting her pull him along without question.

Until she let go of him to find her phone — thinking a bit of research was a good idea, since she didn’t want to make the strange situation a thousand times worse.

“Athena?”

“Quinn.” She let the word hang there for a long moment, the unasked question going unanswered, because Quinn Eleazar was no mind reader. He wasn’t Diabolite. He couldn’t be.

He was the future High Mage.

“Sorry, I… I…” He couldn’t seem to breathe right, too slow and then too fast and too shallow and… Athena felt even more worried than ever. “Gods, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just didn’t… I don’t… I wasn’t sure where I could go.”

“So you came to my house?” she asked. “Me? Quinn, you do remember who I am. I know you do. Why are you here?”

“Because I know who you are, really.”

Athena didn’t bother asking what the hell that was meant to mean. He could explain it if he wanted to, and she didn’t care that much.

“Okay. So you’re here. And you think your own home isn’t safe?” She paused, wondering if it was a bit much to bring up the whole ‘being missing for six weeks’ part of the whole… whatever this was, and then decided against it. “Are you hurt?”

“Maybe. I don’t think so… but it might be adrenaline, y’know?”

“Alright. What happened to make you think that your home isn’t safe?”

Quinn pulled his glasses off in response, almost flinching at the sight of… the wall? Okay, so maybe the kid was just crazy. Was it too much to consider that he was suffering a schizophrenic delusion in regards to the home-safety thing, or was it possible that the boy was being abused?

She didn’t want to think about it.

“Good,” he muttered to himself, putting them back on again with a barely audible sigh of relief. “I’m glad you’re nothing like Damon.”

“Don’t bring him up!”

“Sorry!”

Athena watched his face carefully, waiting for any hint that the apology was formed by something darker, and caught nothing.

“What makes you think you’re not safe at home?”

“Who am I, Athena?”

She couldn’t even begin to work out an answer to that question. But she said what he was probably angling for anyway.

“Quinn Eleazar, one of my most annoying classmates, probable future partner in an arranged marriage — seriously, someone’s miles behind the times — and future High Mage of Arense.”

“Wrong.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to ask about the arranged marriage,” he said slowly, looking away from me. “But I’m not the future High Mage.”

“Hold on, you have an older brother…?”

“No, Athena.”

“Then how come you aren’t the ‘future High Mage’ anymore?”

“Because I am the High Mage.“

“Your grandfather’s dead?!”

“I… yes. Merrick Eleazar is dead.”

“What is wrong with you?”

“I’m not telling you everything, Athena,” he sighed. “I just don’t think I’ll be safe at home… because it’s my fault that he’s dead.”

Athena was almost too stunned to speak.

But she wasn’t quite there yet.

“You killed the High Mage — your own grandfather — and your concern is your safety? Where have you been?”

“Saving the city. Like the job description. And as I said, killing the High Mage.”

She wasn’t sure how to respond to the coldness in his voice now. As soon as she mentioned the word ‘grandfather’, it was like a switch had been flipped. Come to think of it… how had he acted after his father’s death? Wasn’t it eerily similar to this?

Arense’s primary protector was a fourteen-year-old (and possibly psychopathic) boy, who Athena already knew was scared to die.

The city was doomed.

When my father passed away, my sister asked if I would go to his house to pack his belongings. I didn’t relish the thought but agreed. He and I had a fractured relationship and hadn’t spoken in years. We had our differences and difficulties though death has a way of resolving arguments, even if questions still remain.

He spent most of his life living in Southern California, a stone’s throw away from the Mexican border. Living on the East Coast, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived at his house. His home was filled with a variety of knickknacks and collectibles, items that meant something to him for one reason or another. In the walk-in closet, stacked to the ceiling, sat two dozen comforters. Each remained unused in its original packaging. It seemed odd that he hoarded so many, especially since there wasn’t one on his bed.

“Another question unanswered,” I thought before dismissing the matter altogether.

When I stumbled upon a scrapbook, I thumbed through the pages, hopeful to learn more about the man I barely knew. The faces in the photos were unfamiliar, friends of his I guessed, each posed in similar fashion while enjoying time spent in various landscapes. There were photos of campgrounds, the desert, and the like with handwritten directions on each. A way to retain the memories when his memory started to fail.

On the last page, a handwritten letter from my father provided an index of sorts, explaining the life he once lived. It detailed the people he killed and location of each, as evidenced by the photos in the album. He hoped to provide peace of mind to the surviving family members. I never really knew my father, just as I didn’t know what to do with his scrapbook.

“And all of a sudden,” her voice dramatically changing for effect, in a hushed and whispered tone, “he jumped!” “Oh no!” Her Audience was captivated. “Did he die?” “Close!” She looked up and they made eye contact for a moment. Her green eyes were deep emerald tonight. Funny how they changed. He couldn’t sum it up to her choice of color or her mood…either way, emerald green was beautiful on her. She didn’t let his presence be known, she was after all in the middle of a story-performance. “He could feel the air as if it were the ocean, and he began doing what felt natural to him: he simply swam. This swimming in air was sure he had invented rested on him, finally. He was doing something he only dared to dream of. Something so far fetched and out there no one would believe him if he tried to explain it. He could fly.” She clasped her hands shut. “Oh, come on Mommm!” Fiery red curls bounced around her face as she shook her head at the suggestion of an end to story hour and a beginning of slumber. “It’s time, Punkin. Up you go,” she helped the little one into her bed and tucked her in.

“I see you over there, Austin.” Iris didn’t miss a beat. Her smile. Her face glowed. “ Don’t just stand there, come give me good night kisses….good ones, too. Like Mom does.”

He let the fact that his first born has never once called him Daddy, always his first name, slide two years ago. Turned out, it wasn’t a phase. They tried for awhile to get her to call him The D Word but she just refused. He kissed her on the forehead, closing his eyes as he did so, as if by doing that he could somehow stop the hands of time from stealing this precious moment turning it into a fading memory. If only he had known how right he would be… “Who loves you?” He asked. “Austin does. Nobody will ever love me the way Austin does.” She finished the sentence, seemingly understanding. “Not even Mom.” They all laughed at her joke. To be so small and so young she is so funny. Her sense of humor never fails. “I love you,” Her Mom kissed her again and turned her light out. “Goodnight,” she said. They closed the bedroom door after bidding her a good night and walked down the hall the stairs. Austin watched as Agatha made them a milkshake. It was a nighttime routine. She was so beautiful. Tiny. Fierce. But only to him. To everyone else she was Miss Fields, the librarian. To him, a Goddess. She had dark red curly hair, like the little one. Green-Changing eyes. She was 5”0 tall, or “Five-foot-short” as she put it. That’s where Iris got her sense of humor. As Aggy made the milkshakes she lost all the excitement she previously feigned. She had to show him something. And it couldn’t wait. Not much longer, anyways. She had a very eventful day today. Just then, she looked at Austin. He was looking at her with a bewilderment she had never seen before. A noise was coming from their bedroom. “Did you hear that?” He asked. “Yes.” Agatha answered. “Come with me.”

When she opened the bedroom door, The Noise was right there for all to see. In the middle of their bed, in some crazy millennial apparatus that makes this kind of thing okay, The Noise laid on their bed screaming. “Not the intro I was hoping for, but it works.” “Agatha.” He never called her that. Austin walked into the room looking at the newborn laying in the middle of their bed. Agatha stood chewing her thumb nail, which she only did when she had done something only she would do. “Where did this baby come from and where are it’s parents?”

Todays the 22nd and to most people that means nothing but to two best friends it’s the day they go to zoo and tell each other jokes or story’s or they just vent for a few hours. It’s Mona’s favorite place to go to forget for awhile she thinks it’s important to get out and get away from the business for awhile with work and social media and the hustle and bustle of the world around her. But for Rusty it’s the day he gets to spend with Mona he would do anything for her. She was breath taking she was bright and kind with a wild side. Strong and courageous with a laugh so loud but she was so soft and gentle when he needed it most. To him she was larger than life and he couldn’t take his eyes off her she was a hurricane. He loved Mona and she would never know it.

So how did we get here? Standing in the bathroom of Rusty’s apartment with the girl that he loves trying to scrub blood off her hands.

“Rusty I didn’t know what else to do” says Mona. “I know I know try to relax while I come up with an idea” The man Mona killed was Ricardo Ricci and from the sounds of it he deserved it and if Mona didn’t do it Rusty would have.

Rusty couldn’t wrap his head around the idea of Mona getting tied up with a guy like that. He knows he should probably go to the cops but Ricardo was the son of the most feared man in the city Damon Ricci and he’s probably got the entire police department on his payroll.

“Rusty what am I going to do?” There was a certain emptiness behind Mona’s eyes until this point the shock of the night is wearing off and panic is starting to set in.

“What did I do what the fuck did I do!” She breathes. “He’s going to kill my family, he’s going to kill everyone I love best case scenario he has me killed and maybe I deserve that but what about… what about you OH MY GOD!! He’ll have you killed I can’t.. I can’t…” Mona’s rambling and she’s starting to hyperventilate little does Rusty know he’s the most important person in Mona’s world.

“Mona.. Mona listen to me, calm down you need to stay calm so we can figure this out..” Rusty puts his hand on her shoulders gently but firm enough to ground her. “You’re going to get in the shower and try to relax I’m going to get rid of your clothes and we are going to..”

“We! Wait you had nothing to do with this.. oh God I’m so sorry I came I shouldn’t have gotten you involved, I.. I have to go I have to get out of here.. I’m sorry.” Mona cut him off. “Mona slow down! I’m glad you came to me just stay get a shower get I’ll get you some clothes. Even if you don’t stay the night you need to change your clothes you can’t walk the city like that.” Rusty wrapped her hand in his.

“Okay” she says. “Okay?” Rusty says eyebrow raised. “Yeah I’ll take a shower” she says flat but calmer the shakiness has left her voice. “Cool thanks.. Uhh… I’ll go find you something to wear.”

While Rusty gets out sweats and a t shirt the reality is setting in. He knows he has to stay calm for her but this is really bad. He knows what he has to but he’s not sure she’ll go for it. The water turns off and he steadies his nerves.

Before he can think the words are coming out of his mouth. “Mona you can’t stay here, we have to leave.” Mona looks at him perplexed did he say “we”? “I can’t ask you to leave everything behind for me it’s just that I…” “Mona I would leave it all behind for you I have loved you for as long as I’ve known you and I..” “You..” “Let me finish, I can’t imagine my life without you in it so I’m going to make sure I get you as far away from here as..” “You love me?” Mona says “Uhh yeah.. I always have. Now if you don’t that’s uh that’s okay but… Rusty stutters. “I love you Rusty.” “You do?” He can’t believe it. “Always have” she says.

"You....you wouldn't-" "But Joseph, I did! I d-did do it!" Joseph shook his head vigorously as if it would bring any less meaning to her words. "No...no you didn't!" His eyes were red and puffy as he clung to her desperately. "Tell me...tell me you didn't. Please..." Her delicate hand graced his jawline. "I couldn't. I...couldn't lie to you, Joseph." He stumbled away as if she'd struck him. "H-how could you..." He ran a hand through his jet black hair, wincing as if the small task hurt him. "I loved-love you, Mara." "I know," She stepped towards him, but he backed away. "No. Stay away from me!" "Joseph..." "And don't you dare call me Joseph! Ever! Guards!" The large golden doors flung open seconds later slamming against the high walls. "Your majesty!" But it was too late, she'd escaped. Joseph collapsed uneasily into his elegant throne chair. His eyes looked as empty and soulless as his heart felt. "Your majesty?" The head guard approached the distraught king wearily. "You called?" But the mighty king did not reply. Could not reply, for his soul was then far away from the enchanting kingdom. Never to be seen again.

I always hated school the people suck It’s everyone out for themselves here One wrong step one miss spoke and your social life is in tatters. The teachers don’t care and why would they care outside of their favorite students everyone else is noise to them, annoyance they say out of the earshot of the students.

The only ray of light for me has been Emily a quiet brown hair girl that keeps to her self most of the time but does her best working with others on assignments and we met because of that. However she has been absent from school for a week due to us running into the mean girls Sarah and her crew. They broke into Emily‘s locker and stole and broke a heirloom of her mother she was devastated at that I did my best to keep them away from her shoving them away hard every chance I got but after the incident was over the teachers obviously didn’t care about such a small thing and left it at that.

The big prom was tomorrow night I supposed asking her out is out of the question at this point I thought as took deep breath as I enter the room to my last class today.

But she was there I tried to speak to her but she waved me off and had no choice but sit in my seat in the next hour and 30 minutes learning algebra when the day was over I tried again and she waved me off again but I would not let it go this time.

I told her how worried I was and if it was possible to fix the heirloom she looked at me smiling but it was a cold smile as she said come with me if you want to know something naturally I followed her I thought I will do anything for her she took me to a place behind the school away from prying eyes and told me this “can you keep a secret?”

“Sure” I said

She then told me a plan that that will make them regret ever meeting her not only the mean girls but teachers and other students I didn’t figure her to be the type to go for revenge but here was we are What’s more is that the plan is already in motion in all we need to do to see it is to go to the prom.

I agreed because it was the girl I liked that asked me.

Long Story short it was a beautiful cluster fuck betrayal, jealousy, theft, fighting, and somehow grand larceny it had it it all.

And we looked on at the carnage together.