Is one's essence defined by the age of the body, their culture, economic status, or gender? What are we without the context of time, gender, and culture? Tara's mother underwent a metamorphosis. Mildred wore different costumes of the mind. Each costume was unique, stemming from a different time in her life and drawing upon various life experiences. Alzheimer's disease sponsored Mildred's time travel. Tara remembers Mildre...

It was a moment, when arguing was up a blind alley, and that remaining silent was the best way of protecting yourself. The vertically challenged lady’s friends came and helped her put the blame on me. The usual stack in my high school fairy tale, oh I’m so used to this. People in this school just loved making mountains out of molehills. They said I splashed the drink at her on purpose. It was not a big deal, really. It wa...

The skin near my eye swelled itching in pain after the emotionless lady threaded every unwanted follicle of my eyebrows-- she didn't turn a hair every time I closed my eyes gasping in awe. Ichigo on my right side was laughing while putting on eyeliner. The lady started putting some on me too, starting with layers of cream and powder. She filled my brows with a small brush touched on a cork eyeshadow then, eyeliner and mas...

“Did you know that people live because they have to know their purpose?” Dmitry sat next to me under the old Acacia tree. It was one of those trees at the back of the orphanage. There were no spectacles to see, but it was the shadiest. “This is my spot.” Although there was sadness in his eyes, still he smiled. “Sister Cecilia has guests. He’s back, and he brought his son with him. I heard from Anthony, the old man is a de...

For a moment, when I woke up, I didn’t know where I was, or what time it was. I gritted my teeth against the pain and straightened up, blanching. I realized I was in my own room. “Sam are you, alright?” Chloe asked. Seeing her stunned me. She looked worried and said, “You know, you’re brother is soooo cute—I mean, really! When he was asking me what happened to you, I almost fainted! Not because I didn’t know what to say,...

“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.” --May Sarton It was typed-written on a buff-colored tissue paper. The other pieces have different passages too, but this one got me. The rain had finally died down, but I’m still waiting for Chloe inside a coffee shop near the meeting spot we had agreed to. A few minutes later, a black car stopped in front of the shop, rolled down...

Beep-beep-beep-beep. The other line was dead when I picked up the phone. I could still hear the busy tone playing around my ear. Akira had mentioned ‘she.’ It was the only thing I knew. It was the first time someone (not a relative) called me. The next morning, Akira knocked and then slowly opened the door, peering through it as I fixed my hair. “You’re up early,” he teased. “Yeah…” I said. Truth was, I couldn’t sleep thi...

It hurts, I thought. I’ve always hated this. Stopping my tears from falling only hurts my throat. It’s annoying. “Heh…So you’re not really going to cry, huh?” the guy I don’t know said, grabbing my hair and pinning my face on the wall. He was trying to choke me with his other hand, slapping and then smothering me again. I couldn’t breathe. “So aggravating! You’re just a first year! You should know your place,” the girl wi...

PROLOGUE: It was a dark cold evening. There was something sinister in the air. It was uncomfortably warm. There was a girl walking in bare feet. She had bruises, even scratches, and a long black hair swinging as she moved. She was wearing a white dress with blood stains glistening, just like a fire raging in a snow. She was panting, breathlessly and helplessly running away from something. Ignoring the darkness embracing h...