tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30597448776856929342024-02-20T14:59:30.855-08:00Fishing for Words “Writers fish for the right words like fishermen fish for, um, whatever those aquatic creatures with fins and gills are called. ”
― Jarod KintzKarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06477632469138669211noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3059744877685692934.post-32382375108603466412013-03-09T21:53:00.002-08:002013-03-09T21:53:42.049-08:00Silence<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Silence</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">Kara Campbell</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They tell me I’m crazy; They say that’s why I’m in this place. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I stare at the plain walls. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My roommate, Delia, walks in, chattering about whales. I think they stuck me with her to balance things out. She is wiry and frail and her bleached hair sticks out and up and all over. She talks nonstop, never expecting an answer, which I am thankful for. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They say she is delusional. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I say we all are.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I would much prefer to live in a world like Delia’s. I would prefer to see things that do not exist, as opposed to having to deal with reality. I continue staring at the wall as Delia speaks. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her voice is high and frantic at all times, no matter the subject matter. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A fight breaks out in the hallway between Jerome and Kip. I quickly check the time. 3:04 PM. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wonder how many days it will take for the staff to realize that Jerome and Kip are planning this.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I assume many days; The staff are not very bright. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I continue to stare at the wall, until Melanie comes in to take me to dinner at precisely 5 o’clock. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Hello, Shane,” She says gently, I look at her. “Time for dinner,” </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I stand. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We’re having spaghetti tonight,” She tells me. I say nothing, but nod slowly in approval. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We walk down the hallways in silence. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kip walks up to me in the cafeteria. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I know your secret,” He whispers. I smile. It does not matter, the staff will never accept that I am not crazy, and I am not done escaping from the world. Not yet. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“You’re not really crazy, are you?” Kip asks, and Clara yells from the table nearby, “Of course he’s crazy you nitwit! He doesn’t talk!” </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I smile again. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In fact, I am not crazy. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am perfectly sane. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I walk away from Kip and eat my spaghetti. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I do not know when I will decide to talk again. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But I like the silence. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So maybe never. </span></span><br />
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Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06477632469138669211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3059744877685692934.post-81840715759924558302013-03-09T21:03:00.000-08:002013-03-09T21:03:22.574-08:00On the Edge<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>On the Edge</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Kara Campbell</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The scissors snapped shut. Inches of black hair fell to the floor, and landed messily on the floor in a heap. I cut again. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And again.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And again. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And again, until all the hair on my head grew no longer than the tops of my ears. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I stared at myself in the smudged mirror. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I blinked. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I stood in silence, staring at myself for what felt like hours. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ignored my mother screaming my name. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ignored the lightning that struck just outside my window. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ignored my cell phone rapidly vibrating on the counter. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I counted the calls. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One from Elise, one from Mally, one from Christian, One from Penelope. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elise called again, and I answered this time.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Hello?” My voice, raspy</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Hey! You coming tonight?” She asked me. <br />
“No,” </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“What! Why not!?”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hung up the phone. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elise called again. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I picked up my phone and dropped it in the toilet.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I looked back in the mirror. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Leaving the bathroom, I left the note on my bed. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I put my hood over my head and walked downstairs. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My mother was yelling at me. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ignored her, and walked out the front door. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I saw Elise’s car pull up in my driveway. She honked at me. I walked down the sidewalk, towards the Pier. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elise got out of the car and slammed the door. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Nelly!” She called, “Where you going?” </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I broke into a run, wind whistling past my ears, and rain violently pouring down. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Danielle Lisa Murray!” She screamed my full name after calling me twice. I didn’t look back. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I reached the Pier, breathless with aching legs. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I walked to the end of the pier, not paying attention to anyone. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every so often, I heard Elise yell my name, but I ignored her. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I leaned over the railing and stared down at the water below me, thinking about the last few days. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thinking about my mother, and my dad, and Christian, and Mally...</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
Everything was falling apart. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I climbed onto the railing and stared at the water, around thirty or forty feet above the water. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Momentarily, I wondered If I would survive such a fall. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My hoodie was soaked from the rain.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I stood up. People behind me gasped, and whispered. I ignored them. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I heard Elise’s voice. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Excuse me, Excuse me,” She said, I assumed she was moving through the crowd. I didn’t look back. “DANIELLE!” She called. “What are you doing?” <br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tears filled my eyes. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Nelly, Please, get down from there!” </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I unzipped my hoodie and threw it into the water, letting the wind rush over my arms and the rain pour on my skin. They developed goosebumps and the cold sent shivers up my spine. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Nelly, Please, talk to me,” </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The wind stung my eyes. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Nelly!” </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
My steps faltered and I almost fell into the water. The crowd all gasped in unison. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I heard someone call 911. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wanted to Die. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elise’s voice was chattering behind me, trying to convince me to come down. I didn’t pay attention, but I could hear the hysteria in her voice. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I closed my eyes and focused solely on the rushing of the ocean below me. <br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wanted to ocean to take me, to rush over me and block out the rest of the world. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The waves crashed on the beach. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The water rushed back and forth. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The rain pitter-pattered on the wooden pier. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thunder rumbled in the distance. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I took a deep breath, and jumped. </span></span><br />
Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06477632469138669211noreply@blogger.com1