Tap. Tap Tap. I heard it but was trapped in that foggy, disorienting state between sleep and consciousness. A voice inside my head kept urging me to wake up even though my eyelids weighed heavily, fighting me. Finally, they fluttered open, and I strained to make out the outline of my bedroom in the darkness. Tap. Tap. There it was again – that subtle rapping. I lay motionless, waiting, still struggling to clear my brain f...

"Ready?" Ali asked with excitement as she looked out of the passenger window as they pulled up in front of their new house. Scott looked over at his wife and gave her knee a little squeeze. "Yep, we finally made it. It'll be a long couple of days getting all of this crap unloaded though. I'm already exhausted from the drive." "Well, good thing you got your brother to help out, then!" Ali replied, her giddiness continuing...

Chapter 2: Admittance   Kelsey pulled her car up alongside the little gravel clearing that existed outside the east side of Licension Manor. She was surprised to see hers was the only car there and not for the first time she thought about just ignoring the invitation and the party. The incident with Helen still burned inside her. All she had felt was regret at ruining the moment – there was no satisfaction in denying her...

Nearly twenty years of aging appeared on Samantha’s seventeen-year-old face and her blonde hair was turning gray, but she was oblivious. The only thing on her mind was how much Lori was a good friend sticking with her when her two other, shallow, scaredy-cat friends and classmates were screaming and backing away. Then again, Lori being the quiet girl didn’t have many friends anyway, so where would she go? So, Lori remaine...

My name is Vanessa. I am a thirty-year-old woman who recently lost her beloved husband to a war overseas. I recently moved to Washington state to this old house in the country, which was previously owned by an elderly woman who, can I say is a shut-in. She was getting down on her health as I understood it and went to live with her daughter. For this reason, she sold the house really cheap, about one-hundred-and-fifty gran...

I was dating an older woman from work. She was in her late thirties and had a long term boyfriend. I was in my early twenties and her relationship was in its dying days. I was single and easily convinced. It started on e-mail at work, back before e-mails were checked by IT nazis. We flirted, swapped stories and then shared lunches and swapped lingering glances. She drove me home after work one day and was immediately upfr...

Tina worked in our data processing division. She always looked and conducted herself as the total professional who was dedicated to her job. Some of her co-workers dubbed her a cold fish, but I always felt they read her wrong. Since it always seemed that we had our lunch at the same time I attempted to break the ice by starting a conversation, and she responded. After a few weeks of polite conversation in the lunchroom I...

‘So this is it,’ I thought. I stood in the moonless night, pensively staring up at the so-called haunted house. Evenafter all these years, it was still an impressive structure. Built in the late Eighteen Nineties, thefour-story house still had all the hallmarks of a great home. Detailed woodwork adorned thelarge covered entrance and marched its way across the brick façade, while large multi-panedwindows offered views of t...

Can’t seem to find the answer I search so deeply for Peace is a hard fought dream A recurring circle I am running in These struggles tear me from within Baring pieces of me I want to hide from Yet you see me Right through the pain The level of shame Staining my reflection I look upon Wish I could use your senses To taste this skin I am Forced to be within Maybe then I would see the light At the end of this tunnel I am so...

I watch you – breaking at the bendHurting more than you’ll ever let me seeI feel your heart breaking in front of meAs your face masks it all All I can do is be a witness – sitting on the sidelinesTaking in all of your self-destructive waysSurprised I don’t wear scars on my faceFrom the tears I always seem to taste Cause I am right here – feeling you – even thoughYou think you’re on an islandAll alone and strandedIt’s as i...

I looked at the broken floor below me, realizing that I was an idiot. This wasn't something any sane person would do. In fact, anyone with a measurable amount of common sense wouldn't have come near a place full of rusted metal and broken floors. Looking across the way, the small kitten stared at me, almost as if he were mocking me. "I hate cats," I muttered to myself. And I did. I had never liked them. They were like tin...