Category: Crystal Edition 15th Anniversary
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The rain beat an unsung tune on the tiles of the roof as she lay there, one leg under the covers, the other over them, unable to sleep. She had lullabies—soothing, subtle and quiet—playing on repeat in the background, mingling with the sound of the rain. Sleep would not come. She rolled onto her side…
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Milk spills on the floor, purple cup. My hands are that of a child’s, clumsy and small. And so it goes, click, clack—across the tile. My mom’s shrill voice, rising as my eyes well with tears. I think I cried. I don’t remember. Kaleidoscope vision, jumping rope. Gym class, and the sound of dozens of…
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I’ve always been told I was meant to be something, something greater than myself, greater than everyone. For so long I thought my potential had been wasted, that I was never going to be more than I am, that I was never going to be more than everyone. Seventeen long years and it finally happened,…
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I knew hunger beforeI knew pain my claws tear at the seamsmy teeth rip into tender,pre-packaged prey,bitter,like cigarette smoke I am a predatordumb,frozen,gaze dull like TV static and you are my keeper Raegan Blair is currently pursuing a bachelors in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing; she is also double majoring in game design.…
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You pulled up next to me, somewhere in the dead heat of a summer day in Texas, the weight of the pistol in my torn-up pocket growing hotter as your truck rolled to a stop. I ignored you at first, but you shouted out to me, “I’ll take you anywhere,” so I got in, out…
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I have a sinking feeling I’ve done it all in vain. A shrew digging pinpricks creating a hole dug to nowhere, she dies a martyr, she was going to die all along. A hyena feeds on stolen laughter and gnaws on bitter joy, a predatory prowess dripping from her simper, she is still insatiable. A…
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I wipe the counter and watch dark espresso smear into the grains of my worn-out cloth. Her husband died and she’s lonely, her name is Eva. She sits in a corner and doesn’t talk much, but she always brings a romance novel. Nora Roberts is her favorite; she says she prefers something a little more…
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“Task completed. Program is running at optimal efficiency.” With a single command, I lock down the portion of code I had been assembling, waiting for further instructions from Father. My siblings flit around in other portions of the program, finishing up their various tasks so that Father could examine the software from the outside…
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I adjust my glasses, ready to head out. I finished up my report on last month’s sales on staplers yesterday and am relieved to finally have completed it. With a final sip of my coffee, I am out the door. Since I live close to work, I decide to walk there, letting myself use my…
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The dark underbrush shook as the man struggled through, he stumbled into the clearing of the trees and flora. The forest around him circled like a stalking beast. It was dark in these woods, far darker than it should be, with the full moon standing sentinel in the sky. The man looked down to see…
Arrow Rock Literary Journal 