Do you remember?
The clouds at night
With the glimpse of space
All the stars above the woods
Do you remember?
The times that you could
Look out upon nature
With your arms stretched out
And your hands in a grip
To climb upon a majestic tree
Reaching up with every grasp
Holding onto every branch
So you can touch the stars
Do you remember?
The noises and voices
That we made when we gathered
Our laughter our joy
Spreading through the forest
Like leaves on a harsh wind
Out from our quiet town
Listen to that echo from autumn
That sound, the noise, a rhythm
From the whispering woods
Where we met at campfires
In the midst of the autumn night
That had flames dancing in a daze
Wind spinning and twirls
Leaves floating on its swirls
Our dreams, our phantasms
Flowing out from our windows
Where we once slept and slumbered
And on the rooftops of our homes
We threw out our nets
Just to catch every fallen star
In between those moments
After the last comet vanished
Fading back into space
We try to reach out and touch
The fragile eggshell of a sky
I remember these echoes of autumn
The symphony of innocence
The reflection of youth
And within these quiet streets
The pathways and roads we roamed
These memories are written
On the pages of our consciences
Each letter magical
Each memory valuable
Like words written in fairy tales
And the songs we sang in the past
Are stitched into our hearts
All the echoes ring within
Every hum, whistle, verse and chord
Can still be heard
When we close our eyes
In these times
When the night returns
And the silence begins to speak
It comes to show us
To give us meaning
To give us imagination
That grant us remembrance
And within its whisper it asks us
Do you remember dreaming
Of the nothing and nowhere?
Do you remember creating
Your emporium of imagination?
And do you remember living
Out here in the echoes of autumn?
To the stars and the moon
We danced away like fireflys
Caught up in the winds
And like such with our light
We gave away to the dark
But was once my truth
Became revealed a lie
and for all that I did
I can say at least I tried
But in the end of the fire
We turned to our ashes
Like rebirth from the old
It was all apart of our faith
We claim to be ravens
And our lives where merely immortal
Our paths held strong in stones
We knew what our desires where
Our oath written in our bones
Every lyrics we sang
How we screamed and crow
Dance and swoon the night away
And within our shadow
We held a deepest light
Belief of new elder Gods
And our auras where bright
Every midnight battle
We scream we will fight
And within this alone
We would write our songs
A belief that the Raven
Was purely immortal
So now the days have gone along ago
And here I am at the edge of the world
And you shine like a light house
Your edge of the world
Has the brightest stars
My feet hang off the edge
Abyss below me awaits my fall
And I wonder as I look to the elder faith
Will you hear my call
And come face your darkest beauty
I cast shadows to soothe the soul
Raised up on a pedestal
Situations unfold, truth be told
Echoing a last dance
Giving crimson its final chance
Give, take, give, and leave
Seasons change to autumn leaves
For what it was is what I need
Plant the seed — maybe I’ll believe
Loss of faith
Loss of fruit
Tasting the apple’s bitter truth
Is this even worth a scream or a shout
Here is what I know:
If all I know is what I once knew,
I thought this was true
Unanswered voice, echoes of bad choice
Distortion in milkweed proportions
Alone, like I once wished I was the abortion
So here’s another notion of devotion
Answer me here. Answer me now.
Do you care, or am I the soiled calf
I was told of the lamb
I was told of sacrifice
Yet for over thirty years
I’ve been stuck in the dirt
Alone, lost, and regal
Blood-sniff hound like a beagle
Creation’s finest worm for pecking
I’m done playing pretend
But I can’t understand
If this is something I still believe in
Songs
Something different strikes the mood
Like feeling the cold shoulder
Of the blue moon
I hope the time comes soon
Tonight’s different
As it could be
Maybe I’ll carry a bouquet
Of eloquence and things of beauty
And as different as I may seem
I’ll at least try
To be dear to you
Cause I too,
Dream
Of shades of violet and blue
Please understand what I say
That by the rise of the midnight moon
We’ll dance
till dawn breaks to the day
Dance underneath the petals
Falling off the crescent flower
Shine on with your strength
In your eyes I see the stars
And the beauty of your power
I don’t care for the sands of time
Nor the long walks to the moon
As long as under this stary sky
I’ll meet you soon
Now all will be said and told
Even though I should hush
Yet I’ll remain bold
This boy shouldn’t speak
Gossip and secrets that I should keep
But oh well, live with no regrets
The gates that protect my heart
Unlock with your words as a key
I’m vulnerable, I’m the window
And you’re the rock
Go right through me
Feed my head with your words
To clear out the haze
I’ll live for the coming days
This world no longer colored in gray
You first colored in the violet
Like a new moon rising
How my heart falls
Shouldn’t be so surprising
Dance underneath the petals
Falling off the crescent flower
Shine on with your strength
In your eyes I see the stars
And the beauty of your power
I don’t care for the sands of time
Nor the long walks to the moon
As long as under this stary sky
I’ll meet you soon
We Are
Hinting that this is our last imagination
Yet we’re more than just creation
Not so far
From the truth we seek
Our future doesn’t seem so bleak
So Bizzare
How long will this go on for?
We’re stepping through that door
Blue star
First sight on the horizon
There’s no comparison
Dance with me
Dance underneath the petals
Falling off the crescent flower
Shine on with your strength
In your eyes I see the stars
And the beauty of your power
I don’t care for the sands of time
Nor the long walks to the moon
As long as under this stary sky
I’ll meet you soon
I created something beautiful
It was deformed in its distortion
Yet remained perfection
Scratches of a shattered mirror
Scarecrows placed in honors of horror
The river of tears on your face
Tells me a story of your falling in disgrace
Yet your drowning sorrow
Your beauty shows
That with you I can only follow
Hello, God? Are you there?
For within this past year
I’ve been lost in fear
Hello, Messiah? Are you there?
These people need a savor
Yet the pastor is playing favors
Hello? Are you there?
Or am I just standing here
Alone in the darkness
Elope with my fear
I tried moving the hands of the clock
Hoping to slow down time
Im stuck in shock
I just want to feel that kiss once more
Yet under these skies
I gave you nothing
And yet in the middle of the night
You saw me
You gave me everything
You gave me you
Was your heart breaking all along
So silently?
Until it fell out onto the floor
Bleeding violently
Yet you stayed
Always looking beautifully
Hello, God? Are you there?
For within this past year
I’ve been lost in fear
Hello, Messiah? Are you there?
These people need a savor
Yet the pastor is playing favors
Hello? Are you there?
Or am I just standing here
Alone in the darkness
Elope with my fear
Short Stories
“WHAT THE FUCK.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. What in the actual fuck.”
“I said I’m sorry.”
“Great job. You got Big Bertha on her back.”
“I thought I could make it.”
“What was it, man? What was the thought? ‘Damn, when was the last time I got a girl on her back?’ You just had to do it to Bertha.”
“Look, I’m really upset about my soda. Please be nice to me.”
“Your soda? That’s all over the roof!”
“I paid a lot for that soda.”
“Paid? Motherfucker, I let you get a five-finger discount on that soda.”
“I paid for it by risking my future.”
“Yeah, I’m sure some cop in Orange County is dying to book a kid for stealing a soda.”
“They would in Irvine!”
“We’re not in Irvine, are we?”
“…no.”
“Where are we, Lew?”
“We’re upside down?”
“We’re upside down. And where are we upside down at?”
“Somewhere off the 101?”
“Somewhere off the 101. Yeah, Lew.”
The brothers climb out the side of the car, standing beside the wreckage of a 1983 Buick.
“Call Pops. Let him know what happened.”
“Ah, Justin, I really don’t want to. Last time he showed up he—forgot to zip up his trousers.”
“Ugh.” Justin sighs. “I’ll call him. Sam said he saw strange lights out here. Instead I get a half-stunt from my little brother and a wrecked car.”
Lew rummages through the car, scraping something off the hood.
“The fuck are you doing?”
“I’m starving.”
“Oh my God.”
“Oh, no worries. I found a Twinkie.”
“When—when did I last have a Twinkie? Lew, don’t eat tha—Oh my God.”
Lew’s face is smeared with cream, a folded wrapper in his hand.
“I’m calling an ambulance.”
“It’s no worries. I’ll be fine.”
“You never are.”
“I don’t even recognize myself anymore,” Ameliah said, staring into her iced coffee, swirling the cubes around.
She sat across from Danielle in two faux-leather chairs in a café somewhere in downtown Los Angeles.
“I used to be picky. I’d only ever been with two guys… two guys I dated.”
Danielle laughed. “Now what? C’mon, you’re free. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
Ameliah took a long sip. “The other night…” She leaned back in her chair. “I went with my friend to pick up her friend from the airport. I’d met him before. Real hunk and all that. We get back, start drinking… all three of us…”
Danielle stopped mid-sip of her chai. “No…”
“Yeah.” Ameliah didn’t look at her.
“That must be awkward now,” Danielle joked.
Ameliah swirled her cup while staring at the street. “Yeah. But not for that reason.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because we’re sleeping together behind her back.”
Danielle shrugged and leaned back. “What’s wrong with that?”
Ameliah shook her head. “After my ex… three years of lies, cheating, the neglect… I don’t even care who it is anymore.”
“It’s the validation,” Danielle cut in.
Ameliah gave a small nod. “I keep meeting someone new before the last one even matters. Hell, I’d probably even sleep with you at this point.”
Danielle laughed. “They’ve got a name for girls like you.”
Ameliah smirked without humor. “Whore?”
“Free,” Danielle said, almost serious. “Besides, you’re barking up the wrong tree with me.”
Ameliah stared out the window. “I used to miss when it felt special. But all this attention… I left that small town for the city and there’s just so much to take in.”
“Sounds like everyone’s trying to take you,” Danielle cut in.
Ameliah glanced over sharply.
“Relax, I’m kidding,” Danielle rolled her eyes. “How’s the modeling going?”
“The site has weird rules. They want us to talk more about our sex lives. Really sell ourselves. First set went live last night. Got a lot of love.”
“Has your ex said anything?”
“Haven’t heard from him in a while. Don’t really talk to anyone back home. Doesn’t matter.”
“Did you at least get paid?”
“Seventy-five bucks,” Ameliah said with a small shrug. “But hey… good exposure, right?”
Evalyn Stockdale overlooked her command post from her position on the bridge.
One side of her hair was buzzed; the other flowed elegantly in white curls. It almost glowed beneath the bridge lights.
The airship drifted over strange new lands. She looked out at the men below—piloting, navigating, chatting over comms. The bridge windows arched down into the floor, curved glass stretching beneath their boots.
“Anything yet?” she barked, gripping the steel railing.
“No, ma’am. Nothing. Seems pretty dead out here,” a soldier responded.
“There has to be something. Look at this land.” Evalyn gestured toward the window. “Lush green forest. Open prairies. You can’t sit there and tell me there’s nothing here!”
A soldier at her side spoke carefully. “Ma’am… what exactly are we looking for?”
Evalyn placed her hands behind her back and walked toward him.
“With me for a second,” she said calmly.
They descended a short set of steps to a side section where the glass curved into the floor.
Evalyn placed her hand on his back—
—and shoved him.
The soldier crashed through the glass.
He fell screaming.
“I THINK YOU’LL KNOW WHEN YOU SEE IT!” she shouted after him.
She turned to the remaining soldiers, who stared in horror.
“I don’t like being asked questions. Understood?”
The crew nodded silently.
Evalyn glanced at the shattered glass. “Great. Going to need to get that fixed.”
“Ma’am. There’s something on the radar!” a soldier called from a console.
“Probably that guy’s dead body,” Evalyn muttered.
“Uh… no, ma’am. It’s moving.”
Evalyn stomped to the control panel. A single dot blinked on the screen. As she stared, the display flickered. The dot bounced slightly in place—as if dancing.
“Hm. We’ll need a technician to look at the wiring again,” she murmured.
“I’ll put the order in right away,” the soldier replied.
“No.” Evalyn straightened. “Let’s go pay this person a visit. FULL POWER FORWARD.”
She stepped toward the glass as the engines roared.
“Something about this doesn’t feel… right.”
The trees rushed past below. Evalyn planted her heels firmly against the cold steel floor. Rotors screamed. Wind tore along the hull overhead.
“There.” She pointed toward an opening in the field.
A young man wandered below, almost skipping—dancing in place. A worn top hat sat on his head. Black slacks. Dirty boots. A suit jacket.
“Something doesn’t seem right. He might have something for us.”
“I’m not against robbery, ma’am, but there can’t be anything he has to offer, don’t you think?”
Evalyn turned slowly on her heel.
“Did you question me?”
“NO, MA’AM.”
“Sewage duty. The rest of the week,” Evalyn said calmly. “I want every pipe inside the latrine wiped clean.”
The soldier swallowed back tears. “Yes, ma’am.”
The ship swooped over the strange man, then pivoted sharply to face him.
Evalyn grabbed a microphone from the console.
“YOU THERE. HOLD STILL!”
The man looked up.
Emerald eyes pierced through her.
She inhaled sharply, then adjusted her expression.
“Two guards with me. We’re going to greet this man.”
Ropes dropped from the airship. Evalyn slid down with her guards.
She landed before the stranger.
His hair barely brushed past his ears. His smile was wide. The shadow from the brim of his hat only made the emerald green of his eyes glow brighter.
“You. Name. Now,” Evalyn demanded.
The man kept smiling.
“Kind of a bitch, aren’t ya?” he said lightly.
Evalyn raised a brow. “Show some respect. I’m Evalyn Stockdale. Best mercenary in these parts.”
“Never heard of ya,” the man replied with a faint laugh. “That’s okay. I like the confidence.”
He extended his hand. The fingertips of his gloves were cut off.
“Who exactly are you?” Evalyn asked, studying him. “There’s something very… different about you.”
She took his hand.
“I’ve been told,” he said softly, “I can be a bit… Spooky.”