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julialin55
“Never trust a duck.” ― Will Herondale, The Infernal Devices
9 Posts • 30 Followers • 25 Following
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Challenge
Prose Challenge of the Week. Write 500 words or less, using the following sentence as your beginning line “A cacophony of shadows, and all I feel is fear” The winner will be determined by the most bookmarks and shares collectively. The winner receives $50 at the end of the challenge, one week from today.
Cover image for post When You End Mid-Sentence, by julialin55
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julialin55

When You End Mid-Sentence

A cacophony of shadows, and all I feel is fear. 

They're closing in on me. 

One step at a time.

There's a drum in my chest.

Beating at a wild, uncontrolled tempo.

It gets louder.

Faster.

I feel it in my head.

In my ears.

Wrists.

Fingertips.

They back me up until I hit the hard, jagged press of the cave wall behind me. 

I feel the cold seep through me.

A shiver runs through my body.

All I see are a dozen pairs of malevolent eyes floating in the inky blackness. 

I feel their shadows on me.

As cold as ice.

I shiver again, involuntarily.

I close my eyes.

I await my death.

My rebellious mind thinks

"The end is nigh"

This is not

Cover image for post Does This Count As Nonfiction, by julialin55
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julialin55

Does This Count As Nonfiction

I walk up to the microphone. Folding my hands together, I look at the judges.

"Your word is hyacinth."

I see it in my head. I remember when I wrote the definition of it--"a flower"--down next to it in my review packet.

I feel relieved. I know how to spell it.

"H-y-a-c-i-n-t-h" is what I think I say.

"H-y-a-n-c-i-n-t-h" is what comes out of my mouth.

"I'm sorry, that is incorrect."

I'm met with a huge applause for making it to the final four, but I'm confused.

Didn't I spell it right?

I walk off the stage. The principal congratulates me. The other spelling bee finalists congratulate me. But I don't know what I did wrong. I should still be up there, on the stage, spelling more ridiculously confusing words.

But it's okay.

I already knew that silly mistakes were my downfall.

Challenge
What is something people tell you every day, and they say it so much it gets annoying? What is your response to it?
Cover image for post "Yeah, everyone says that", by julialin55
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julialin55

“Yeah, everyone says that”

"Oh my god, are you guys twins??"

"No, we're just sisters..."

"Oh, how close in age?"

"We're 2 years apart..."

"Oh really? You guys look EXACTLY the same!!"

"Yeah... everyone says that..."

Cover image for post Waiting For Love, by julialin55
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julialin55

Waiting For Love

Monday left me broken

Tuesday I was through with hoping

Wednesday my empty arms were open

Thursday waiting for love, waiting for love

Thank the stars it's Friday

I'm burning like a fire gone wild on Saturday

Guess I won't be coming to church on Sunday

I'll be waiting for love, waiting for love

To come around

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- Waiting For Love, Avicii

(Search it on Youtube, and watch both the music video and the lyric video---it's so... heart wrenching, especially the music video)

Challenge
What is something that keeps you awake at night? Write a poem about it and let us know what does it feel to think about that particular thing that brings insomnia to your life.
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julialin55

Everything

Thoughts.

Random thoughts.

Memories, conversations, actions, words.

Reflection. Thinking back on my day and contemplating what I could've done differently.

Making up situations where I would have plenty of time to consider each action.

Talking to myself.

In short, going crazy.

When insomnia strikes, I'm always way too tired to fall asleep.

Cover image for post A Haiku, by julialin55
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julialin55

A Haiku

Shadows creeping in

From all the cracks in the wall

Slow and silently

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julialin55

Without Pain, How Could We Know Joy?

DISCLAIMER: The quote "Without pain, how could we know joy?" is John Green's. I just wrote a story to go along with it.

I fell to the ground, hard. I knew perfectly well who had pushed me. Pain.

I groaned into the dirt. Pain placed his foot on my back to prevent me from getting back up.

He laughed coldly. He couldn’t talk, but I knew exactly what he was thinking.

He lifted up his foot. Before I could roll away, he slammed his heel down on my head.

Excruciating pain took over my senses. I was no longer aware of my surroundings. It was just pain. Pain inflicting pain. Pain was the very essence of, well, pain. I barely felt the punches that he landed on my stomach and back. Everything was numb. Everything was lost in the immeasurable sea of pain.

I was on the verge of blacking out. I could see dark, dense fog, a sea of shadows. Then suddenly, unexpectedly, her voice. A bright ray of sunlight cutting through the impenetrable blackness.

“Stop!”

Vaguely, I heard running footsteps. Coming towards me or getting farther, I had no idea. Then I felt her presence next to me, her gentle hands rolling me over.

I cried out involuntarily. She placed her hands on my head. The pain slowly faded away.

“You’ll be fine,” she murmured.

I slowly opened my eyes. There she was. One word to describe her appearance? Beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful. Blond hair in two long braids on either side of her face, soft green eyes, and a glowy, radiant face.

“Thank you,” I tried to say, but was interrupted by a fit of coughing. Blood splattered my shirt and trickled down my chin.

She smiled sadly, knowing what I meant. “I’m Joy,” she said. “I was looking for Pain. Lucky I found him when I did; he would’ve killed you.”

A small realization: without Pain, I wouldn’t have known Joy.

Another small realization: without Joy, Pain would've killed me.

Joy. I smiled. Although it was a small one, it was a smile.

The fog lifted, and was replaced by a peculiar feeling. And I knew what it was.

It was joy.

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julialin55

Rain, Oh Rain

Rain, oh rain

Wash away my sorrow

Lift up my heart

Tell me dreams of tomorrow

Sun, oh sun

Shine down on my back

Make me blind to see

The kindness we lack

Stars, oh stars

Twinkle in the sky

You are like

Diamonds I'll never buy

Moon, oh moon

Don't leave me alone

Shine a path in the dark

Promise you'll get me home

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julialin55

Something To

Something to earn

Something to gain

Something to trust

Something to stain

To stain with blood

To murder, to kill

To have blood on your hands

To have blood to spill

Something to take

Something to steal

Something to touch

Something to feel

To have with greed

To hide, to lie

To live a life of deceit

To bleed them dry

Something to need

Something to crave

Something to hoard

Something to save

To comprehend

To run away

To leave your soul

To go astray