Mall Santa

As I took my seat upon his lap, it quickly became the greatest day of my life. I waited for the question I already knew he’d ask. I’d rehearsed my answer for weeks. “HO HO HO,” he boomed. This was it. “Alright kid, look at the camera, and say cheese.”

Tears

As she wiped her eyes, matters only became worse. Her eyes burned as they flooded with tears. She sniffled and looked down. It was getting late. She would have to hurry. She wiped her eyes once more with her sleeve. She picked up the knife and reached for another onion.

Get off

He heard his boss coming from down the hall. Did he have enough time to finish? Sweat poured down his back as her heels neared his cubicle. His hands moved faster and faster. She couldn't catch him doing this, he'd be fired for sure. He had to get off! "Stop Facebooking, Carl!" Busted.

Pillow

She loved the way his breath felt on the back of her neck. The way his fingers would graze the small of her back just before he would wake her. How his head fit her pillow perfectly. She wished she'd told him. Now she only whispers to the empty spot on her pillow.

fit for the job

When he stepped outside he told himself that he wouldn't be cold. He wasn’t, so he smirked. As he got older, he knew that in order to control his physical, he had to control his mental. He was an excellent lawyer. He never let anyone tap into his psyche. He never showed emotion.

their own relationship

They loved each other more than the world. But, when they were together they said little. Arguments had the potential to erupt instantaneously. They knew each other too well and it hurt too much to fight. They learned each other’s nuances and tendencies. They knew more about one another than themselves.

a glimpse of light

Where he lived now, the sun always shined and the people always smiled. Home, the clouds ruled the sky, the light of day had little willingness to survive. But, when the sun came out, people stopped and took notice. They appreciated what they had, because it would be gone in a flash.

family business

The obligations he had to the people in his life dampened his eagerness to return home. He wanted everything to be the same. But, his friends and family missed him. Their questions would pile upon him and he would answer shortly. His mannerisms would annoy them, but their repetitiveness warranted it.

buzz kill

Although his relaxed state was euphoric, complete anxiousness had not left him yet. The possible buzz kill of company and conversation still loomed. He opened the door and checked down the corridor, there was no one. It was eerie. The walls were painted the color of vomit. The atmosphere was ideal.

pleasure pulse

Pleasure pulsed through his veins and relaxed him as he found an empty compartment on the train to St. Louis. The natural high he experienced when he got his way was comparable to the adrenaline rush of a game winning three pointer. Fucked up. But, he fit the job description like a glove.

perfect machine

The contents of the briefcase didn’t matter to him. That was why he transported them. The secrets he held physically, failed to muster the slightest of temptations mentally. He cared none for secrets. Gossip was the antonym of his being. He was the perfect machine.

Lost

Where could they be? It didn’t help that she could barely see without them. She had torn through the apartment like a tornado, and still they were nowhere to be found. She was about to lose it. “Just stop and think.” She scratched her head, and felt the wire frames.

Burning sensation

Never had something so insignificant made her lose it so quickly. She couldn't believe how hard this was hitting her. There was no controlling the tears, they just came pouring out and streamed down her cheeks. She closed her eyes but they only burned more. Wasabi was a bad idea.

Level Orange

Jacques sprints to security. There was traffic on the way to the airport and his flight leaves in five minutes. Luckily, the airport line is short. He’s almost there. “Will you come with me, sir?” the TSA agent raises his eyebrows at him, “you’ve been randomly selected for a screening.”

Season's Greetings

The air is cold. I take a sip from my latte and listen to the carols playing in the background. It’s that time of year, and I finally feel like I’m home again…until I walk out of the air conditioned Starbucks and back into the blazing heat. Tis’ the season.

she gave up on him

When he awoke his phone had no messages, missed calls or e-mail alerts. To the average person a relief was warranted. But, for him, anxiety took form. Maybe she hadn’t awoken, he thought. Maybe she was preoccupied. Deep down he knew the reason. She was bored of him. He was terribly boring.

winter

The cool breeze hit his face, the snow dandruffed his hair. Everyone around him complained, but he stayed silent. The winter season made people uneasy, they yearned for the season to change. He was in his element. It was the only time when he felt like everyone else.

blinding delight

Around five o’clock he started to think of the night ahead. He didn’t fiend for love or the nightlife, but rather the freedom of uninterrupted thought and a cold beer. A deep sleep and a subtle morning awakening is all he ever asked for. As a blind man, it seemed just about right.

the middle of somewhere

He bought the house. It lay on the side of Middleberry mountain, the nearest neighbor a thirteen mile hike. His family didn’t understand, they asked if everything was alright. He never fully answered. Growing up in the city had depressed him. He was a thinker. Here, his thoughts echoed.

Hope you kept the receipt

She twirled the ring on her finger, thinking about his question. She loved the way it looked, but why didn’t she love the way it felt? It was all sparkly and delicate, but there was a gap between who she was and who this promise made her. “No, I’m sorry.”

The Reunion Tour

Danny stood on the lawn, peeking over the crowd. After countless extra shifts at Taco Hut and a weekend in line, he was finally here. He cheered as the lights dimmed. A spotlight followed a man to the microphone. “Due to a recent break-up, the tour has been postponed indefinitely.”

Make it stop

She stared at herself in the mirror for a long time. The pain was almost too much for her to bear. She knew what she had to do. She put the pills in her mouth and swallowed. She’d have to wait for them to take effect. Hangovers are the worst.

Heaven

As he made a fist and wrapped his arm, his veins popped through his skin. He slipped the needle in, and pushed the back of the syringe. He melted into his chair, rolled his eyes, and vomited in his mouth. It felt so good. He never wanted it to change.

Motherhood

“You’re the worst!” Vanessa screeched at her mother, “I wish you aborted me.” Joan did not know what took over her as she slapped her daughter, who paused in shock before running to her bedroom. “What are you doing?” Joan called after her. “Packing,” Vanessa screamed, “I’m moving to dad’s.”

You know the feeling

One. It always feels like you’re getting punched in the mouth, no matter how many times you do it. Two. The pain of the first one is completely gone. That ethereal feeling takes over and you feel like flying. Three. You’ve already lost count. Floor. Gotta love Cinco de Mayo.

Living Alone

John inhaled his breakfast. A bite of eggs plugged his throat. He tried to dig it out with his finger, but to no avail. His heart pounded, his vision became spotty. He threw himself across the kitchen counter. A eggs flew across the room as John took a deep breath.

Partners in Crime

"You're doing it wrong." He hated it when his brother criticized his work. This was supposed to be a family business, but it was impossible to get anything done with him breathing down his neck all the time. “I’ll have it open in a second. Just go listen for sirens.”

Bliss?

Why should I care? Clearly no one else does. People ignore reality and fight like hell to keep that shade pulled tight over their eyes. What’s so great about being in the dark anyway? You go through life bumping into things as opposed to coming across them. Lift the shade.

Last Chance

He walked down to the beach to collect his thoughts. He was never very good at it though. He sat in the sand, his feet buried. The moon reflected off the water and gave subtle definition to the vast ocean. His mind was made, he would give her one last chance.

Ignoring Emotion

He called. The phone vibrated on the table, moving slightly around back and forth like a windup doll. He didn’t answer, he didn’t feel like talking. The phone rang again and it did its dance routine on the table one more. A voicemail appeared, he began to feel sick.

Entertainment Value

The TV hadn’t been turned on in over a month. The longer it sat dormant in the corner of the room, collecting dust and filling up space, the less he yearned to turn it on. Without it, he was content, his life was good enough. He saw no reason to rekindle the flame.

Nocturnal

The late hours of night were his favorite. His creativity flourished while the light outside did not. He woke up late, his peers saw it as unhealthy and lazy. He saw it as his own unique schedule, just as an owl sees its own. He was just fine.

Dad

It was our first Halloween by ourselves, so naturally we were cautious of the large figure in black approaching us and we crossed the street. He crossed the street towards us. We ran the other way, screaming. When we got home, the our monster opened the door, “You kids okay?”

Shoot.

She shoots, she scores! A moment later, she crumples another piece of paper. A shot, a miss. Her pen returns to the pad. It glides across the page with seemingly little effort. Back and forth, left to right. Rip. Crumple. A three pointer into the wastebasket. Nothing is good enough.

The morning of the bake sale

She looked up from her book and sniffed the air. How could she forget? She bolted down the stairs and stormed through the kitchen. Smoke billowed out of the oven as she yanked the door open. With an oven-mitted hand, she grabbed the brownies and inspected them. They were ruined.

Killer

There was barely even a fight. In a moment it was over. He dragged the lifeless body into the brush, leaving nothing but a bloodied trail behind. The others slowly gathered. Hungry and aroused by the smell of blood he tore into its flesh. Sometimes I hate the Discovery Channel.

Sunday Morning

There isn't a single thing I would change. Your lips, the way you breathe, how your tongue sticks out when you concentrate. Your presence is intoxicating - my favorite high. I will share a pillow with you for the rest of my life. Just close your eyes, I'm not going anywhere.

bureaucracy.

I found a dog in my building. I went to security, who sent me to management, who sent me to leasing, who told me to keep it because the woman who handled dogs was off today. I refused. They gave me the number for animal control. I’ll call him Fluffy.

My New Macbook Pro

I could not catch my computer before it hit the ground. I picked it up, holding my breath. I opened the laptop and slid my mouse across the track pad. An arrow glided across my document on the screen. I exhaled. Little did I know, my computer was totally broken.

Happy Anniversary

One day, you decided you couldn’t take it anymore. So you packed you belongings, kissed the kids goodbye, and bought a one-way ticket across the country. You built a new life as the one you left behind faded from your memory. I hope you’re happy with your new wife.

42nd and Park

Flashes of yellow rush by. There’s a smell of hot pretzels and candied nuts on every corner. A mob leaving the terminals filters through all doors leading out onto 42^nd Street. Everyone’s headed somewhere to see someone. This city has something in store for each of them. I miss New York.

malicious intent

With his head down he continued to walk. His passerby's eyed him down with malicious intent. Every once in awhile he rose his head and made eye contact. He did not smirk or show emotion, rather he showed nothing. This meant he had nothing to lose, even though he did.

Gentlemen

“Want to repeat that to my face, motherfucker?” Powered by adrenaline and whiskey, Ted lunged at the man in the blue hat. His fist flew through the air over his opponent’s shoulder. A knee pounded into Ted’s stomach and knocked the wind out of him. He crumpled to the asphalt.

jaded

Reach through my chest and hold my heart. Tell me how it feels in your hand - I’ve forgotten what it sounds like. My body is numb from my mind’s abuse and there’s no turning back. Year after year of skipping beats and broken loves have finally taken their toll.

idle time

No matter how busy one can be, one will always have time to think. So, he did what he loved. His job consumed everyday of his life, but there was always time to ponder when he went to sleep. He liked it this way, it was the right amount of thought.

Morning Breath

He felt her warm breath on his neck. He didn’t mind waking up to her kisses too much even though her breath left something to be desired. He sat up and stroked her back. She looked up at him expectantly. “Are you hungry girl?” God, did he love that dog.

Celebration

Tonight, I called my friend in San Francisco to wish him a happy birthday. “What?” he yelled over the jubilant chaos in the background. I was homesick and jealous. Then I noticed the Miami sunset from my balcony. “Oh well,” I thought, “Next time the Giants win the World Series...”

Monday at midnight

I can feel the banging against the inside of my skull. It’s incessant, torturous and never ending. All I want is to drive my forehead against a wall and feel it all fall out of my head. Suddenly it stops, and my hand begins to move. I hate writer’s block.

worry reliever

The week began and so did its priorities. One after the next they weighed upon his head. An invisible spreadsheet of tasks panned through his mind. He worried and worried till worry was all he thought. He dug his hand into his pocket, took a pill, and worried no more.