Stories tagged “Katie Kim”
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Hardtack and Brittle Bones
“Hey you boy!” a gruff voice shouted to my slumped, tired back. I choked on the hard bread they had given me, as I slowly turned around to face the owner of the voice. A tall man stood about five feet from where I was slouched, a thin-lipped grim...
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The Murder of Manzanar
We drove past a barbed-wire fence, through a gate, and into an open space where trunks and sacks and packages had been dumped from the baggage trucks that drove out ahead of us. Inside the bus no one stirred. No one waved or spoke, they all just stared...
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The Murder of Manzanar
We drove past a barbed-wire fence, through a gate, and into an open space where trunks and sacks and packages had been dumped from the baggage trucks that drove out ahead of us. Inside the bus no one stirred. No one waved or spoke, they all just stared...
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Unwanted
“But David…I…I…Why?” I stuttered, unable to believe what was happening. “I’m sorry Kalyla. It’s just not right anymore. You know? You’re not in the wrong here, I’ve just changed.” David ...
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Game time
Aw man… I thought, grimacing as I looked at the sticky mess on the bottom of my sneaker. It must be an omen of some sort… I trailed off. I had no idea what this was supposed to mean. But I am big into omens and signs and stuff. My team was ...
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Stuck
The white t-shirt sticks to my stomach, turned see-through by the churning, spitting sea. Froth bubbles in my hair, disappearing as my head tucks under several inches. A roll of green water pulls my feet backwards, trailing my body along with it. _ Swi...
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Drifting
The wind hums and moans, but my ears barely notice. All they can focus on is the melody dripping from beautiful mouths and plucked guitars, carried by the wind, twisting past me in ribbons of mischief. My head turns to locate the source, unable to find...
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Waking
The sand envelopes my bright pink toes, painted earlier that iced tea afternoon. Printed green, soft yellow, and coral pink chairs sing cleanly as we sit against their white wicker backs. The waves glitter and roll, playing tricks for our shining, smil...
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encounter part 1
My feet scamper along the creaking soft-splintered wood. It feels worn and ready for me. Without shoes, the sun scorches them, so I move quickly. His head hangs at the end of the boardwalk, his chest bare, his slightly-defined muscles sun-kissed and f...
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encounter part 2
Wait. My neck turns my head, the wind still twirling my hair around its fingers. His mouth opens, ready to speak again. We both hear a rhythmic swishing sound from the other end of the boardwalk. Hey, Pete! Come on, we’re leaving. The swishing is co...
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Sunday at the Park (Part 1)
The man sits on the scabbed rock, picking absentmindedly at his hands. His clothes are torn, his spirit is destroyed. The sky is happy, the sun smiling onto the almost empty park. Clouds cling to the top of the sky. The man is mumbling raggedly und...
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Sunday at the Park Part 2
The man falls down, repeatedly hitting his head against the rock, and begins moaning loudly. The little boy sees a gosling in the middle of the pond, and becomes intent on petting it. The parents turn towards the man, their backs facing their son. The...
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Focus
Oh my God, Sarah, what they’re saying about Haiti is crazy. What’s happening now? They’re predicting thousands have died, and even more have been injured. No way! I know, the people in Haiti are just waiting for help to come. That would be so te...
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Push
“They Gave me a Gun. But I took the world.” They spat in my face, I drowned in the shame. They punched my gut, the blow felt like a bullet. So don’t pretend like it’s okay, when you made it the opposite. Don’t nod your hea...
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Un-sweet
no sugar? melancholy drips from your eyes. be careful, don’t let it get into the cardboard cup looks up scared of what he might see. steam quivers towards the sky, bitter bitter steam. sip sip sip swallow gulp. beating underneath your shirt, teari...
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Push (poetic version)
“They Gave me a Gun. But I took the world.” They spat in my face, I drowned in the shame. They punched my gut, the blow felt like a bullet. So don’t pretend like it’s okay, when you made it the opposite. Don’t nod your head and sympathi...