“What are you doing here?” I didn't want to hear this question so I never went back home. There were never smiley faces or open arms waiting when I got back. It was always that question. Pushing my glasses

They say we're a product of our choices. I think that notion is wrong. I've made all the good choices I can think of for my daughter. I had Shirley when I was sixteen, she was all blue eyes and wild, mahogany

It was easier to blame everyone else. But himself. Oh if only his daddy hadn't left when he was three. If only his mom hadn't gotten married to that stone-faced man who he could never please. If only his

I try my best to be the definition of perfect. Personally, I'd have preferred to be this chill guy in sweatshirts and baggy jeans that rode to work everyday on his bicycle, earphones plugged in. But because

She never thought she'd see the sun again. Well, not literally. She just didn't think things could get better because all they've done is get worse over the years. She grabs a bottle of milk out of the

She never wanted to be a mother. At least not yet. Gulping down another cup of coffee, Maria grits her teeth as the heat from the cup burns her tongue. She'd told Mark that she wanted to be a career woman,

Tears. They stung the back of her eyes until she couldn't pretend to be adjusting her artificial lashes anymore. One slid down the corner of her right eye, trailing her chubby cheek and stopping only at

Nine months ago, he became an Ex-Pat. Jimmy pulled out a cigarette stick from his breast pocket, lighting it up and watching smoke unfurl from its tip like a dancing ghost. For the umpteenth time that

It's a blessing to be the most beautiful girl in your community. Or it's supposed to be. All my life I've grown up to be regarded as a doll, an artifact which people fawn over and adore. I know it sounds

They lit bonfires every year but for her, it was never enough. Margaret Cole blows into her handkerchief, exhaling softly through her nose. They were more than heroes, they were legends. And to think she

This land is a wasteland. I don't say so metaphorically. It's indeed now a large expanse of ash and dust. The grounds, once supple with green earth and flowing streams, are now cracked and baked dry. The

The wind shrieks in agony. Justin McBride closes a finger over his tragus, his teeth grinding against his jaw in futile attempt to block out the relentless agony. Six months. That's how long his team was

The mic. The stage. The audience. The thud-thud rhythm that echoes from your heart to the ears just as a familiar name, your name is announced. You can feel tiny beads of perspiration trickling from your

I chuckled first when I saw the headline. I know the algorithm knew I would be interested in it because I had just finished watching Straw. A movie recently released by Tyler Perry. It is no longer a new

I’ve been a die-hard Roald Dahl fan ever since I read Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Like all true fans, I went hunting for his other works, and one of my top favourites has to be George’s

I don't remember the first impression I had of him because I was seeing quite a good number of people the first day I resumed. The closest I came to taking a good look at him was during our first company

It was my 30th day on the job, the day i get to meet Mr macoroni, i had wotrn my best fit and had braided my hair, packed it into a tight bun and my stomach was in the pits of the earth, because despite

I've always had a thing for reading old books, the kind that have a quiet depth and leave you sitting in silence with yourself. So when a friend recommended Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin, I did not

The corridors echoed with Eleanor's hurried footsteps as she practically ran through the ancient stone hallways. Her boots, old and scuffed from months of use, made soft slapping sounds against the cold

I have a lot of items I hold close to my heart, but if I were to pick four of my favorites, I would choose my trusty journal, my purse, my ring, and my novels. All of which are very important in who I