humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
The Very Unexceptional Life of Arnold Sampson
The funeral home was empty. I have lived down the street for my entire life, and whenever there was a funeral the whole town would know. If not for the fact that word travels fast, as it does in a small suburban hamlet such as ours, but for the excess amount of cars that typically line the side streets because the parking lot only holds about eight cars.
By Jen Mongiori5 years ago in Humans
Anonymous.
There was nothing special about that night. Marie followed all of the right protocols and watched the actors take their nightly bows. Marie’s team of eight ushers were in place, ready to pull back the curtain, unlock the doors, and direct the weary patrons around the vast lobby of Ann’s Theater. Marie stood by the curtain that separated the theater from the lobby and watched. Bow one, applause. Bow two, applause. Bow three, the lead held her hand to her heart, tears streaming down her cheeks, and mouthed a ‘thank you’. The cast, visibly relieved, filed into a single line and shuffled off the stage.
By Antonia Abramova5 years ago in Humans
AN UNINTENTIONAL BLESSING
Gemma set off for the interview. She had to get this job because she was right down on her uppers and though having no food in the fridge was doing marvels for her figure, she was in danger of passing out from lack of nourishment.
By Eileen Frances Quilter Williams5 years ago in Humans
Surprise Money
My name is Monica Ashburn. Until about two months ago, I was just like every other thirty-something. I had student loans, medical bills and was juggling working full time while finishing a degree in graphic design. All that, and I was working freelance on the side. I was just barely scraping by, just like so many people from my generation. Now...now I wish I could have that struggle back.
By S.M. Vargas5 years ago in Humans
A Little Magick
Waking up on some rocks, I squinted my eyes and glared into the mysterious sunrise beams as it shone through the fog. I'm just a mere girl; only fifteen. I ran away from home when I was twelve and I never looked back. I've been living out here in the wilderness for three years. I stretched my arms above my head and my fingertips touched the top of the shallow rock cave that I've been sleeping in. I looked over across from the cliff I'm on and see a beautiful rainbow in the fog around the waterfall below. Wysteria vines bloomed all over with their vines intertwining with the forest trees. If only I had gotten better sleep on those rocks, then I may see this as a fairy wonderland. I can't stay here all day, as tourists may come to visit this park and I cannot be found. I zip up my hoodie and then start climbing down from my wilderness cave loft that I have claimed for my nights, and then I go out to find some breakfast. Finding food is kind of hard when I don't have any money but I always find a way to manage. "Meow!" Roared a cat as I unknowingly stepped on his tail. "How did you get out here?", I asked. Green eyes and a black fluffy blob stared back at me. "No response? Ok.", I said. I hopped down to the creek below. The cat followed closely behind. "Don't you have somewhere you live, little cat?", I said. And he purred and rubbed his cheeks against my ankles. I leaned down and pet him. I will call you "Magick.", I said. Just then, a white feather floated down and landed on my shoulder. "Is this an angel feather, or is this a bird feather? What do you think Magick? ", I said. He jumped into the air and snatched the feather into his mouth and wrestled it around as though it was a prized hunt. I giggled. "You are a cutie, Magick. ", I said, and then I hopped and skipped on the rocks while trying not to fall into the water. Magick was not amused. He wanted to follow me, but he did not like the water. He decided to walk beside the creek instead. I didn't have enough strength to get too far, as it had been a while since I have eaten. I decided I would search for minnows in the water and then gather some spring berries and nibble on some sassafras. I found a small peanut butter jar that looked like it used to be someone's firefly container. It had holes poked at the top. I filled it partway with water and tried to capture minnows between my hands. I caught a lot of them; enough for a high protein meal if cooked properly over a fire. They swam around in the jar and I carried it back up to my cave spot. I sat it upright and began building a small fire with sticks at the mouth of the cave near the cliff edge. I then quickly gathered some sassafras and berries. I sat two logs on the fire and placed a large flat rock on top of the fire to heat it. And I found an aluminum can someone left from their hiking adventure in the park. I ground up some sassafras and berries and grabbed some honey and salt from my backpack. I drained the water from the peanut butter jar and felt my heart break for the fish as they thrashed their bodies unable to breathe. When they stopped moving I placed them in the can on the heated rock over the fire and gave them a slow roast. I stirred in the ground sassafras, berries, honey and salt. I tasted it and it was better than I imagined it would be. Magick was beside me, pawing at my side and meowing. He really wanted some of my fish. "Well ok, Magick.", I said. I placed some on another flat rock and he purred loudly and ate it. After we finished eating I decided that we would pan for gold down in the river below. "There probably isn't any gold in there Magick, but it doesn't hurt to see". I pulled a homemade panning box from my backpack and went down to the river. I sifted through the dirt and found nothing. "Magick, you are now my best friend. I've been alone a long time. But it seems you came into my life just like a ball of magick", I said. My eyes teared up as I realized how much I really did want interaction and love; and how much I really wanted to live a normal life. I heard voices in the distance and I knew it was time to go. I quickly hopped down and put the backpack on my back and little Magick rode on my shoulder. "Ok, shoulder kitty. Let's go on an adventure", I said. I made my way out of the park and came across a cemetery with old designs on the headstones. "Hmmm..this is actually a really pretty place, don't you think, Magick?". Magick purred. I sat under a tree there. I saw a cement, in- ground mausoleum with the cement cover just slightly opened. I peeked into the crack and saw a brown box. "How weird is that, Magick? ", I said. "Maybe someone's ashes are in there. ", I said. Another white feather floated down onto me. I tried to lift the lid but it was very heavy. I pushed and I pushed and was able to reach my hand inside the opening. "I got it, Magick!", I said. It was a shoe box. What a strange thing to find in a cemetery. "How didn't it get ruined by the morning dew? ", I said. I lifted the lid from the box and saw money! Several stacks of 100 dollar bills! I quickly loaded it up into my backpack. I decided I would count it later. "This could definitely more than buy us lunch, Magick!", I said. Magick meowed. We decided to walk into town. "I can't live in fear forever of being caught, you know? Let's hide behind this old gas station and count this money. ", I said. As I counted stacks of one hundred dollar bills, I was more surprised with every one I counted. "Three thousand dollars and counting?!", I gasped. "I kept counting. "Ten thousand dollars?! I can't believe it!" ,I said, as I smiled with excitement. I kept counting. "Twenty THOUSAND dollars Magick! TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!", I exclaimed! I was excited about all the money that was found, but I was scared to show my face in the businesses to use it. I scurried back to my cave with my cat and my money- filled backpack. I decided to take a nap in the back of the cave so that passers-by wouldn't see me on their day out at the park. Magick curled up onto me and kneaded his paws on my jeans that I was wearing and he rested his head on my tummy. As I relaxed and gazed up at the water droplets hanging from the inside of the cave, I decided that the cave isn't the best place for a bag of money. "We're going to have to go back into town, Magick", I said. My heart pounding in my chest as I spoke the words. As I made it out of the park I saw the cemetary again. I thought about putting it back into the box. "It was safe there", I thought. So I picked up the box that I left on the ground beside the mausoleum and stacked the money back into the box to stash it away for later. I placed the box into the cracks and wedged it through to place it where it once was. My hand bumped something hard that I heard move across the mausoleum's concrete floor. "Is that a... book?", I said, puzzled. I wiggled my hand and gripped my fingers onto the corner of it and pulled it out, wiggling it through the opening. It was a little black book. It was blank on the cover; just solid black. I turned to the first page. The first page was blank. "Is this a journal? "I said softly, as I pet Magick. "Why would someone leave a blank journal?", I said. I turned another page. I saw a message. Written on the page, it said " If you are reading this, you must have found the money I left. I don't know who you are, but I know everyone needs a little magick in their life sometimes. Life is too short, not to live it. Love, Your Living Angel of Magick" . I stumbled. I looked behind me. I felt like I may be being watched. I felt creeped out. I grabbed the box and I ran. I ran fast and took the money and Magick with me. I didn't know where I was going, but I didn't feel safe going back to the cave. What if someone was watching me? What if they knew where I was staying? I could be in danger. I found myself at the doorstep of the Old Town Inn. I quickly dumped all the money in my backpack and threw the box. I took a deep breath and walked in the door with my cat following behind. "Hello. I would like a room please", I said to the woman behind the desk. "ID please", she said. I pretended to search my pockets for my nonexistant ID. "I must have lost it", I said. She said "Very well then. If you are paying with card, you will need an ID though. ", she said. "I'm paying with cash", I said. "One hundred thirty dollars please", she said as she lifted an eyebrow. I reached into my backpack and grabbed two one hundred dollar bills and handed it to her. She gave me seventy dollars back and a room key". I walked to the room and I opened the door. Seeing a bed felt like a holy grail. I plopped onto the soft cozy bed. "Magick, our real life starts now", I said, as I ran my fingers through her fur. I hugged Magick tight and knew that from now on, everything is always going to be alright.
By Chris Grady5 years ago in Humans
A Little Magick
Waking up on some rocks, I squinted my eyes and glared into the mysterious sunrise beams as it shone through the fog. I'm just a mere girl; only fifteen. I ran away from home when I was twelve and I never looked back. I've been living out here in the wilderness for three years. I stretched my arms above my head and my fingertips touched the top of the shallow rock cave that I've been sleeping in. I looked over across from the cliff I'm on and see a beautiful rainbow in the fog around the waterfall below. Wysteria vines bloomed all over with their vines intertwining with the forest trees. If only I had gotten better sleep on those rocks, then I may see this as a fairy wonderland. I can't stay here all day, as tourists may come to visit this park and I cannot be found. I zip up my hoodie and then start climbing down from my wilderness cave loft that I have claimed for my nights, and then I go out to find some breakfast. Finding food is kind of hard when I don't have any money but I always find a way to manage. "Meow!" Roared a cat as I unknowingly stepped on his tail. "How did you get out here?", I asked. Green eyes and a black fluffy blob stared back at me. "No response? Ok.", I said. I hopped down to the creek below. The cat followed closely behind. "Don't you have somewhere you live, little cat?", I said. And he purred and rubbed his cheeks against my ankles. I leaned down and pet him. I will call you "Magick.", I said. Just then, a white feather floated down and landed on my shoulder. "Is this an angel feather, or is this a bird feather? What do you think Magick? ", I said. He jumped into the air and snatched the feather into his mouth and wrestled it around as though it was a prized hunt. I giggled. "You are a cutie, Magick. ", I said, and then I hopped and skipped on the rocks while trying not to fall into the water. Magick was not amused. He wanted to follow me, but he did not like the water. He decided to walk beside the creek instead. I didn't have enough strength to get too far, as it had been a while since I have eaten. I decided I would search for minnows in the water and then gather some spring berries and nibble on some sassafras. I found a small peanut butter jar that looked like it used to be someone's firefly container. It had holes poked at the top. I filled it partway with water and tried to capture minnows between my hands. I caught a lot of them; enough for a high protein meal if cooked properly over a fire. They swam around in the jar and I carried it back up to my cave spot. I sat it upright and began building a small fire with sticks at the mouth of the cave near the cliff edge. I then quickly gathered some sassafras and berries. I sat two logs on the fire and placed a large flat rock on top of the fire to heat it. And I found an aluminum can someone left from their hiking adventure in the park. I ground up some sassafras and berries and grabbed some honey and salt from my backpack. I drained the water from the peanut butter jar and felt my heart break for the fish as they thrashed their bodies unable to breathe. When they stopped moving I placed them in the can on the heated rock over the fire and gave them a slow roast. I stirred in the ground sassafras, berries, honey and salt. I tasted it and it was better than I imagined it would be. Magick was beside me, pawing at my side and meowing. He really wanted some of my fish. "Well ok, Magick.", I said. I placed some on another flat rock and he purred loudly and ate it. After we finished eating I decided that we would pan for gold down in the river below. "There probably isn't any gold in there Magick, but it doesn't hurt to see". I pulled a homemade panning box from my backpack and went down to the river. I sifted through the dirt and found nothing. "Magick, you are now my best friend. I've been alone a long time. But it seems you came into my life just like a ball of magick", I said. My eyes teared up as I realized how much I really did want interaction and love; and how much I really wanted to live a normal life. I heard voices in the distance and I knew it was time to go. I quickly hopped down and put the backpack on my back and little Magick rode on my shoulder. "Ok, shoulder kitty. Let's go on an adventure", I said. I made my way out of the park and came across a cemetery with old designs on the headstones."Hmmm..this is actually a really pretty place, don't you think, Magick?". Magick purred. I sat under a tree there. I saw a cement, in- ground mausoleum with the cement cover just slightly opened. I peeked into the crack and saw a brown box. "How weird is that, Magick? ", I said. "Maybe someone's ashes are in there. ", I said. Another white feather floated down onto me. I tried to lift the lid but it was very heavy. I pushed and I pushed and was able to reach my hand inside the opening. "I got it, Magick!", I said. It was a shoe box. What a strange thing to find in a cemetery. "How didn't it get ruined by the morning dew? ", I said. I lifted the lid from the box and saw money! Several stacks of 100 dollar bills! I quickly loaded it up into my backpack. I decided I would count it later. "This could definitely more than buy us lunch, Magick!", I said. Magick meowed. We decided to walk into town. "I can't live in fear forever of being caught, you know? Let's hide behind this old gas station and count this money. ", I said. As I counted stacks of one hundred dollar bills, I was more surprised with every one I counted. "Three thousand dollars and counting?!", I gasped. "I kept counting. "Ten thousand dollars?! I can't believe it!" ,I said, as I smiled with excitement. I kept counting. "Twenty THOUSAND dollars Magick! TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!", I exclaimed! I was excited about all the money that was found, but I was scared to show my face in the businesses to use it. I scurried back to my cave with my cat and my money- filled backpack. I decided to take a nap in the back of the cave so that passers-by wouldn't see me on their day out at the park. Magick curled up onto me and kneaded his paws on my jeans that I was wearing and he rested his head on my tummy. As I relaxed and gazed up at the water droplets hanging from the inside of the cave, I decided that the cave isn't the best place for a bag of money. "We're going to have to go back into town, Magick", I said. My heart pounding in my chest as I spoke the words. As I made it out of the park I saw the cemetary again. I thought about putting it back into the box. "It was safe there", I thought. So I picked up the box that I left on the ground beside the mausoleum and stacked the money back into the box to stash it away for later. I placed the box into the cracks and wedged it through to place it where it once was. My hand bumped something hard that I heard move across the mausoleum's concrete floor. "Is that a... book?", I said, puzzled. I wiggled my hand and gripped my fingers onto the corner of it and pulled it out, wiggling it through the opening. It was a little black book. It was blank on the cover; just solid black. I turned to the first page. The first page was blank. "Is this a journal? "I said softly, as I pet Magick. "Why would someone leave a blank journal?", I said. I turned another page. I saw a message. Written on the page, it said " If you are reading this, you must have found the money I left. I don't know who you are, but I know everyone needs a little magick in their life sometimes. Life is too short, not to live it. Love, Your Living Angel of Magick" . I stumbled. I looked behind me. I felt like I may be being watched. I felt creeped out. I grabbed the box and I ran. I ran fast and took the money and Magick with me. I didn't know where I was going, but I didn't feel safe going back to the cave. What if someone was watching me? What if they knew where I was staying? I could be in danger. I found myself at the doorstep of the Old Town Inn. I quickly dumped all the money in my backpack and threw the box. I took a deep breath and walked in the door with my cat following behind. "Hello. I would like a room please", I said to the woman behind the desk. "ID please", she said. I pretended to search my pockets for my nonexistant ID. "I must have lost it", I said. She said "Very well then. If you are paying with card, you will need an ID though. ", she said. "I'm paying with cash", I said. "One hundred thirty dollars please", she said as she lifted an eyebrow. I reached into my backpack and grabbed two one hundred dollar bills and handed it to her. She gave me seventy dollars back and a room key". I walked to the room and I opened the door. Seeing a bed felt like a holy grail. I plopped onto the soft cozy bed. "Magick, our real life starts now", I said, as I ran my fingers through her fur. I hugged Magick tight and knew that from now on, everything is always going to be alright.
By Chris Grady5 years ago in Humans
My bridge life
I could begin by saying, ' it was by choice'. But that is not the reality for me at all. It was a decision I chose as a direct result my unsatisfactory marriage..but I would rather have stayed home. The inability to deal with pressures of cooking,cleaning, organizing all the bills and accepting verbal abuse on a daily basis is what initiated my abandonment.As an end result I made a new life of peace underneath a bridge overpass on the southwest side of town.
By Tamara Foster5 years ago in Humans
Zonga
It was a very exhaustive performance. The three days of showcasing the drum beats from Nkanta tribe was a huge success. The tickets were sold out for the three days. The drummers had been rehearsing for one month. The auditorium was a 1500 capacity type and it was filled to the brim. Everybody wanted to have a taste of the musical entertainment. Nkanta drumming is known world wide for the intensity of the energy it carries. It was even rumoured that people who were depressed, once they listened to the beats, got better and never went back to the depressive years. The Djembe drum was manned by Zonga. Zonga’s dreadlocks shook as she pounded the drums with her bare palms. Her palms slapped the drums and electrified the audience. Her drum could be heard loud and clear. It seemed like she was lost in another world. She fixed her gaze at the audience and it seemed like she was responding to their chants and cheers.
By Uwem Umana5 years ago in Humans
Hope in the Ghetto
Woke up to another day in the hood, nothing new, same room, same junkie for a mother. I always have to get my brothers up for school and get them ready because my mom always was too drunk or high to function. “Chance and Peanut” i yelled, “get up and brush your teeth, it’s time to get ready for school!” As i hear my brothers dragging themselves out of the bed, i slowly turn on some music and get some breakfast going and make them lunch because my brothers always got bullied into giving up their school food. We weren’t your regular kids from the ghetto though, we were really smart kids my brothers and i got nothing less then “A” on any assignment. I always stressed to them how important it was to get good grades so that one day we wouldn’t have to live in the projects anymore! Maybe, if God was on our side once we made it out if we were lucky enough we could get our mother off of drugs too. Even though my mother was abusive we all had memories of her before she got too far into her addiction. We always wanted the old her back and we never gave up hope of her one day being clean. As i walk my brothers to the bus stop i tell them one day I’m going to change our lives, little did i know that day would turn out to be today. After they get on the bus, i walk to my bus stop and wait on the bus. I had to take three busses to get to school because i went to a more upscale school in Pacific Palisades about an hour away but two hours away transit from Inglewood where i stayed.
By Honey Allure5 years ago in Humans
Keeping Boyne Alive
What to do in a town of 3,000 during a pandemic? You close ranks and pitch in! This community, I have fondly come to refer to as my hometown, even though I wasn't born here, I have now lived here longer than my actual hometown. In the last 30 years I have been impressed, stupified and downright dumbfounded (in a good way) by the sense of community in this small Northern Michigan bubble.
By Virginia Evans5 years ago in Humans
