Existential Crisis

She drifts. The waiting presses down, suffocates. Emptiness fills her soul. The days are humdrum, she wonders when will life start. She doesn't know it has already begun. She fails to see life unfolding around her: trees and flowers, children's footsteps and laughter. What is she waiting for? When will someone tell her to breathe,…

The Sentry

The island is at peace. Children sing and play and learn. Women weave baskets, rugs, bags and coats; men fish and hunt to provide for their clan. Life is calm, idyllic. The sentry, Mick, is in the tower, watching the horizon. Below him a group of children begin to fight. He looks down, growls at…

Tattoo

The spark was lit. A lifetime of attraction scored deep into her body. His too, but she didn't know that at the time. There were moments of passion. Longer periods where they suffered the flip side of passion: hatred or even worse, disconnectedness. But it was always there, lurking under the surface. He was an…

Hettie’s new friend

'Hettie!' called Mindy one afternoon as Hettie walked laps of the school during lunch break. Hettie wasn't sporty; not pretty, not clever. Just average. But her bones ached from loneliness. Hettie looked up, suspicious. Mindy had never uttered a word to her before; she had, until now, assumed Mindy didn't even know her name. Mindy was…

The List of What to Do

Today is a bleak wintry day. Cold, rainy. The perfect day to stay indoors and potter. I've dropped the kids at school. I've cancelled my exercise class—pathetic, I know, but I couldn't face outdoor exercise today. Instead, I've compiled a list of what to do: Edit manuscript Read Write Watch TV on the couch nestled…