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Saturday, December 29, 2012

The Arrival of Greed

"Greed" by ShadowOfWar


To wrap up a week of posting, I present the first two pages of the new book I've been working on (a sequel to Shattered Lies).

Of course, everything I've written so far is subject to change by the time of release, but I thought this scene might be worth sharing.

Here is Stolen Promises. Enjoy!


_____________________________________________




May, 2011



            Darkness in every direction. Pictured walls enclose the scene. Silence should claim the night, but a clamor erupts from the living room as a man of average height stuffs a small silver clock into a black bag. Upstairs, a family sleeps, and he hopes not to wake them.
Tip-toe. Tip-toe. He slinks to the kitchen. A cabinet opens and silver utensils are easily stuffed in with the clock. The thief smiles a wide grin and opens the liquor cabinet to his right. Out, he pulls a bottle of Jack Daniels. With the ease of a veteran, he removes the cap and takes a swig. “Honey,” he whispers, “one day daddy’ll be with ya.” His smile falls as he stares at the whiskey once more before taking another, long drink.
“And, what do you think you’re doing?” comes a woman’s voice from inside the kitchen. The thief jumps, almost dropping his drink.
“Who’s there?!” he asks with shock. His dark-brown eyes peer through the blackness and catch the outline of a curvy figure. Shoving the whiskey back onto the cabinet shelf, he pulls a switchblade from his pocket. As the blade shoots out from its casing, a light switch is flipped, temporarily blinding the man.
With a groan, his eyes slowly adjust, revealing marble counter-tops  a large fridge, and a woman in her twenties. His face twists in surprise as he stares at the half-naked woman. A black, leather bra covers her large chest, and short-shorts of similar fashion cover her below. The bright light of the lamp overhead causes her pure-white skin to glow, her deep-red hair to shine brilliantly, and her green eyes to pop seductively behind her black eye-liner.
Seeing the half-smile on her face, the man is practically compelled to take a step forward. Yet, even as his feet move and his knife drops, his mind can’t grasp why. “Wh-Who’re you?” he stutters.
“Me?” she asks coyly, stepping toward him. “Why are you worried about who I am?” She places wraps her arms around his neck and presses her body against him. Once more, he’s compelled to move, his hands finding their way to her bare waist. Her skin is cold to the touch. A shiver shoots up his spine. “Shouldn’t you be worrying about Aza?” She kisses him hard upon the lips, just as a scream of agony escapes his mouth. He struggles against her. His closed fists pound at her side, but she only pulls him in tighter and tighter…until she feels a bulge in his pants and the life leave his body.
His body drops to the floor as she back away. A single, deep gash runs from his lumbar through his brain stem  Crimson runs away from his body, staining the floor.
“You’re lucky he dropped the knife, you know?” Malice frowns. “Even a weakling like him could’ve caused some serious damage to little ol’ me.”
“Right…like demons actually feel pain,” Alex states coldly as he steps over the carved thief, wiping the blood from his knife. The white mask upon his face covers all but his eyes and mouth. It and the long coat he wears are stained red by his recent victim.
“Oh, I guarantee you we feel a lot more than just pain.” She winks. Alex laughs lightly with a smirk.
“I’m sure. Just wait until we get home.”
“Oh?” She clings to his arm as they start for the exit. “What’re you gonna do to me?”
“Hello?” chimes a voice from behind them. Alex turns to see a tween girl in the kitchen doorway. “Who are you people?” Alex nudges Malice as he turns back to the exit. A small shriek escapes into the air. “Wh-Who’s that? What’d you do to him?”
“Should I stop her?” Malice whispers with a smile.
“No, leave her,” Alex responds. Hard footsteps retreat into the house. “We didn’t come for her.”

Friday, December 28, 2012

Fall Out


This next piece is a short free-write from yesterday.


"Looking Down"


Look out toward the world
Subtract the lines
Subtract the colors
Remove the air
And the Earth

All I know is falling
Through time
Through space
To nowhere
But my death

Oblivion starts today
            Forever starts tomorrow
            All of life ends tomorrow
                        If Fate is believable
                        Or luck is on my side





Fate drives me.

~Chris

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Bells


"Solo of Bells In Autumn" by Viv Leoni



At Ohio State, a bell tower stands near the center of campus. Every hour, it rings out beautifully through the air.

A few days ago, I walked through downtown Cincinnati with my dad and heard the same type of bells. The purity of such sounds is marvelous, and I'm truly surprised I haven't written something about them sooner.




"En la hora..."


Bells toll in the distance
Another hour has passed

Ding-dong
Ding-dong
Ding-dong
Ding-dong

Life flies with the time
No doubt could ever enter

An hour closer to death
But an hour still alive…
            …Nonetheless.

Ding-dong
Ding-dong
Ding-dong
Ding-dong

The clear sound brings tears
To eyes that’ve lived the hour

To the future all terrors flee
Forth through time…
            …The bells toll.

Ding-dong
Ding-dong
Ding-dong
Ding-dong






Fate drives me.

~Chris

One Last Word About Christmas

Yes, Christmas is over, but late stories are better than no stories at all!

I had a pretty decent Christmas. Good food, good music, and a family less shattered than usual all helped to make it special. I hope everyone had a similar experience. After all, Christmas is supposed to be a happy day, right?

Anyways, here's one last post about Christmas to hold you over for another 364 days. 

I hope you enjoy it and keep coming back each day for more poetry and stories from the eyes of Alex Arlington.


Photo by Kristen Nicholl



“Regalos para mi”

“Merry Christmas!” she shouts.  My step mother stares at me with hopeful  eyes while my father plays with a new gadget on the couch. She slides a large box across the floor to me.
Bright-red wrapping paper with green stripes and a sparkling blue bow; all I can manage to do is stare at it. If there’s a hidden secret to this mysterious box, I haven’t caught it yet.
“Open it!” she insists while holding her smartphone in picture-taking position. For a few moments more, I contemplate the gift before I move my hands to tear off the colorful wrapping.
Maybe… Hope fills the back of my mind as I tear the last bit of paper off of the box. Stark-white without a single mark to indicate its contents. Just maybe… I open the box slowly and pull out its contents. A new game system, fresh from Sony, is now clasped between my hands. I guess not…
“I wasn’t sure what to get you,” my step mother states, “but the man at Best Buy said that this was a popular item this year, and I knew you liked video games.” Three games sit in the bottom of the box with some candy that’d been thrown in to fill space.
I don’t let out the sigh which comes up my throat. I don’t let my frown show. How could she have known? I can’t blame her. Instead, a smile is put upon my face. It’s sincere, even if not my first emotion.
“Thank you!” I say brightly, bringing satisfaction to her worried face. “I’ve been wanting this for a while.” I hold the console up a bit and force my smile larger. A few shutter sounds indicate the pictures she takes.
“I’m glad you like it, sweetie,” her relief and smile never fade, even for a second. “Who wants brownies?” She stands up as my dad grumbles something from the couch. She leaves the room, taking my excited look as my consent.
Still, as she turns away, I look down and lose my smile. My eyes take in the new game console. I guess I shouldn’t complain. I had wanted this too, right? But my thoughts are little comfort against my wish for Audrey to suddenly appear…For the contents of the box to suddenly be some sort of sign that she’s come back…
“Brownie time!” my step mother exclaims cheerfully as she enters the living room once more. A silver tray covered in brownies brownies rests upon her upturned hands. Instantly, my smile returns, and I silently promise not to let it fade for the rest of the day.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Another Christmas Poem


This is a slightly darker view of the holiday. Although a free-write, it still captures an emotion that works well this holiday season.





"Christmas Eve"

Christmas Eve is today.
Winter is upon us.
All I want to do is lay
About the house
And not think
About the world
Or the brink
Of destruction that
Sits before us.

Christmas Eve is today.
“Tragedy is nowhere near,”
Oh, I’d love to say
But Fate doesn’t care
About the holiday.

Christmas Eve


Photo by Kristen Nicholl



It's the day before Christmas here in Ohio, and I can practically feel the excitement in the air.

People have rushed into stores, grabbing as much merchandise as possible. So much greed has been shown these past few months...but, somehow, tomorrow everyone will turn into "saints." Caring will replace hatred, and, for one day, I'll have faith in most of the human race.

Oh, what a great day it'll be!

Today's piece shares that feeling from the eyes of Alex Arlington. This week will be full of similar posts, stop by each and every day to read them all and join us on tumblr for the delayed post of each piece and special views of each of our Christmases.

Happy holidays everyone!


“Cuando era niῆo…”

I awoke to sunny  thoughts of the frigid air outside. Every year, when I was younger, I’d awake to snow-covered seas of frozen fields. Now, the scene has been replaced by the sight of cars as they pass by on the highway below my bedroom window.
“One,” I whisper the command to split into another form of myself. For seconds I sit on both sides of a border between the past and present before I come back to my regular self. Slowly, my face starts to mimic the happiness of the child I’d seen a decade ago.
A mask over my cynicism it may be, but the thrill is real. Only a day is left before Christmas. Soon the presents will come, and love will sweep the world. I can’t help but feel the overwhelming pleasure of peace soon to be realized.
Slipping out of bed, the feeling fails to fall from me. No. The feeling shall never fall from me.










Fate drives me,

hate divides me,

but love keeps me grounded.


~Christopher Shorten

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Hurtful Words

Having someone lie to you is one of the worst feelings in the world. Whether it be a friend or a boyfriend it hurts all the same but they dont know that its hurtful they blow it off like its nothing. I have experienced this with several people in my life but only one hurt me the most. All you can do is stay strong and find better people that will be by your side but be carful some might back stabe you.




















"Lie to me"

 

Silence is all I hear from your mouth…

Stabbing me in the heart with false words from your eyes…

Telling the truth isn't a part of your native tongue.

 

Your lies hiss like a snake…

Ready to plunge your venom into my veins…

I'm becoming weaker with every strike.

 

Can't you see  that I love you…

That I'm here for you…

Or do those words of kindness strike back as hateful whispers that get sucked in a black hole.

 

Why can't you tell me the truth…

Yes it will hurt me, but I have compassion…

and  empathy Something you seem to lack.

 

Hear me scream that you belong here with me…

Keep saying  lies…

Be gone from the face of the earth .

 

…Or set yourself free and paralyze that selfish tongue.

‘Cause I'm fragile…

More sensitive…

 

Be careful of what comes out of your mouth

You just might lose sight of me..

~Sabrina Black APLIW

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Life



"Untitled"


Close my eyes.
Count to ten.
Feel the energy leaving my body.
Imagine the earth as it flies away.
Freedom is mine in this moment.
Who’s to say about the next…

Stare into oblivion.
Touch the darkness.
Come to the senses that I’ve left.
Wish for more time…






Fate drives me.

~Chris

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Why are we taught to keep quiet?

Speak what you feel. It may change someone's life. Always try to change the world. Don't listen to those who tell you to just go with it. If you want to stand up for something. Do it. You only get so many chances.


Friday, December 14, 2012

Forever

Tis the season for joy and for those coco and cookies, not to mention the egg nog.  Now to get in the mood for Christmas everyone loves a good story. So sit in your confy chair or bed by a warm fire all in your pajamas with slippers. It's time for a tale.
“December”

 

Inside a warm house Elizabeth sits on the couch with a film of snowflakes on the window. There is a distanced look in her eyes, as she watches the droplets one by one. Thoughts come and go of the one she lost. Pain shocks her heart. Her eyes fill with tears remembrance. Love has walked away from her.

Elizabeth had been married for 10 years to Jacob. Their love grew stronger each passing year but then came to a tragic end…

 

December 24, 2006

 

Elizabeth and Jacob were driving home on icy roads after a Christmas eve party with friends. As Jacob drives he comes to a curb and parks the car. “I have a present for you," he says gently. He opens a box, inside is a gold watch shaped into a heart with a chain and diamonds around the heart. On the side of the watch there's a button that opens it into a locket. "This will keep me in your heart forever, Merry Christmas."

She is in shock, and all Liz can do is kiss him, the last kiss she will ever give him.

A flash of lights starts coming toward them. A semi-truck, spinning out of control, t-bones the couple’s car, causing it to flip five or six times until it lands upright.

As sirens come up Liz wakes up gasping for air. " Jacob! Jacob!" no response. She and Jacob went onto the gurneys to a hospital. Liz was still panicking "Jacob Jacob!” Then she passed out.

Slowly opening her eyes, she sees a doctor standing over her. “Where’s Jacob! Is he ok?!"

The doc puts his head down and says, "He didn't make it. I'm so sorry."

“No No!” Liz bawls. She can't believe it. She lost a precious key to her heart. As she cries she looks down at her cut neck and the locket is still on.

 

 

She remembers his last words that echo through her head: “This will keep me in your heart forever.” Six years have passed, and she is alone for Christmas Eve, still lost in the past.

She makes a wish. "I wish I could be with him one more time," she says with a sigh. Then she looks out the window again and sees a figure in front of her lawn. “Could it be?" she asks herself.

She goes to the door and heads out in the snow. there was him with flowers. She exchanges looks of love, and they dance together in the night one last time.


Sabrina Black
APLIW

 

 
 


Thursday, December 13, 2012

Tumblfy


Hey everyone, I've got some big news to share!

Life In Fiction is expanding to Tumblr! 

Whether for good or bad, the new Tumblr page (reallifeinfiction.tumblr.com) will allow us to post extras posts, pieces, or tidbits that may never make it to our main site. I guarantee, if you check it out, you'll definitely enjoy it (especially as our number of posts grows in size).

This week, I bring you the first original piece to be posted by me on Tumblr. Enjoy!



"Pessimism For the Night"

I take these breaths only to live one more day.
But, life isn’t worth living.
The unforgiving world that surrounds me
Just doesn’t understand…
No, how could they possibly understand?
That I live not for life,
But for the sake of holding her one more time,
Placing my lips upon hers,
Feeling her skin beneath my broken fingers…
It’s been far too long…
Yet, I’ll still breath, not for the sake of living,
But to simply see her
One more time.




By the way, don't forget to follow me, in all of my nerdiness, as well. Look for Living Fiction (alex-arlington.tumblr.com) and don't forget to always put life into words.

~Chris

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Lesson


Hey guys it's Aulene!!! This is a new piece. I wrote this in the light of some recent events. Two people who are near and dear to me have recently quit their relationship because one of them went to college. The girl keeps going back to him and trying to pretend it doesn't hurt her when we all can see that its killing her. 
It sucks.
Let me know if you have been in this situation or one similar. I would love to get to know you guys more.
Thank you for all your support!!! <3 nbsp="nbsp">



Fix It

If you want you can try
No promises that it will work

Two years it lasted
Working against the current

Two people that shouldn't work
But do

But now it's different
You don't want me

In that way
The way I want you

"Can we still be friends"
Trying to put the peaces together again

I'm still bleeding
HELP ME!

I just want you
Only you

I love you and always will
But why?

You have broken my heart
Twice now

But I still have faith
I know I can fix my heart

I know you still love me
But now is your time

To go out
And live your life

Who am I to stop you
Just know I'm always here

Waiting for you
I will never leave

When you love someone
You don't give up

You collect the peaces
And you fix it.



~Aulene
~APLIW

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Gone Too Soon

Ever leave some one in your life that was very special to you but you knew had to do it?
I wrote this letter not to long ago to that very special person, telling him he still has a place in my heart. If I could go back I would stop my self from leaving you and try to make it right but everything happens with a purpose I guess.






219 Mocking Bird Lane

Memory,                                                                                                             Dec.2, 2012

I have the pictures I have looked at them over and overanalyzing every detail and moment. I still remember the songs, the moments;I've memorized them by heart. I can't think of why I can’t forget the sentimentalexperiences that have become such precious stones in my heart, carved in mymemory for years to come.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you. Looking deepinto your eyes smiling and laughing and being goofs with not a care in theworld of what was to come. I know how much I mean to you but what you meantto me is indescribable by words, but my eyes tell and say everything in thetimes I don't say it. You being happy means the world to me.

 I see joy in yourheart caused by only one person. Knowing I had you was the best thing in mylife. I wouldn't be able to live without you in my life, my past love ,mykitty.

Signed

Buttercup
Sabrina Black
APLIW
 



 


Thursday, December 6, 2012

"Idiots. Idiots everywhere!"

This next piece comes from some obvious frustration. People in the real world tend to look down on people like me (for reasons I don't fully understand). At some point, I hope it will stop...


"Untitled"


Innocence describes the past, now too far away to comment. In the present judgments waver and people would rather condemn.

A tragedy is how his story goes, without the ability for society to see. No, they know how it goes. There remains no purpose to read…

Poor Alex Arlington, and the fate he’s been given. They call him a “liar,” a “killer,” or a “creep” (to say the least). Yet, they don’t understand…They don’t wish to understand that he’s just a man.

“He’s a beast! No man would act in such a way!” they might say, but alas what man would act so dishonorably toward a fellow human?

Irony is the world’s most profound language. Drama is its most sacred meal. I guess, in order to prove them wrong, poor Alex will just have to deal. 





Fate drives me.

~Chris

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Normal

"people think they're different" by NanFe

Hey guys it's Aulene!!! My friend and I were having a debate over some of my friends who are gay.
 He said that it isn't "normal". That got me thinking... What truly defines normal? Where did that word come from? Everyone is different so who is to say what is right and wrong, "normal" and "abnormal". This is just a thought of mine that I started writing about and this is what came out. 
I hope you guys like it. Comment and let me know your thoughts on what "normal" is to you. 
Thank you for all your support! 
Don't forget that Life in fiction has a book coming out. Buy it and help support us! <3 nbsp="nbsp">



Normal


Who is to say what is normal.
Normal means that there is a set way...
A set way you should act.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal is to say there is a set look...
A set look you need to have.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal is to say don't be you...
Don't be true.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal doesn't define you...
Your actions do.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal is who you are...
Not what people make you.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal people don't wear a mask...
And pretend their not.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal people are proud...
Proud to be who they are.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal.... Think about it...
What defines normal?

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal is more a stereotype...
No one is normal.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal is to difficult to define...
So how about we don't.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal is not to be defined as one thing...
So leave the mystery and think about it.

Who is to say what is normal.
Normal has many forms...
What form are you?




~Aulene

~APLIW