"what

are you doing?"

"drawing"

"that's not drawing"

"yes it is"

"scribbling obscenities on a piece of paper isn't drawing"

"it's a form of art; i'm expressing myself"

"if that's how you express yourself, you have problems"

"i don't have problems"

"but look at what you're drawing"

"i don't know what you're talking about"

"it's all obscenities"

"yes, yes it is"

"people don't do that"

"i just did, and i'm a person"

"that's debatable"

"all because i wrote a few swears on a sheet of paper?"

"you're so obscene. what happened to you"

"i grew up"

"grew up into this? impossible"

"well, i grew up near you, doesn't that stand for something"

"no"

"thanks"

----

"in the world of today, i rate it a 2"

"what the fuck"

" i rate the present world a 2"

"why a two? because of the japan-earthquake?"

"first off, japan is a country known for earthquakes. so this one was stronger, they'll come back from it. they just have to clean up. they'll be fine"

"okay, so what else?"

"i am really kinda disappointed in the scientific discoveries lately"

"why?"

"i haven't heard of any"

----

"what's wrong?"

"eh?"

"what's. wrong"

"oh. uh. i dyed my hair today"

"so you did. any reason why?"

"nope"

"so, why multi-coloured?"

"rainbow's a nice colour"

"so why the sad face?"

"i have cancer"

"WHAT?"

"yeah. got diagnosed around noon"

"oh my god i am so sorry for you"

"why?"

"what?"

"why are you sorry?"

"that's terrible news!"

"no it's not"

"what?"

"i'm secretly suicidal. i can finally die without having to do it myself. my funeral won't be as depressing"

"that's a terrible thing to say! and suicidal? you should talk to a trust adult"

"that won't work"

"why not?"

"i'm already an adult in societies eyes"

---

"how are you feeling?"

"like that cat that crossed the road on it's 9th life"

------

"why do you have so many buttons on your backpack?"

"so people i leave behind can see what i'm leaving them for"

-------

"why don't you ever listen to me?"

"you have nothing worth listening too"

"don't talk to me like that"

"i'll just keep thinking like this then"

"you'll never get into college with your grades"

"that's okay, i'll survive on the streets"

"you're born upper-middle class. you'll never survive"

"i'll make it"

"how?"

"i'll prostitute my words out"

Let's be here.

It's not until you stop to ask yourself if you're really happy that you actually start being sad.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I'm not sad.
I'm not sad.
I'm not sad.
I'm not sad.
I'm not sad.
I'm not sad.
I'm not sad.
I'm just exaggerating.
~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~
"Smile, honey. Just smile. Really. It could be worse. You've been through harder times. Just smile-"
"Don't tell me to smile."
"Then don't frown."
"Let my mouth do whatever the hell it wants."
"I can't stand to see you sad."
"I'm not sad."
"Then why don't you smile?"
"I'm not happy."
"Doesn't that mean you're sad?"
"It doesn't mean anything."
~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~
She looked at the stars on the the ground
Spread vertically
Up and down

She knew that when the sun came up
The stars would be gone
and in their places would be a favela

But for now
She would just wish upon them
Ignore the truth behind their shine.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I'll never forgive you if you jump."
"I won't forgive myself if I don't."
"Please, I'm begging you. Don't leave me here alone."
"You don't need me here, it's not doing anything good for you."
"Please. Please. Please, I need you. I can't. I can't stay here without you."
"Then you better jump after me."

She jumped
Into a sea of happiness
Joyful waves crashing into stones of satisfaction
The wind turning over a thousand new leaves.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Take a dive into life.

Why The World Is Wrong

why would anyone choose to be different.

it's all nice and fine to say 'oh well I love being different'.
but no one really does.

those bug eyed stares.
the snickers behind your back.
the amazement of seeing something so strange.

I hate being different.
everyday I look at what I see in the mirror and spew hate at it.
I hate everything that I am.
being different isn't good.
it's just another vice that someone can twist to warp you.

so yes.
I am different.

but I wish everyday that I wasn't.
but who would choose to be so different in a world that is so reactionary.
a world that refuses to move into the future.
I know I wouldn't.

this is the world I am forced to know.
we are all forced to know.
this xenophobic homophobic cainotophobic existance.
it isn't pretty.

is it wrong for me to want to be normal?
to be average?
maybe.
maybe not.

perhaps difference is synonymous with bravery.
that being different, or allowing ones self to be, is progressive.
beneficial for the future.

then again,
maybe being different is a curse.
and we're all designated for a fiery existance in the pits of hell.
or new york city.

is it worth it?
this constant ridicule, pain, hatred?

I don't think so.

but then again,
I have no choice in the matter.

Espresso Stories, 3/6/11

"The most basic rule is that they're just a sentence or two, totalling 25 words or less. Less hard-and-fast - but equally vital - are a theme, plot, characters, and narrative development. Everything you'd see in any good story - but short enough to fit into the time it takes to reach the bottom of that bitter little cup, as you ponder on how even the briefest experiences can make life more meaningful." (You can read more at http://espressostories.com/.) Some of ours are admittedly a little long, but here are our collective attempts:


When Maria came back, the stain had moved to under the chair.
--

She pushed each seed into the still-cold dirt, wondering how many more she had to plant before enough of them bloomed to choke the weeds out from her heart.

--

Their eyes met across the dusty road and with each step they took, another car blasted them apart.
--
Amy kicked back the last shot of alcohol, grimacing. The night was long, the party was far from over, and it was better for all involved if she spend it drunk.
--
Bridgette glanced awkward around the retirement center and held her breathe silently as they slowly shuffled past, vowing to kill herself before she got to this stage.
--
Roger knew then and there that he had never been so happy in his ninety-seven years as he had in that moment, Lois' age-spotted hand on his knee, asleep in her wheelchair parked by his bedside.
--
they didn't give her hair until they had to prepare her for the wake--twenty three hours after she stopped breathing, and twenty-three months after she stopped living.
--
"Nice cowboy hat, loser!" But Gary merely tipped his hat at the boys in the corner, winked, and kept dancing.
--
even as her last breathe was stolen by his magical lips the last thing he said was swallowed by the dirt as he hit the ground running.
--
The little girl swallowed the last of her cherry-flavored popsicle, absentmindedly chewing at the juice-stained stick as she sat in the back of the car, watching the hospital smear past the car window like fingerpaint. Today was a good day.


--Lynn, Patti, and Christie