1
All is as if the world did cease to exist. The city's monuments go unseen, its past unheard, and its culture slowly fading in the dismal sea.Nathan Reese Maher
2
Patches don’t look it, but when attached to your soul they can get pretty heavy. They go over the holes in your soul, like when you patch a sock. When you have a hole in your soul, it’s because you’re hurting from something. I don’t know if you noticed, but that girl had a lot of holes.Nathan Reese Maher
3
The shadow self is what lies beneath the makeup. It’s those ugly parts that you haven’t accepted about yourself. You hide those parts in the shadows until you’re ready.” Her face remained a haunting calm. “When you realize the scars are who you are, that there was nothing wrong with you and that you were beautiful all along - that’s when you decide to take the makeup off.Nathan Reese Maher
4
Because I am, just as you are you. We don’t always get to pick who we are, Shelly Wynn, but we can choose to celebrate it.Nathan Reese Maher
5
There’s nothing wrong with you at all. Sometimes people say or do things that are mean because there's something the matter with them. With Lydia, it seems there’s always something wrong with her.Nathan Reese Maher
6
I’m afraid they’re not coming.” Abby said fearfully. “Our parents, our teachers — everyone! They’ve disappeared. That’s it. Lights out, Shelly. We’re on our own.Nathan Reese Maher
7
Lydia displays her right hand and instantly bathed the room with a blinding light. It lasted only a moment before it drew back into her palm. “I can fix you if you’re ever broken.Nathan Reese Maher
8
It’s no big deal. It’s kind of like a tattoo. It won’t hurt, not too much, just a few stitches and it’ll be all over. It’s really interesting how it’s done. You won’t believe where your soul hides. Go on, take a guess. Where do you think it is?Nathan Reese Maher
9
Aloha Oukou. It looked like your soul was escaping so I put you in a tree.Nathan Reese Maher
11
Somehow her hula hoop had cut into the driver’s side door like the vehicle was made of cheese.Nathan Reese Maher
12
Soon, all the children were chanting it. “No school! No school!Nathan Reese Maher
13
Shelly shook her head and made sure she had plenty of space so that she wouldn’t hit anything. As many times before, she kept the hoop close to her waist and then twirled it with small, tight bursts of speed. As the hoop gathered in momentum it started to give off a hum that soon took on a light blue illumination far brighter than the streetlamps. It was so bright, that it lit up the entire backyard. .Nathan Reese Maher
14
Do we not each dream of dreams? Do we not dance on the notes of lostmemories? Then are we not each dreamers of tomorrow and yesterday, since dreamsplay when time is askew? Are we not all adrift in the constant sea of trial and when all is done, do we not all yearn for ships to carry us home?Nathan Reese Maher
15
Call me crazy, but there is something terribly wrong with this city.Nathan Reese Maher
16
There is a stillness between us, a period of restlessness that ties my stomachin a hangman’s noose. It is this same lack in noise that lives, there! in thedarkness of the grave, how it frightens me beyond all things.Nathan Reese Maher
17
I can’t help but ask, “Do you know where you are?” She turns to me with a foreboding glare. “Do you?Nathan Reese Maher
18
Did Bach ever eatpancakes at midnight?Nathan Reese Maher
19
History doesn’t start with a tall buildingand a card with your name written on it, but jokes do. I think someone is takingus for suckers and is playing a mean game.Nathan Reese Maher
20
I steal one glance over my shoulder as soon as we are far from the foreboding luminance of the neon glow, and it is there that my stomach leaps into my throat. Squatting just shy of the light and partially concealed by the shade of an alley is a sinister silhouette beneath a crimson cowl, beaming a demonic smile which spans from cheek to swollen cheek.Nathan Reese Maher
21
She leaves my side and heads deeper intothe apartment singing, “–if the spirit tries to hide, its temple far away… acopper for those they ask, a diamond for those who stay.Nathan Reese Maher
22
I rouse Emily to our guests, as she finishes off our fifteenth snowman by setting the head atop its torso. She stands limp at my direction, pointing out the coming shadows and I cannot help but hear a muffled sigh as she decapitates her latest creation with a single push of her hand.Nathan Reese Maher
23
That’s a stupid name! Whirly-gig is much better, I think. Who in their rightmind would point at this thing and say, ‘I’m going to fly in my Model-A1’.People would much rather say, ‘Get in my whirly-gig’. And that’s what youshould name it.Nathan Reese Maher
24
Jasper set an intercepting course towards that Rhylonian Star Duster. Maybe we can catch them on their blind side.”“ Doesn’t this ship have a cloak?” Jaq asks.“ Miss Synergy, I don’t know what they teach now a’days at the Academy, but ships do not wear clothes.Nathan Reese Maher
25
Jasper! ” Casey shouts, startling the young woman. “My cargo is talking to me!Nathan Reese Maher
26
She points to where he went and looks to the neutral Baumen. “He–he did that to me on purpose! He’s insane. Literally, insane! ” The munchkin just shrugs. “Welcome aboard! ” and returns unconcerned to his work.Nathan Reese Maher
27
Cry no tears for us, my friend.” I pry at her fingers, panicking to be released in fear that she may drag me into death with her. She croaks again, “Lend no aches to the dreams of yesterday.” From the corpse of Warren, his greyish gums smack from whatever goo has settled in his mouth, “Allow the tide sweep free the bay.” Then together they sing in zombie choir, “And home the ships sailing send.Nathan Reese Maher