“I....” my voice trails off, mind wanders off to another world where things made sense. 15 minutes before I leave. Before this place closes... forever.

″...I don’t know what I’ll do without this place.”

She stares. Her brown hair slightly covering her right eye as she leans forward to rest her head in her hands as she listens. Her eyes round with pity.

“Of course, but you enjoyed it here, that’s why it hurts so.” Her voice is calm, like a flowing river. It echoes. “Be glad this happened.”

......

“Be glad this happened. I’m sorry it has to end” We’re sitting on her bedroom floor as I sob. Her arms wrapped around me like a protective blanket. I long to stroke her face, to plead, to argue. But I have nothing.

......

10 minutes.

The tears are appearing as I stare at the clock. Soon. I sense a movement in the room as she shuts the door.

.......

“May I have this dance?” as the door shuts we laugh and slow dance among the empty desks.

......

She sits next to me on the couch. Close enough for me to notice, but far enough to prevent another memory from echoing through my thoughts. She stretches her hand across a rather awkward distance and rests it on my shoulders and squeezes gently.

4 minutes.

I shrug. I have to go. I force my mind into nothingness and turn my expression into a wall. I can hide this. I get up.

“Bye” I whisper, and start on my way out.

“Hey, wait a second”

......

“Hey, wait a second.” She pulls me into a hug and kisses my forehead. I laugh and kiss her before walking out.

.......

She stops my path and gives me a quick hug.

close enough to shatter my wall. Far enough where the comfort was lost.

As I cry.

She repeats under her breath

“It’s alright. It’s going to be alright.”

........

It's alright. It's going to be alright.

.........

and I know it is going to be alright.

But at this moment.

I am not.

“Please tell me you’re alright” I whisper.

“I am” She says. If she's alright, I must be too.

I take a step back to look at her one last time.

And walk out.

Jurassic Park:

Rich clueless old guy invites a mumbling idiot, an Indiana Jones wannabe, plant doctor, and his grandkids to look at a couple of overgrown lizards in his private zoo. The grandaughter likes cows and jello. The grandson likes furiously tapping on the back of chairs. Together they teach the Indiana Jones wannabe the importance of family.

The Little Mermaid:

Fish hybrid with red hair manipulates man into kissing her only for a squid hybrid to manipulate him into kissing her but then man kills the squid and marries the fish and there's a rainbow.

Harry Potter

Abused boy gets sent to a boarding school because he is too different.

I want to protect her from this world.

but

I can't.

(extra words to meet minimum)

Back when I was younger

I used to collect stones from the places I’d been

Hoping that I’d never forget my adventures.

That one from Summer Camp, the shiny one from the beach. The dull one I found in the grass by the finish line after my first 5k...

I have failed.

the sparkly one from school, the one from middle school graduation, the one my sister painted for me....

The more I went,

that one from that Summer program I went to, I don’t know which one though, That one from Kentucky or Tennessee or that vacation a few years ago....

the more I gathered.

That one from that place, or is that one from that place.... or was it that place at all?...

Until I took a step back

And overlooked my collection

as it dawned on me.

They were no longer treasures.

They were rocks.

1. My last fortune cookie read “Your adventure could lead to happiness”. The “could” part bothers me. It almost bothers me as much as college applications.

2. I got a lead role in my school play last year and I still feel awful about it because the part should have gone to someone who plans to major in drama and be a professional actress.

3. I am unable to cut toxic people out of my life. I’ve tried twice and I always give up after a week because I’m afraid to be alone. I tell myself it's okay because at least I'm aware that they are toxic.

4. I have 5 different journals that I update with my writing about anything. The idea of writing online is still new to me and I'm hesitant to post anything.

5. I'm 5'2.

What brings you to this poem today?

Is it inspiration for your own works?

Or curiosity for what I have to offer?

Or some else entirely?

If I were a better poet

I'd be able to make these lines rhyme

and find the words in enough time

to publish this while the challenge is still open.

Oh wait

I did rhyme.

Nice!

but that was an accident I swear.

Anyways,

There is nothing to see here reader

so bye-bye for now

and have a wonderful day!

Plummeting 215 feet at 80 miles per hour.

Conquering my fear of heights.

When we started falling over the drop

Every one of my:

anxieties

problems

doubts

insecurities

hatreds

all...

disappeared.

and there was just happiness.

I did it.

Manta wasn’t lost in the traditional sense, no, she lives in my closet now on my shelf. But her life as my travelling stuffed animal is no more.

I purchased her on a school trip to the aquarium, with my own money saved up from chores. A nearby student sneered when I picked up the little grey, white-polka-dotted stingray, saying it was for kids. And I guess 14 isn't really a kid but I didn't care. Manta was perfectly sized, big enough to give hugs and small enough to not be noticed by strangers. I was struggling to make friends on the trip, but now, Manta was my friend. She also wore my sunglasses better than I did. One specific photo of her with my glasses is lost in my old laptop, but that's another story all together. I declared her one of the few precious things I would bring with me to college when the time comes.

When I returned from my 3 week trip, Manta in arms as I walked off the train, I discovered my family had adopted a dog.

It was hate at first sight between him and Manta.

He ate everything and anything, tearing through my sister's toys and brother's legos. I kept my door shut out of fear for my belongings. He was bigger than what my parents expected too, and soon he was able to reach our counters.

One day I came home from who-knows-where to find the dog on the coach, ripping Manta apart.

And I screamed and yanked Manta out and washed her "fur" and observed sadly that her cat-like eyes had been yanked out. My brother returned her eyes later that day, but it was hopeless.

I kept her eyes next to my bed, as a reminder to find a professional who could sew Manta back together, but after a few years they've hidden under the clutter of work. I can't find her eyes. They are lost.

And so Manta remains in my closet, also lost.

The light of the world shines in her stubborn eyes. Her head is filled with voices.

"I want to see my granddaughter!" A deep booming voice erupts in her ears. She instinctively opens her eyes and turns.

*blink*

She can't breathe. Her squirming arms fling through the water, trying to grab something, anything. The water isn't her friend anymore. She shouldn't have forgotten her life jacket.

Suddenly her arm hits something, or something grabs her. She gets pulled up and opens her eyes to see her neighbor.

*blink*

The water foamed and bubbled on the side of the puny sailboat. The sails were all out, and the boat was speeding along. It was one of the greatest feelings in her life.

*blink*

"As you know, we have to cut more members than we would like, and unfortunately we don't have a place on our team for you anymore."

"It's okay coach, I understand".

She wipes the tears as she leaves her coach's office. Well, technically that wasn't her coach anymore.

*blink*

Ouch

"You have to stop blinking everytime I attack, you won't be able to parry in time"

"Sorry Raves." She adjusted her blade in her hand and focused on the purple-haired senior in front of her. They moved forwards and backwards while their swords clash back and forth. Raves suddenly jumps forward, her blade swinging down on her....

*blink*

Dressed in black, she watches her Uncle's body, begging it to reawaken.

*blink*

"4 years and you still can't hold your sword properly" he spat watching her go through drills. "Ravs was a terrible mentor for you"

She doesn't respond.

*blink*

Rejected

rejected

rejected

rejected

Waitlisted

rejected

The letters flutter like snowflakes as they fall from her hands.

*blink*

She stands on the edge of the cliffs, looking out.

The sea calls her.

Slowly she follows.

Where else could she go?

She hears her parents call her name as she vanishes.

*blink*

Surrounded by those who love her, she shuts her eyes for the last time.

The last thing she hears is her grandfather entering the room.

His weak voice saying

"I want... I want to see my granddaughter."