Lights blinded me. I swerved out of the way, hoping to avoid a crash when the car flew over the cliff’s edge. I was airborne and then darkness consumed me. I woke, the smell of gasoline; metal pressed against my chest; fire. I struggled to break free. I wanted to live. But when I looked … Continue reading Rear-View Mirror
Author: optimisticauthor10
Time to Leave
It was the right time to leave. The bedroom was mostly empty, the floor cleared enough to see the color of the carpet. From beneath the bed, he could hear the girl packing what she might need in a small duffel bag. She was leaving for Army boot camp and didn’t need much. He’d been … Continue reading Time to Leave
Hemlock
His sapience was proclaimed by the Oracle at Delphi, yet he claimed ignorance. He said, I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think. The gadfly of Athens, Socrates drank the hemlock willingly because a true philosopher does not fear death. Even today, we mourn the loss. This was written as part of … Continue reading Hemlock
Living Fearlessly
The ropes set up for the morning’s descent slid across the glass windows of the Kodak Tower as tiny butterflies of anxiety fluttered in Kathy’s stomach. She stepped back, wondering whether this was a good idea, the harness and carabiners making her movements awkward. She’d never rappelled down anything, much less a building in downtown … Continue reading Living Fearlessly
Celebrating Success
Attached is a news article written about Trond Hildahl, someone who I feel very fortunate to call friend, co-writer, organizer, encourager, beta reader and supervising editor. Thanks to his coordinating efforts, a group of us pulled together and created the anthology "Writings to Stem Your Existential Dread". Incredibly, he still has the energy and drive … Continue reading Celebrating Success
Goals
After reading through a discussion in my online writing group, I've decided it's time for me to write the novel that's been bouncing around in my head for the last ten years. I don't want to be the person who says "I thought about writing a book" or "I had a great idea, but never … Continue reading Goals
Mom
I call my mother every day around 9:00 AM whether it's during the week or on the weekend. I often call her, but after my dad passed away, it became more of a routine. In fact, I look forward to it even though we don’t often have a lot to talk about. She lives in … Continue reading Mom
