humanity

For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.

The Pay It Forward Project
The final eviction notice. You have 30 days to vacate the premises repeatedly stuck in his head. If you had to look up the words frustrated, overwhelmed, and stressed in the dictionary, a picture of my face would be an understatement thought Ryan.
By Robert white5 years ago in Humans
29 February 2017
There is something different about waiting for the last eastbound bus at 11 at night. It’s hard to explain other than this weird sort of calmness where even in the summer the air feels cooler, almost a little chilly, and on the rare occasion there is this eerie feeling that I am being watched regardless of the circumstances. Tonight I finished my shift at the warehouse a little early, so I have some time to kill before the bus comes. I would like to say it’s a nice change of pace to not have to rush to the bus stop, but now I am left with nothing to pass the time but my phone and my thoughts. Let me say social media has been dismal at best lately and my five lives on Candy Crush are over sooner than I know it. Nothing entertaining enough on Facebook, nothing new on twitter, nothing fresh on instagram, and I lost all my lives on candy crush, leaving me with just my thoughts per usual. Tonight I can’t help but fantasize about the day I will own my first car. I hope it is as liberating as I want it to be, all my friends complain about car insurance and gas prices, but I feel like they are just taking it for granted. Being at the mercy of other people really sucks, and honestly gas and car insurance feels like a small price to pay for the ability to do things on my time. It only makes me wish to win the lottery that much more. The bus pulls up and my thoughts of winning the lottery or buying a car are left behind at the bus stop as the bus rolls toward home.
By Megan Williams5 years ago in Humans
For a Rainy Day
Summers in southern Louisiana are synonymous with hot, humid days and of course a glass of sun steeped ice tea close at hand to help chill the stifling heat. It is also a time when preparations are made for hurricane season which runs from June till November with September by far being the most active. The news of a super storm developing in the gulf sparked chatter amongst the neighbors. It was late August and with the storm rapidly intensifying the National Weather Service dubbed it Katrina and we all knew the brunt of the season was right on schedule.
By Lynn Tobia5 years ago in Humans
And Our Notebook, My Heart, In Case of Loss
I sit in the phone booth in pursuit of something like confession. There’s no priest to hear me, but there doesn’t really need to be. The devices in our palms are our new secular temple we pray to daily. Everything is digitally exhumed and exposed. I buy leggings on the internet for twenty nine dollars with only two clicks, courtesy of express checkout. Anyone can see my purchases, which these days look a bit feral and empty. There’s no one to get drinks with.
By Maggie O'Brien5 years ago in Humans
Monopoly
Even the sweetest child can smell like shit. It’s a rare thing for a one-year-old to be at peace with a diaper change, but Eden is golden. Sleepy brown-eyed kindness makes no noise of protest nor kicks at Ava’s efforts to clean. Eden babbles at the sky as though she doesn’t have the foulest-smelling diaper Ava has ever encountered. Still, it’s nice that Eden’s hands don’t wander back to grab whatever is in reach.
By H Smith5 years ago in Humans
The man they knew
After dinner, Clara and her two children would join each other in their back yard to play baseball in what had recently been the most pleasant weather on perfect spring evenings. When they moved to Lienz, Austria in early May 1945, she had brought three mitts and a few baseballs, the only physical memento of their life in America. Something about the warm breeze tonight reminded her of the joy she had felt being outside with her children in Southern Vermont. Her son Joseph was soon to be eleven years old and he was proud of the accuracy of his pitches. His younger sister Barbara fared very well keeping up with him in the game of catch. Upon arriving at their uncle’s farm, Joseph found a nice piece of narrow wood in the forest that they used as a baseball bat. Each day they threw the ball around outside for a couple of hours. Kids from neighboring houses began to take notice and slowly made their way over. Although their new friends had never played baseball before, Joseph and Barbara taught them the basics. Before long, Clara’s two children had made a solid pack of friends who welcomed them into their community.
By Ann Bair5 years ago in Humans
In Case of Loss:
St. Patrick's Day, 2017: Katherine woke to the distant, yet unmistakable sound of rousing merriment and inevitable regret. Even though she was 24 floors up in a deceptively reviewed hotel room in downtown Toronto, the sounds from the street brought clear images of collective revelry in green – sparkling shamrocks, green beer and numbed inhibitions galore.
By Julianna Jacoby5 years ago in Humans
Princess Charming
“Stay out of my life, I never wanna see you again.” Princess simply demanded, but really felt the complete opposite of what she said to Kenny.
By Tyniera Nicole5 years ago in Humans
The Husband Whisperer
Justin glanced out the window. A smile crept across his face as he recalled a round of golf from a few weeks ago. “Justin? What are you smiling about?” his wife’s irritated tone snapped him back to reality.
By Cullens Creative5 years ago in Humans
Legacy
2:48pm Sage jumped up on the couch beside Emily, nudging his small black head into the back of her hand, which was busy typing frantically into her laptop. The blue light of the screen cast onto a weary face framed with light blonde hair. Daylight struggled to pierce the darkness of the drawn blinds, leaving a luminescent halo at the edges of the windowsill of the living room.
By Kassandra McFarlane5 years ago in Humans
Image of a Black Notebook
There is a little black notebook in front of me. I don't know what's in it, and I never will. There is a little black notebook in front of me. It's where I keep the names of all the people I've hunted, all the bounties I've ever collected. I've just collected the $20,000 bounty for hunting down the vicious Eryka, the murderous pirate hiding out in the Eastern Faults. I didn't find out that she was my sister until after I was told to come back with her head on a pike. Now what do I do?
By Kamryn Herrera5 years ago in Humans
Rainfall
The clouds began to roll in. "Oh great," I screamed internally, twisting my body onto Tristesse Avenue. It seemed as if everything was crumbling before me recently. Like the temple of Dagon collapsing by Samson's recovered might.
By William 5 years ago in Humans