Little lost girl found. The Christmas tree fell for the second time today. What is left of the ornaments are now strewn across the floor of the living room. Most people may find this sad and upsetting, but not me. I just sit here in the mist of all the debris and laugh. What a perfect picture of my life, in shambles on the ground, little bits and pieces scattered all over the place. The pain and frustrations of the past 1...

Do people go through life on a predetermined path, like a straight line? I often wondered that during the summer of my junior year of high school. I lived a straight line, it seemed like, and it was routine to me. I’d do the things normal people would at my age: hang out at the mall with friends, play video games, watch movies, that sort of thing. It wasn’t hard to admit to myself that things were pretty boring, but that...

It has been called many things by different people. Precognitive, ESP, a bad feeling, a premonition and even spidey sense. We have all had the warnings that only we can see in our mind's eye or heard a voice that no one else can. Do you obey them? It can occur when traveling your regular route home and something tells you to take the right that you normally don't take because it takes longer. You disregard the warning and...

“Don’t do it,” said the moth to the mosquito. “Don’t fly into those lights.” The old moth was sitting on his perch next to the blue lights, trying to talk some sense into the mosquito. “Those lights will suck the life right out of you,” he warned the mosquito. But the mosquito flew into the lights anyhow. For once the blue lights got into their eyes there was no talking to them. And it only got worse when there was a full...

My breath catches as it flows in and out in short pants. I can feel the tickle as the beads of sweat drip down my back, running along the curve of my spine. I have my fingers gripping the rough edges as tight as they can. Every fiber in my being wills this to be over. But alongside me is another, just as terrified as myself. She is focused; right hand right foot, left hand, left foot. Up she climbs, steady as a spring rai...

The ten year reunion for Tilden High School's class of 1960 was fast approaching. The class president and his cabinet sent out numerous letters and post cards besides leaving a multitude of voice messages on numerous answering machines. They were advising the recipients of an upcoming meeting of the reunion committee, open to anyone who wished to volunteer and brainstorm. The meeting would be held at a small bar that was...

Hi, I'm Martyna Smith. I was born September 22nd. My friends call me Marty and my best friend calls me penguin. If I were to tell people my story they would call me an attention seeker. Maybe attention is exactly what I need. Somewhere in this world people like me don't want to die. We want to be saved. I know what it's like to want to die. How it hurts to smile. How you try to fit in but you just can never seem to. How y...

I knew what I was walking into. It wasn't the first time I had walked home to find the apartment empty and the snooping old broad next door trying to find something now to complain about. She had told my mom of a fight I had gotten into just outside the gates. Mom freaked when she found out, worrying about lawsuits that would destroy us financially and ruin her chances of ever getting a better job. I was just happy I had...

 School dragged along at a snails pace all day. My first period, and English two class, felt like it would never end. It was hard enough trying to stay awake with the few hours of sleep I got every night. And the teacher's droning voice did little to ease my suffering. Second period was a bit easier, though my lack of friends within the class did little to help me defy complete boredom. I could care less about solving for...

I think I’ll try some catnip. I ain’t even joking, people. I’ve tried catnip before. Powdered stuff. I was at my friends’ house and we were looking at his herb collection. And I do genuinely mean herb collection, as in the stuff you cook with and cast spells with, too. He’s Pagan, as am I, you see and he has quite the herb collection. Anyway, I came across a tub of catnip powder and recalled him telling me that he’d accid...

Okay. So let's just say that you were having a crappy day and at school it only seems to get worse. Would you respond violently? Scratch that. Let's pick a target. Okay, so we have a bully - we'll just call him Bundy L. Levy for fun - and a bully always seems to have that one target - how about Taylor Regis Ethers. Great, now we have our characters, or players rather. Now we need a setting. I'm thinking a high school call...

“What’s for lunch, Mamma?” asked Antonio. “Your favorite, dear – spaghetti!” she answered. “Bravo!” cried Antonio, clapping his hands. Antonio loved pasta, and most especially spaghetti. He sat at the table on the terrace, and his mother brought him a heaping plate of spaghetti. Antonio joyfully slurped the first piece of spaghetti, waiting for it to slap sauce against his cheek before disappearing through his lips. But t...

I lay on my bed, still in my back-from-the-hospital garb. Doc Davies' instructions were "no strenuous or overly stressful activity for a few weeks, okay Missy?" I just kind of nodded and kept my snarky (and honestly rather bitchy considering how kind he's been) reply to myself, walking out into the (not-so-) welcoming arms of Mother. She played the role of Mommy very well until we got into the car. Now she's Mother again...

In April of 2004 I bought a 2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 XL. At the time I was 38 years old and suffering from a thyroid deficiency. In case you don't know, your thyroid gland is in your neck and regulates your metabolism and your mood. I was losing weight at the time and somewhat depressed because my thyroid was not producing enough thyroxin. After I bought the motorcycle I took a riding course through Harley-David...

It is almost midnight on a Saturday night and I am waiting for your call.  This started six weeks ago when you caught your idiot of a boyfriend cheating on you. I happened to be in the neighborhood bar where you wanted to cry and get drunk. You sat next to me at the bar and got yourself a cranberry juice and vodka. I just happened to be there because I needed some human company for the night. I could tell you were holding...