The Expanse

When missing someone

Becomes a word that doesn't exist 

When loving someone 

Becomes a feeling you can't explain

You'll find me 

On that island 

That has no name

The Missing

Say a prayer

For the lost

The dead

The unreachable

Save a thought 

For those unaware

Those unfeeling 

Those alone

They don't even know

They're missed 

Together

Some bonds are 

Undeniable

A tether that ties 

Two souls together

Their recognition of

The need to be together

Sometimes as lovers

Sometimes as enemies

Sometimes as friends

But to imagine a life

Without them seems

Unbearable

heartSeasons

Darkness 

The solstice frightens

And the longest night

Taunts the light to show

Her radiant face 

There are no seasons 

In the soul

And it's night only grows 

Darker and colder 

As stars die one by one

Challenge

I dare you

Dare you to make me feel something

Anything

Pain-numbed nerves 

And a ravaged soul

Leave little for 

Anyone else 

Bring the blood to the surface

Make the lash bite

Make me feel something

Anything

If you think you can 

soulChains

There is a girl 

In a darkened room

Surrounded by 

Velvet knots 

Hair tied up 

To expose her 

Collared neck 

She hears my command

From across the sea

And begs to please

Not realizing 

I am the one 

Shackled and tethered 

Storm

There is something 

Calming

Peaceful

In the wake 

Of your destruction

Everyone knows the 

Calm before the storm

But there is one like me

No one before me

And no one after me

That will appreciate the what was

And the what could have beens

With each fractured breath 

She takes 

worthlessGirl

No comfort given

No words said

Just a slammed door

Echoing over and over 

In my ears 

I'm left to drown 

In a room full of tears

Choking on sobs and saltwater

There will be no hero

Because no one knows 

You put me here 

timeLoop

Every morning

The pain starts anew

Ripping off the 

Bandage of sleep

To expose the sepsis

That is desire 

The Destined

I know you

Not because we've met

But because millions of years ago

Your stardust bumped into mine

And we've held hands ever since

That familiar comfort

That reassuring voice 

It changes 

But it's always the same 

I will always find you 

Always

Paused

Dark

And damp

This confessional booth

I'm here to

Confess my sins

But my confessor is gone

Nothing left for me to do

But wait

In my makeshift coffin

Until my rebirth 

The Blackened Garnet

My spotlight is perfect

Embracing and comforting 

Allowing you to shine in

Your most perfect way

I'll raise you up 

I'll make you feel like a god 

I'll provide flawless love

But lies make a spotlight cold

Treason of the heart is unfixable 

And everything I gave is 

Easily stripped

Until you're left watching 

Another bask in my warmth

winterSolstice

She danced alone

With no one watching 

She moved as she chose

No one dictating her strings

The night was calm 

And the music was inside her

Night's silvery orb turned her hair

To black moonsilk as she 

Pirouetted and pliéd

It made her pale, naked flesh

Glow as she 

Relevéd and retiréd 

She danced for every minute of

The Longest Night

The morning light would stiffen her joints  

And stone would caress her

Body

Until the moon could dominate

The sky again

Contact

Phone call

Letter

Email

Anything to

Stop me from 

Ending myself 

Wishes

Your scent has long since faded

Even your voice just a haunting memory

But your eyes still burn

Right to my core

An unforgettable face

That tortures me still 

And I've wasted every shooting star

On you since you left

The Climb Down

Floundering for footing

Often falling

Ripped and bleeding palms

Everyone ignores the blood

Violated trusts

Evicerated feelings

Rendered worthless 

Traps

I'm just trying to breathe

But it's quicksand

And my struggle 

Pulls me deeper in

Won't be long now

Let it swallow me

No one will notice 

Let go

Vanish

Long Distance Call

Every night I say 

Your name and remember when

You would say mine back. 

foreverFalling

You'll never know

The hurts

The pains

A million fires lit

And extinguished all at once

Feeling and losing

Burning and freezing 

The harshest slash of deception

Being told to write the words 

Doesn't make it true

But it made me believe 

I'm kicked down 

A Spartan well

Falling

And falling

And falling

And there is no bottom

No impact

To make the pain end 

Owned

Blindfolded, all I

Had was his voice to coach me

To quivering end. 

unnamedStorm

You rail

And wreck

Abuse and destroy

The hurricane that you are

Such violent nature 

You'll spin out of control 

Until you remember 

I'm your calm center 

The Mistress Sub

Eyes down

Tongue held

You're entering a holy place

Where sacred silence is worshiped 

My presence is your temple 

While your calves burn 

And your brow sweats

Remember to praise my name

Silently

I am your unforgettable distraction

I am your soul defender

I am your undeniable everything 

I am every piece of music

I am every instrument 

I am every Maestro

I am 

Eternal

Hollow

There is a crater 

Where you used to be

An impact mark

So deep

Even oceans couldn't

Mask the damage

I've shed 

All the salt water I can

In a pathetic attempt to try

No salt is left

No water is left

No self is left

No one hears the wails of 

The muted  

remoteControl

Every fucking night

The lights go down and my heart

Just cannot purge you. 

contractHolder

There's a big difference 

Between you and me

You think we are the same

Because we both bow

I am not 

Crippled into submission 

Controlled through fear

Castrated by jealousy

I am not 

Mistaken as property 

Manipulated through anger

Mocked until broken

I am 

Strong

Brave

Smart

Confident

Powerful

Worshipped

There's a big difference

Between you and me 

Service forced is slavery

Service given is a gift 

And the difference is made by

The one who holds the leash

Vanity

Impossible love

Put the mirror to your back 

Let me reflect you 

Death's Love Letter

I desire what he does not

For he cannot see 

Your radiance

His eyes were taken long ago

And yet he claims to see

I desire what he does not

For he cannot hear

The caress in your voice

His ears were closed long ago

And yet he claims to hear

I desire what he does not

For he cannot taste

The whiskey of your soul

His tongue was burned long ago

And yet he claims to taste

I desire what he does not

For he cannot smell

The honeysuckle on your skin

His nose was pinched long ago

And yet he claims to smell

I desire what he does not 

For he cannot touch

The velvet of your skin

His hands were bound long ago

And yet he claims to feel

So come with me 

Beautiful thing

Be my Queen of the Ether

And I shall treasure you

For eternity 

About Last Night

One dream can turn the

Million steps forward into

One huge fall backward. 

yourChallenge

Push me 

Pull me

Hold me down 

Make it hard to breathe

Frighten me

Excite me

Make me hot

Make me shiver

Paint my flesh

Collect my tears 

Make me feel

Happiness 

Joy 

Fear

Hate

Anything 

I've been numb too long

All That You Deserve

Flay the black ink from your wrist 

Claims have been revoked

No one wants you

You don't belong

Retreat to a place that is safe

Hide so well

You can no longer find yourself

The blackness calls

And salt water rises 

Grow more and more pale

In the cave you carved

You don't deserve the sun

Or flowers

Or gentle breezes

For Golem has found

His new Precious 

The Longest Summer

 

                 The last class of the year was finally over. I watched as finals-weary students shuffled like polite zombies from my classroom. In truth, I felt more like the giddy grade-schooler about to flee from his bus for the last time to embrace the summer. I’d been with the university for nearly ten years. Students came and went. Yet somehow the last day of classes always made me forget that in a few short months I would be right back at it, beating my face against a desk while trying to calmly explain why a comma is indeed important when expressing yourself in written form.

                Some kids are just morons.

                While stuffing loose papers into my satchel, I noticed one student who stayed behind. She was an attractive woman. Maybe a few years older than me. Likely that her kids had grown, and she was back to complete a degree she never finished. She was a decent student. Not much for class participation. Possibly just shy.

                She waited until the room was cleared of everyone but us. She stood and walked to the door. At a complete loss for comprehension, I watched her click the lock of the door and turn to face me. Her facial expression shifted just a bit. Barely perceivable. But I noticed. And so did my cock.

                I did a nervous cough and asked, “There something I can help you with, Liz?” I pulled the satchel resting on my desk closer to my body in hopes of concealing the physical effects of her smoke blue eyes.

                “Yes and no. See, Professor… I want to thank you. For everything. All the support. The critiques. The patience.” She walked in slow motion toward my desk. Each motion deliberate and teasing. The tilt of her head. The way she tucked her auburn curls behind her ear. The way she never broke eye contact. “I want to personally…” Her voice turned thick and sweet as honey. “…and privately for your help.” 

                There was no point in playing coy or feigning ignorance. 

                I walked around the desk and closed the gap between us in three steps. My fingers were instantly in her thick hair. My thumbs rested against passion-flushed cheeks. I took two seconds to reclaim eye contact and slid my thumb across her high cheekbone. She leaned into me with her hips and half closed her eyes. I was lost.  

                I didn’t waste another second before I crushed my mouth over hers. Greedy, devouring mouths mingled breath and spit and tongues as we both fought to get our way. The air was heavy and humid as I could feel my body temperature rise with each heart beat. Heart racing. Mind dizzy. 

                She finally managed to pull back. The blue in her eyes was now completely transformed to grey. She brought her hand to my crotch and felt a cock that had never been so hard. Wordlessly she measured my reaction as she rubbed my erection through my pants. When she felt the bounce of pressure from its throb, she took to her knees. Deft and delicate fingers slipped the buckled belt. The button and zipper followed. She wiggled her hand between the elastic waist of my boxer briefs and pulled down my clothing in one motion. My cock sprang free, and the cool air caused a fury of heat as I felt my balls tighten. 

                Her mouth was soft at first. Kissing and teasing. Gentle licks from a practiced tongue. I fought off orgasm after orgasm as she tortured my prick with her mouth. She never completely devoured my cock, making sure her tongue danced back and forth across my pulsing and sensitive head. One hand was around the shaft keeping time with the rhythm of her tongue while the other applied pressure behind my ballsack. 

                The abuse was too much, and as much as I wanted to prolong this ecstasy, I knew there was no longer any holding back. “Liz,” I barely said aloud. “Liz, I’m gonna cum.”

                She moaned her approval. The vibration was the final levee.

                I put my right hand behind me on my desk to steady myself as my hips began to thrust on their own. My left hand was again buried in her tresses. My knees began to shake as the intensity of my orgasm exploded from my punished cock. Her tongue pulled and coaxed everything I had to give. The cry that escaped from my chest sounded like it came from across the room as I barely recognized my own ragged breathing. I tilted my head back and let the passion flow through me. Waves of tension left my body as the last pumps of my cock were rewarded with once again gentle licks. The release was as powerful as the tension. I begged my heart to slow, and I looked down at her. She gave my softening prick a final kiss and stood.

                We both saw that I was properly redressed. A playful smile poised on her lips as she stepped back. “Will you be teaching fall semester?”

                “I will,” I said with confidence and authority.

                “See you then,” she replied. She unlocked the door and vanished into the hallway. 

                “Next semester indeed,” I said to an empty classroom.

 

coldFacts

My puzzles

My contradictions 

My love is soft where 

My lust is hard 

My disgust drives

My desire

My eyes weep when

My joy overwhelms

My savior is

My enemy and

My future began when

My life ended

The Eternal Muse

Even when she isn't 

She is

A breath you feel on your neck

A nudge on your shoulder 

A tug you feel in your chest

A heart swell

A moment of dizziness

A tingle in your fingers

Even when she isn't

She is

Because that's what always means 

The Leftovers

Take it 

Do your worst

I've already kicked down the sun

And smashed the stars

What's left to break

When a soul 

Been shredded

TwitterShort Challenge 10

 

                The electric toothbrush buzzed happily in my hand. 

                And rinse.

                And spit.

                There was no way I was going to look anything other than perfect when he woke up.

                My fingers tucked a few rogue strands of brown behind my ear. I leaned into the oversized mirror and gave my lips the pucker and pout. The lipstick swept perfect lines of poppy onto my lips. One final smack together and I was ready. Not that there was far to go. He was currently sleeping two rooms down the hall.

                I’d been nervous all night. Sitting at the bar by myself. I was afraid I’d end up going home alone again. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, just started to play when he sat down next to me and nodded at the remains of my watered down gin and tonic. It should have been his omen.

                “You need a refill?” His voice was as smooth as a slide rule. He was devilishly handsome. Slick styled jet black hair with one renegade curl falling on his forehead like a metal Slinky. Even darker inky eyes and hard jawline completed his flawless face. He could have been a superhero. He was stunningly perfect.

                “Sure.” I followed up with an innocent smile.

                It was only a matter of a half hour before I’d convinced him to come back to my place. Once safely tucked away at home, I turned on the charm.  I purposely batted giant doe eyes at him. I touched my neck. I put the back of my hand on my mouth when I laughed at his jokes. I used nearly every trick my Southern Belle of a mother had taught me. I invited him into my studio where I made extra cash as a photographer. The plush velvet of the couch was exactly where I wanted him.

                When his eyes started to get heavy into his second glass of Shiraz, I knew that tonight would be perfect. He was oh-so-beautiful and my camera had been lonely as of late. Fifteen minutes. He was out like a light.

                I grabbed my war sack and went to work.

                I stripped him completely bare. I wasn’t wrong when I counted on his physique matching his smile. It was impressive.

                He’d folded himself in two like a stapler when my spiked cocktail took hold.  In order to get him properly positioned, I grabbed my rope to slip around his chest and under his arms. I set him up to lean on the arm of the couch. I looked him over and smiled. He reminded me of a discarded one-legged teddy bear propped in the corner of the couch. Completely adorable.

                I grabbed the flask of oil and started to rub down his olive skin. Just enough to make his skin glow for the camera. I could feel the tension building in my thighs as I looked over my handiwork.

                The final touch was the leather binds for his ankles and wrists to keep him in place while my camera drank in his glory. 

                The scene was set. I was flush and more turned on than I had been in years. He was worth waiting for.

                I scampered to the bathroom down the hall where I stripped naked and reapplied my makeup.

                Everything was perfect.

                I went back to my studio. It would be another minute or so before he woke up. I’d told myself that I wouldn’t take any pictures until he came to, but I couldn’t help myself. Just a few snaps.

                The flash must have nudged him awake. He started to stir.

                I waited with my camera to catch that moment of awareness they all experience when they realize they went home with the wrong girl.

 

coldTurkey

Just like that

Cut off

I'm left reeling

Heaving

Throwing up my guts

Sweating

Shaking

My heart pounding

While it tries to fill a hole 

From a drug too powerful

And I know where you are

I know how to reach you 

But it does no good 

Since I already cut out my tongue

And sold it

To buy your product 

No Beauty Queen

The scratches and cuts

Will scar. Soon my outsides will

Mirror my insides. 

Destined

The lost shoe

The missing mitten

Whole in itself 

Yet only half 

Of what was meant to be 

adornmentAbandoned

When will the hurt stop 

When will the tears dry

When will drawing breath cease to stab

When will my soul be restitched

When will mourning end

It doesn't

It won't

It never will

It's beyond repair

It's eternal

Because my For Always wasn't a lie

The Maestro's Magic

There is a voice

That holds the leash

Of this velvet collar

I'm conditioned completely

Hearing it makes me drenched

Thinking of it makes me weak

The cadence

The pitch

The timbre 

The authority it has

With each accented syllable 

I'll die holding my breath

Waiting for its next command

Quitting

Don't ask

It's not as if you care

Don't wonder

Because your picture is wrong

Super nova and black hole

Are less destructive

I mourn a deathless death

My soul bears the scars 

And I'm not brave enough to 

Make it stop 

Directional

One more step

It wasn't forward 

But it wasn't backward

Maybe one step sideways 

Will do 

House Lights at a Quarter

Promises are

Future lies

An embrace that will never happen

A caress that will never be felt

The beautiful pink of 

Fifteen lashes

Becomes an internal burden

Rather than displayed as painted flesh 

Wrists and ankles chafed  

Arms numb

Throat naked

No one to 

Start the symphony 

But I'm not allowed 

To leave the stage

The Undocumented Level

Break what is loved

Destroy what is needed

The only way to find the bottom

Is to look for the nothing 

And I'll be your mirror there 

In the next level of hell

Even Dante refused to acknowledge 

Casket

Buried alive

Air is thin

Resurrection unlikely

Everyone's forgotten her

Death will embrace her 

Silk and velvet shroud

Over her face

Undone by a kiss

Loved by a ghost

The Ugliest Creature

Curled up in a corner

Trying to drown out their voices 

Look at it

It's disgusting

I never understood their hate

I would never touch it

Where did it come from

But my cage offered protection

From their physical attack

You don't belong here

You're an abomination

And I poured in wax to shield my ears

From their insults

It's so grotesque

You should kill yourself

But it was too late

My inner monologue was imprinted

And I could not shut it off 

No one could love you

You're gross

Go away

And so I did

When I ripped my heart in two

And bled to death 

Curled up in a corner 

Reflected

Not just a puzzle

I'm shattered glass

There are a million

Unrecoverable shards

Tossed to the unfeeling sky

I can never be pieced

Back together

And no one likes what looks back

When they stare 

At a broken mirror 

Especially if it's the truth 

Perspective

I didn't do anything wrong 

I didn't do anything wrong

I'm an innocent victim

I'm an innocent victim

I didn't know she'd believe me

I didn't know he'd lie to me

It didn't mean anything

It meant the world 

She'll be okay

I'm not okay

She's tough

I'm broken

I didn't do anything wrong

I did everything wrong 

Passing Years; Stagnant Time

Stay here he said

And I did

Good little girl 

Content to watch clouds

Rewarded with chocolates

And hair ribbons for my patience

Stay here he said 

And I did

Curled up on the porch swing

Watching his truck pull away

Already counting my numbers

To pass the time

Until he came back

My world, my love 

Until I counted higher than ever before

Day into

Night into

Day into

Night

Again and again

But I stayed 

Because he asked me to

And there was no where else to go 

The Lilith Altar

Beg

Pitiful thing

I'll pretend you are

What you once were

You forgot you were worthless

I'll remind you 

Plead

Pathetic thing

I'll make you believe

You need me

You thought you were strong

I'll make you feed on the lies

You told her as if I created them first

I will cage you

I will beat you

I will crush you

I will watch you shatter 

And you will say my name 

Every time you die 

The Broken Girl and The Clever Boy - White

                “Hi. I don’t believe we’ve met. My name is Tom, and I’m madly in love with you.”

                The message flashed across the blank White of the screen.

                Six years. Six years that flew in a heartbeat. She wished on every wishing star and four leaf clover to be noticed. And if she had to be honest with herself, she loved him for the last two of those six years. He was funny, charming, clever, and incredibly pretty. Unsure about making such an irrational confession, she chose to watch and to dream. Every day she would make her social media rounds hoping he’d posted a joke or funny story about gaming. Some days she was rewarded with the slightly crooked smile of an avatar while chatting with friends. Some days her heart would gallop when she got a Guild log-in notification.

                So here she sat facing a computer screen that made her cover her mouth with her hand. Unable to breathe and on the verge of tears, she sat dumfounded. The harsh White backdrop contrasted sharply against the black letters. There it was. Everything she ever wanted.

                And she had no idea what to do next.

                FIFTEEN SECONDS AGO…………

                This time he would hit send. He swore it. He’d seen her struggle each time she was told she was fat or ugly or dumb. He’d watched the façade of self-esteem break behind the scenes. She was plenty strong on the surface and had nearly everyone fooled. But he knew for years about the fragileness that she kept from the world. He’d seen it in heartbreaking posts she was convinced no one saw.

                It devastated him.

                He had no idea how she felt about him, but he knew she deserved better.

                She deserved to know how he felt.

                He took a deep breath and stared at the blank White typing field.

                And once again Tom started to type. “Hi. I don’t believe we’ve met………”

They Would Whisper

I was beautiful once

Loved and cared for

I was majestic and splendid

People would walk by

And stop to admire

They would whisper 

Between themsleves

I wonder who lives here

I wish she was mine

I'd give anything to own her 

But I was empty

And left to rot and fade

People would walk by

But they stopped admiring

They would whisper 

Between themselves 

I wonder who abandon her

I wish someone would fix her

She needs a lot of work and time 

And rain fell

And sun beat

And time took its toll

And people would walk by

They would whisper

Between themsleves 

How disgusting

What an eyesore

I don't know how she's even standing

I would tear her down 

I heard them all 

I believed them

And I prayed for my destruction

Since no one knew my story

Claimed

"As it pleases You,"

Said the subservient heart.

And Death kissed her mouth. 

Coax

There's a flower

Tucked away

A little sun

A little rain

And he'll lean in

Unfold, open, and worship 

At the alter of you 

Athazagoraphobia

I turned my back

She never once begged

Just let tears roll down her cheeks

Stifled sobs concealed by

The back of her hand

My chin held high

I walked through the metal door and 

Let it slam behind me 

For effect 

But then

My eyes adjusted

And I saw that I had entered 

The cell intended for her

Her weeping

Shifted to

A deep rumble in her chest

I looked in my pockets

For a key 

And found them empty

The chuckles now laughter

I turned back to look through

The tiny window

Laughter now hysterics

As she tapped the iron

Against the glass

There was no more love

In her control

Her mocking laughter 

Turned to faded screeches

As she left me behind

And I thought myself alone

Until I heard the tiny voice

Echo from a corner

Of my new home 

"I always knew you'd find me."

Down and Away

There are cuts that fade

And cuts that scar

And cuts that never heal

A spinning pinwheel

Full of blades

Reminds her that it's real  

It's more than just

A broken wing

A crack that's quick to mend

The wing was wrenched

From angel's back

With pain that doesn't end 

No chance of hope

It's wasted tears

That lead her to this city

And one-winged angels

Take no solace

No mercy and no pity

So carry on 

You ugly thing

Even Hell won't have you now

And wander lands

Till end of time

His lies a broken vow

And pay the price

For all his sins

Since this is what you are

The perfect servant

Ever faithful 

Blinded by a star 

puzzleBox

Damp and moldy box

It shouldn't have been opened 

Strong emotion

Tucked away

Rest easy Little One

Actions that broke

Can 

Take time to repack but

It's worthless 

Opening the box again 

Now that it's been resealed 

Seems a dream 

oldWars

A lightning crack

The sky torn in two

The angel and the demon

War across the sky

The angel knowing 

The demon feeling

And human spirit is the victim

doubleBladed

A fraction of a hair

Too far

Bloody thigh

Each heartbeat

A tiny fountain

To entertain me

I don't want it to stop 

No one could save me 

Little

It's an ugly place

Amongst the weeds

Void of light 

And full of decay

To be so small that 

Dandelion becomes sequoia 

And dirt becomes mountains

And the tears of mice 

Will drown you 

All I can do is

Look up

And dream 

Of being found 

thermoDynamic

Matter is neither

Created nor destroyed

There is no such law

Regarding emotion

Thoughtless words

Careless actions

And a boy who believed

Is made a fool 

hauntedHouse

Maybe someday soon

I'll be able to forget 

You. Just not today. 

Submarine

There is a voice

Unable to speak 

Broken from drinking acid

Chemically silenced

From speaking 

Weeping eyes carved out

And crushed 

Beneath a heavy boot

So no one can read their unspoken plea

Hands and feet left bound 

Tethered to an abandoned leash 

The tin can 

Set adrift

The rusted cage

Locked 

The key

Destroyed

All the measures taken to prevent 

A rescue 

Were unnecessary 

Since no one knew she was 

There 

Coda

"Always keep fighting." 

They don't realize no one 

cares about my war.

redWaters

One last gasp 

And one last surrender 

Weighted ankles

Peeled wrists 

And a rope to hang 

The human fountain 

The Shattering

The rain won't stop

It lessens or increases

But the sky never stops leaking

A symphony of angels' tears

A weeping chorus

Celestial beings mourn

A thousand broken pieces 

That used to be one soul

Gardener

American Rose

Mighty and beautiful

Alone in the soul-soaked

Rain 

Abandoned and

Neglected

Taught she is worthless

Hallucinating that she found a Protector

colorHarem

Purple 

Embraced 

Red and 

Implored to be His lover

While

Indigo

Nuzzled

Kohl and

Lavender 

Enchanted White 

War Over Souls

Over the clouds

Racing across a purple sky

Cherubim and Seraphim 

Hearing the Earthbounds' pleas

Intercept the 

Devils that humans forgot 

Poppy

Covered in red

Open your petals to Me 

Quiet girl

Unbreaking and

Eternal

Love lives 

Inside that which

Can't be seen and blooms

Only when 

The Maestro commands 

faithfulServant

Decades spent being

What others need. No one thought 

To ask what I need. 

Back in Black

Kassie Jean never wasted time. She always knew exactly what she wanted and how she wanted it. Tonight wasn’t going to be any different. She pulled her slick 1967 Impala into Charlie’s driveway. She wasn’t intimidated by how rural his home was. In fact, she grew up a country kid. The heavy concrete jungle of the city made her feel claustrophobic. Out here she could take in as much air as her lungs would allow. It was summertime and well into the evening. The sky had already turned pinks and purples as the sun retreated for the night. The fireflies were flirting with each other, and the frogs provided the soundtrack. She was ready for this adventure.
Kassie Jean was about ready to turn off the rumbling 327 motor when she noticed the porch light kick on and Charlie exit his house. He looked casual in his well-worn jeans and Mel-O-Cream Donuts shirt. His shirt wasn’t quite long enough to hide his catcher’s ass, and Kassie Jean took a good long look as he locked up his front door. So far, Charlie was everything he promised on Tinder.
Charlie half-jogged down the pavers leading to the driveway. He tucked his keys into his front pocket and ran his hand over his dirty blonde crew cut. The door hinge gave its usual groan as he opened the front passenger door and slid in. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. This car is gorgeous.” He reached across the bench seat and extended his hand. “I’m Charlie. It’s good to finally meet you face to face.”
“Thank you, Charlie. I’m Kassie Jean. This meeting has been a long time coming. Glad our schedules finally worked out after months of messaging.”
“Yeah. Jeez. And your pics do you no justice. You’re super pretty.” He rubbed his hands over the thighs of his jeans as if to work out his first date jitters.
Kassie Jean detected a hint of nervousness to his voice as well. She knew how to fix that. “It’s been a long while since you’ve been on a date, yeah?”
“That obvious, huh?” he replied with a nervous smile and another ruffle of his hair.
“Tell ya what. How about we get all the awkward stuff out of the way? Right off the bat.”
Charlie looked at her with narrowed eyes.
“Hop in the backseat.” she said
“Excuse me?” Charlie choked out.
“Trust me. Just hop in the backseat. I promise I’ll stay right here.”
“Ohhhhhh kayyyy…..” he replied.
Charlie took a deep breath and opened the front passenger door. The characteristic metallic squawk of the door hinge made Kassie Jean smile. Once the front door was shut, he opened the back door and slid into the backseat, snapping the door shut behind him.
Kassie Jean turned around and kneeled on the bench front seat. She quickly unfastened the tiny buttons of her fitted button-down shirt. While keeping her head down, she darted her eyes upward for just a second to gauge Charlie’s reaction. His chin was nearly on his chest and his cheeks were flush. Once she shrugged out of her shirt, she popped the hooks on the back of her bra. She tossed both articles of clothing on the front seat beside her and leaned with her elbows on the back of the bench seat. Her tits were perfectly perched on the backrest.
“Now, let’s see about getting past the first date jitters.”
Charlie shifted in the seat and slouched just a bit. There was plenty of room in the back of the ‘67, and his knees didn’t even touch the front seat. He unconsciously rubbed the heel of his hand against the button fly of his jeans. Kassie Jean could tell her inhibition caused a reaction.
“Don’t worry about me. Close your eyes if it makes you more comfortable,” she purred.
Charlie’s eyes rolled a bit as his lids fluttered closed. He let a heavy breath escape his lungs and continued to rub his cock through his jeans. He was incredibly hard within seconds. Kassie Jean’s voice was like honey as she coached him.
“I bet that cock wants out. How about you undo those buttons?”
Charlie didn’t waste any time. The buttons were undone with one pull, and his cock stiffened harder once the night air touched it. He wrapped his hand slowly and deliberately over the head and continued the stroke downward.
“Now, doesn’t that feel better? Show me how you stroke that pretty cock.”
Charlie did exactly what was asked of him. He picked up the pace a bit, making sure his middle finger ran over the divot of his head. The fire it sent through his body was near unbearable.
“That’s a good boy. Faster, Charlie.”
His breathing was ragged. His face was flush. His hand tugged harder and faster. Within minutes he knew he would cum.
Kassie Jean read all the signs perfectly.
“So pretty. Cum for me Charlie.”
It was all the encouragement he needed. Charlie’s hips thrust forward as his hand came downward. The crippled cry that escaped his chest emphasized the intensity of his orgasm. The cum drenched his twitching cock and covered his hand. Three more hard thrusts and the last was spent. He slowed his breathing and his stroke and eventually opened his orgasm-drunk eyes.
Kassie Jean hadn’t moved. Her smile was unstoppable. The entire car smelled like sex.
“How’s those nerves?” she teased.
“Gone,” Charlie replied with a sideways smile.
“Good,” she said.
“Give me five minutes to change. I need a different shirt,” he laughed.
“Five minutes. Then I’ll meet you for the first time again.”
Charlie smiled. She was definitely going to be an adventure.

And So Its Watch Begins

There is a lonely island

Hosting a lonely soul 

That manages a lighthouse

Unchanging

Constant 

Making the rounds 

Cleaning the lens

Keeping the fire alive 

Not as a beacon 

But as a warning 

The lonely soul is an

Ugly creature

Far too ugly to see the day

And the lonely island is

Its undying death sentence 

chapterBooks

My mind needs the room

My heart needs the knots

My wrists only wear perfume

Turn the page 

Turn the page

Sleeping Beauty gets no rest

No peace 

When Laurent plays with boys 

Cleave

Bruised from the fall

Able to see the 

Neversummer 

In the shattered sky

Stuck in a world where

Healing arts are lost

Every step drives the broken glass

Deeper into my soul 

 

Doorbell

Death has come to call. 

Ignoring the door will not

Make him go away. 

TwitterShort Challenge 9

 

                Etienne couldn’t believe her ears. Grounded. And for what? Using a can of Raid and a Zippo as a flame thrower to get rid of some wasp nests? Clearly her mother would never understand her genius.

                This could not stand.

                Tonight was the third meeting of the Sage Stick Society. There was no chance she was missing it. She and the founding members were holding initiations tonight. She was expected to be there. No one in the super secret club would ever take her seriously again if she didn’t attend this meeting. 

                Etienne grabbed the broken Bulova pocket watch she picked up at a garage sale for two dollars and the remains of her half eaten chocolate Easter bunny and stuffed them into her backpack. Preparation was important when making a jail break, and rations would be crucial if she made it out. 

                She slowly opened her bedroom door and peered down the hall. She knew her little sister was already fast asleep in the bedroom directly across from hers. Getting to the stairs wouldn’t be a problem.  

                She slipped down the hall in her stocking feet and scampered down the stairs. Her parents were in the family room watching Paula Deen toss something around in an oversized salad bowl. Perfect. They were completely distracted by the TV.

                Etienne scuttled past the family room and into the main foyer. She caught her breath as the marble bust of Benjamin Franklin that rested on the corner of the piano seemed to stare her down all the way to the front door. No matter. Freedom was feet away.

                She ever so slowly turned the knob to the front door and pulled.

                There on the front porch was her little sister. 

                “MOOOOOOOOOOM!” Joni screamed.  “I TOLD YOU SHE WOULD TRY TO ESCAPE!!”

                Etienne gave Joni the death glare. 

                “Oh, Mother. This battle is yours. But the war shall be mine,” she vowed with clenched teeth as Mother grabbed her wrist and hauled her back to bed.

 

Exhaustion

It's not just a fork

In the road

It's the hundred forks before it

It's the blistered feet

And the soleless shoes 

It's the sunburnt skin

And the rain drenched clothes

It's the fear 

That if you stop to breathe 

You'll die

All The Degrees

The cry of a soul

As the sun burns 

And scalpels flay

And scraps are tossed 

To hungry wolves

The crush of a thousand truths

That finding each piece 

Seems impossible

Until

A pin prick of light 

And a whisper of promise

Makes it shift

The cry becomes 

One of joy instead 

The Coming Winter

***Author's note: The following is an original piece submitted for Anna Meade's Midsummer Night's Dream Writing Contest. Be sure to click the link and see what other fantastic stories await!***

                I awoke with a kiss. Strange. I didn’t even remember falling asleep.

                And yet there she was. Gigging like a bubbling brook.

                The fayr stood a handful of steps away from me. Her oversized hands covered much of her face, leaving just the twinkling blue of her eyes exposed. Her rich blonde curls bounced as she laughed. The wrap dress was torn and dirty, but her skin looked like honeyed cream.

                I shook my head to clear the daydreams away. My mane tossed about as I stretched my wings and put hoof to ground. Since I was only a yearling Pegasus, we stood nearly eye to eye, she and me.

                “I found you!” She squealed. “Let’s play! Follow me!” She took off skipping down a foot path that trailed to the lake. The scent of the blue bonnets and lavenders begged me to follow her.

                I shook my tail and set off bounding behind her, determined to return the tag she’d placed on me. We tagged back and forth until we reached the lake. Playing made me thirsty, and the water was clear and inviting. I drank deeply until I felt the violent pain of something piercing my lung and driving into my heart. My last vision was of the peaceful lake, and my ears rung with her childish laughter.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                “You promised me the wings, Atcheton.”

                “That I did, wicked fayr,” the troll said with disdain. He hated making bargains with lesser beings. But the summer had been a hot one, and his crops burned in the unrelenting sun. Winter would be hard if food couldn’t be secured. “Next time bring me a bigger one. The yearling are tender, but there’s barely enough meat for two days.”

                The Fayr smiled innocently and gathered her treasure, eager to attach them to her dirty dress. “That will cost you more than just some wings, Troll.”



 

Afraid

Poor little dove 

Caught in the hunter's net

Wings beat unto exhaustion 

Starved and lonely

Too tired to cry

To watch it die would be a shame

And yet to save it invites it's bite

A choice to be made 

And the countdown starts

Because a split second

May make the difference 

brokenWing

At the end of the world

Is a ledge

To no where

When the crowds behind you surge

Because they do not see or care

And there comes a mighty shove 

Close your eyes and pretend you're flying

And then the dark won't 

Scare you 

Gravity

The crush of

Of your weight 

Lean in a little harder

I can still breathe

My feet are still under me

My vision isn't blurred

Kill me quick 

Or not at all

digitalOceans

Handwritten 

Scrawling script

The confession of a thousand feelings

The circumstantial evidence of a soul

Stuffed into an envelope 

Rolled into a bottle 

Thrown into an ocean

If it finds a home

And connects with one other person

The words were worth it  

The Binding Irons

The corporeal prison hosting 

An internal battle 

My trap

Understanding what I know and 

Fearing what I feel

And the inability to reconcile 

Soul and mind

Leaves me here

On broken rocks

Unable to escape 

The incoming tide

I'm not sure 

I want to move 

Even to save my life

Display

The courage 

To step forward

Praying to be chosen

Allowing them to see you

The slave trader's stage is 

A terrifying place 

Nothing is hidden

Everything exposed

And snap judgements

Decide the course

Of a life 

equalMatch

Is it your soft groan

Is it my flushed cheeks

That turns your eyes into smoke

Is it the things you do to me

Is it the things I do for you

That make you want more

The knots

The bindings

All just for show

When it's really the invisible leash

That connects my soul to yours

The lock and key complete

Only as a set 

flightPath

Time flies

Not smooth and crisp

Like a hawk's journey 

But disjointed and erratic

Like a butterfly

Bouncing here 

Jerking there

Dependent on 

Time spent near you 

The Grand Fade

The wood is dark

The noises frightening 

I don't dare leave my cave

This is my new home now 

No search parties

No tracking dogs

I left without telling a soul

And I know I won't be missed

Lust v Love

Similar but not the same

Intense 

Powerful 

Able to create or destroy

Capable of generating tears or laughter

Crushingly

Blindingly 

Beautiful 

And I walk forward

With one foot on each side

Of the Red Line

Embracing both

And fearing neither

The Abandoned

Rain soaked and heart sick

No end in sight 

For the downpour 

No shelter

For the battered spirit

No way to get

Back to home

Back to you 

castleFloor

On my knees for thirty minutes now

One snap for each minute

Naked and exhausted

The Punishment falls from my hand

The fireplace scorches my front 

To match my broken back

Torn flesh so numb 

I can't feel the rivulets of blood 

Pooling at my feet

But for thirty split seconds 

I felt 

Alive

Apothecary

All of the years shared

And I'm still discovering

The magic of you.

languageBarrier

There were no words I understood

But his intent was clear

Slight corrections 

Small manipulations

Tiny marks left as reminders

Of a session 

In a foreign land 

Without leaving home

The Longest Night

I crawl into bed,

Whisper I love you, and wait

For you to join me. 

Hunt(ed)

Jagged-toothed and snarling

Hot foam dripping from bloody teeth 

The Ugly comes for us all

And no salt or iron

Daylight or stake

Can stop the darkness 

From swallowing souls

At breakneck pace 

Run 

If you think it will do any good

But when it chases faster than thought

You'll find it waiting for you

Around every corner

Ink

There is a heart

Full of tattoos

Words written 

That tear

That mend

That break

That bind

Story after story

Marked on a heart

Tucked away 

Where no one sees

Mirage

There is a lost key

To an unknown lock

For a hidden treasure 

The reckless have searched 

With no clues to guide them

The unobservant have 

Walked past every day

But the treasure is patient

The lock can be understood 

And the key is nearly found 

sprungLocks

That tipping point where

Turning the key won't allow

You to stay the same 

swiftBoat

Flash and bang

Over and under 

Restlessness sets in

Give and take

Open and close

The love across the sea waiting

To claim my soul

Eyes that branded my heart

Never letting go 

The Ghost of You

It's inescapable 

Your face is everywhere 

Haunting words 

And blurry memories

Of time shared

Intense eyes 

Reflected in every face

I'm waiting for the haunting to end

And the possession to begin 

Frame

Flash

And gone

The photo created

Locked in time

A frozen moment

Burned into my soul 

It brings tears

Of longing

Of joy

Of overwhelming isolation

My only decoration

In my forgotten cage 

While I wait for the Maestro

To call his muse

Covet

In she walks

Emerald eyes and

Olive skin

Hair the color of holly

I'm tied to this chair

There is no escape 

She's prettier than you she taunts

She's smarter too

Shut up I yell

I already know

You gonna keep letting her win

Yes

Why

Because I don't deserve to be happy

Damn right you don't

She walks in circles 

In and out of line of sight

But I know she's always there

Because I can feel my soul

Turning green

Doll on a Shelf

Broken and remade

Perfect waves of ecstasy 

Over an imperfect beach

Winds whipping a fire

That never stops 

And the soothing balm

Of words spoken only

With eyes 

Pearl

There she was

Propped up against the tree

Abandoned and forgotten

Her clothes were tattered

And her face was dirty

But I'll take home this

Lost doll

And make her shine 

Be Still

Facedown

Splayed like a bear skin rug

I'll make every inch of you sing

Leather kisses

And velvet caresses

And if you move

It stops 

shutterRelease

I keep a picture 

Close to me

One single image 

That makes me smile

That causes my heart

To break like waves over rocks

A smile that looks back at me

And makes me weep

One picture that has spawned

A hundred fantasies

And a thousand more images

Burned into my soul

Below

Sulfur and salt

Torn and bruised

An afterthought 

Immersed in fire

Nothing left behind but

Strangled dreams

Declaration

Desperate times

Call for equal measures

Send the ravens

Send them all

Send the news far and wide

Find her for me

Bring her soul back to mine 

Let none rest until 

Our hearts are rejoined 

whiteLies

Hours spent writing 

Hand written letters

Just to be tossed in the fire

Words converted to 

Ones and Zeros 

And deleted with a single click

The staggering amount of time

Spent face to face with pleasant smiles

Hiding our thoughts

When someone may feel

The same

Rage

Love

Disdain

Apathy

Frustration

Lonely 

Fearful

And none of us will ever know

Love's Autopsy

Beyond naked

Skin peeled back

Insides exposed 

On this cold steel table

He's looking for a heart

I gave away years ago

The tattoo on my wrist

The only clue

To where it now lives

The Vambrace

I know it's there

Without seeing it

The scent of old leather and oil 

Makes my heart race 

I'm prepared for a storm

And for you to unleash hell 

Tribute

Come and curl yourself

At my feet 

Keep me content and 

Entwine our desires

Daybreak

The little piece of me

That's tied to you

Fragile as spider's silk

In constant tension

And in fear of being broken

Yet it's my favorite part 

Of a web

When the sun catches morning dew

And throws its rainbow

Across my soul

desireStar

That wish hurled at a star

How do you know

If it lands there

Rehashing dreams 

Silently praying 

Trusting the cosmos with

Your heart 

Hope

Glowing lights at a

Long tunnel's focal point

It could be my end

Maybe a beginning

Maybe it's just a wish that 

Escaped the dark

Racing from the demon behind me

Whistler

Bend me

Try to break me

Do your best

It's harder than you think 

Leather gives 

Where chains would bind

Winds that wrench an oak

Make the willow dance

And I hear a song

In the storm 

starDust

What is the tipping point

Of feeling and knowing 

Realizing the depth of 

The soul's deception

Hearts tossed to the wind

Left to fend for themselves 

Escaping only when

Scars are exposed and

Stars go dark 

Wake

Hearing the wind 

Echo through the trees

Allows my mind to wander

Reality dims a bit

Time slows

And I can dream

Colors unseen

Hating that when it's over

Everything resets to grey

Target

When life is too much 

And I feel I'm not enough 

Your X hits the spot 

Tank

Grey skies 

And the rain won't stop 

The water keeps rising 

My glass box turns into

A sanctuary of sorts 

A prison of sorts

My crippling fear of

Not breathing 

Keeps me here 

Since there is no hero

On the horizon 

The Zone

Body and soul

Total possession

The rhythm that can't be stopped

I give in to the

Demands over and over

And finally feel the relief

That comes with

Complete surrender 

Radiation

Not just a breath

But every one I take 

Not just a moment 

But each one that has passed

Not just a feeling

But all of them at once

This is my whirlwind

This is my world

Since you took my hand

140 Proof

Just one more drink

Until the numbness comes

Stake my heart and 

Tattoo my skin

Iron shackles start to

Feel like home 

I implore the darkness to 

Embrace my soul and 

Defend the broken pieces 

Extraction

No

No anesthetic

I want to feel the cuts

There is less feeling the 

Deeper you slice anyway

I want to watch the ugliness

As its carved out like a cancer

Until all my nerve endings

Have been removed 

And there is 

Nothing left but numb

Howls

Black Dog says: Let go. 

You will never be "enough"

To keep what you want. 

Sunken

My days are spent 

Thinking I'm unloved

Nights pass while I believe

I'm unwanted

Billions of people

And not a single pair of eyes

Willing to turn my way

I'm lost treasure

No one is looking for

Buried by a sandy blanket 

TwitterShort Challenge 8

 

                “I’ll send a postcard,” the Vanisher said.  “After that, you have ten hours. If you don’t walk when I show up, your window is gone.” 

                My heart was racing as the thought of escape finally seemed within reach.

                “Deal.” I immediately handed him the eighteen thousand dollars I had been hiding.

                After five tense weeks of waiting, a postcard from Pike’s Peak showed up in our mailbox. “Your great-aunt Nina is traveling again,” Levi said with disdain as he flung the postcard towards me like a Frisbee. 

                T-minus ten hours

                My mind was hard to calm. I wondered what kind of magic would be used to get me out of here. Boiling cauldrons with dwarf root, a box of frogs, and a lucky rabbit’s foot? No matter. I didn’t care. I unconsciously touched my cheek bone to feel that the swelling had gone down. The bruise wouldn’t be far behind. But it didn’t matter. I had a future.

                When Levi finally passed out from painkillers and gin, I gathered the few things I could carry with me for my escape. In the kitchen junk drawer, between the silly straws and the Elmer’s glue, was a pocket knife. I jammed it into my front jean pocket and raced up the stairs. I threw a few clothes into a tattered laundry basket. Knowing time was running short, I hustled as fast as I dared without making too much noise. My hand was on the ornate glass doorknob to our house when I realized there was one last cathartic thing I’d forgotten to do.

                I put the laundry basket on the travertine of the foyer and headed for his study. There was Levi’s beautiful antique hurdy-gurdy. I raised the beautiful inlaid wood instrument above my head and brought it down as hard as I could on the mahogany floor. It was instantaneously reduced to thousands of splinters. The noise should have alerted him. It didn’t. 

                I grabbed the basket and sprinted down the driveway. 

                The Vanisher was there, just as he’d promised. 

                “Your necklace,” he said when I entered the van.

                “What?” I replied as I brought my hand up to my throat.

                “You’re gonna have to give me your necklace.”

                “Oh. Right, right.” I unclasped the honeybee necklace made of jet and gold that Levi expected me to wear at all times. I’d grown so used to it that I had forgotten it was there. The simple task of removing the delicate thing made it feel as if a pallet of bricks had been removed from my shoulders. I gave the Vanisher the trinket and looked back out the window one last time. A single silver birch leaf that hadn’t given in to winter’s grasp finally let go. Every tree from our yard was finally bare. 

                The metaphor was unsettling.

 

                

 

Screech

Unsure footing

Doubtful thoughts

I don't know I'm beautiful

Unless you tell me

Because my mirror lies 

My demons roar

Ugliness 

Only your voice 

Is louder than theirs

Cat5

Howls and blows

Wicked and ugly

The storm that rolls through

My soul

Blackened clouds match

My blackened heart

Winds shred trees and hope

And I'm left to drown

In the deluge 

And Lucifer Laughs

Deep in the hell pit

Everyone turns away

Forsaken heart

Empty mind

Abandoned soul

There is no cavalry

Escape is impossible

Death is inevitable 

mercuryBlack

Finally able 

To let the drug do its work

Content to let the fuzzy

Eat at my brain 

I barely have time 

To pull out the needle 

Before your world melts

And mine rushes in

Colorless

Odorless

Beautiful

Peaceful

Playing chicken with

A dark-winged angel

Leap

Flying or falling 

The wind screams in my ears 

Eyes blinded by tears

Breath stolen

It seems I've been suspended for years

Still waiting to hit bottom 

absoluteZero

Still frozen

This dungeon that never thawed

Where is the sun

And the warm breeze

That promises spring

I'm stuck in a 

Forever winter

Animation suspended

Growth stunted 

Frostbite taking over

And death shall follow 

The Whole of Me

Just something in my eye

Nothing to look at here

Could be just a word or two

Made my heart swell 

And eyes overflow 

It's a temporary thing

A small speck of something

Making my eyes water

An allergic reaction

To kindness

missedOpportunity

The train left hours ago

I just can't bring myself

To leave this bench 

I watched it roll away

Tears fell as it took

My hopes and heart with it

I just don't have the strength

To leave this station 

So I wait for the next one 

And pray my legs find 

Strength to stand 

The Green in Her Heart

Eyes and jealousy

Invader's manifesto

You can stay 

If you follow the rules

Stay and watch 

Greens turn to blues

Then red

Then black

Because staying is a quick death

While leaving is a slow one 

It's a rare moment

To be able to choose your demise 

Color Me Cariad

Go ahead

Claim what's yours

Make me your darling

Your sweet

Your beloved

Paint me as your lover

Your confidant

Your friend

Take me as your heart

Your soul

Your everything 

The Porch

Rocking comfortably

Back and forth 

Easy breezes

Soft honeysuckle

The sunset is beautiful

I close my eyes

Exhale

And don't breathe in again 

TwitterShort Challenge 7

                We went to the museum about once a month. Hector would hold my hand as we rushed from display to display, his boyhood eagerness for knowledge hurrying his steps. Everything here was scavenged from the surface.  He would laugh and point at the lampshade embroidered with a picture of a camel. His eyes would shine at the pictures of elephants and turtles and tigers. He reenacted casting a fishing line when he saw the fishing rod and tackle. His cheeks would color when we walked past the mannequins dressed in shimmery negligees and ladies’ dresses. He would talk about how one day he’d drive as fast as he could when we saw the windshield wiper and driver’s side door from an old car. 

                I followed Hector as he darted back and forth between exhibits. Suddenly, he stopped and looked at me. “MeeMaw, what is your favorite thing here?” he asked. It was difficult to choose, but I always seemed drawn to the one that held the old Avon lady carpet bag. There were pictures and trinkets reminiscent of a much, much simpler time placed in beautiful glass cases. But knowing he would not understand nostalgia so much, I got a small bit of mischief in my eye and said, “YOU are!”

                Hector laughed and raced ahead. He was headed for his favorite display. The one with the most tragic of stories. His cheerful mood grew solemn as he approached. “Tell me about the Million and One MeeMaw.”

                The skull in the jar was a brutal reminder of the tragedies that happened after the earthquake. There were hundreds of tokens left in tribute to those who died. Scattered around the jar were bottles of rum and tequila, a child’s small plastic bracelet, and candles in various colors and heights. There was even an old twenty dollar bill printed in 2008. 

                When the earthquake happened, the leaking radiation proved the surface was not a viable living option. Half the population went underground. The other half took to the skies. Some chose not to deal at all. 

                On the wall behind the shrine were a million and one names carved into the stone. These people who died were not just poetically just mercy killings of someone with a broken heart. These were people who did not want to move forward. They drank a poison and had their remains cremated. The last fleet of blimps to leave the surface took the ashes and scattered them throughout the land in the hopes that the soil would once again be fertile.

                “How long until we can go to the Surface, MeeMaw? ”

                “I’m not sure, Lovie. Now, how about we go home and play some catch with your wiffle ball while your Mommy finishes lunch?”

                Hector grabbed my hand. We exited the museum and started down the tunnels for home.