In my usual spot and I stare.

Out I nto the back yard. Just there.

The shadows stretch longer

My terrors grow stronger

The sun sinks low to kiss the earth.

As a new night is given birth.

It's not the dark I fear, per se,

Rather, things come out, not here in the day.

The shadows grow longer, now across the lawn

Growing arms, legs and teeth, the devil’s spawn.

As night wears on, they creep up to ...

I’m scared, I’m excited

Mom said it would be fun.

The bus rolled up, I alighted

A little late, I had to run.

Slid into my seat

And watched the teacher turn.

He handed out a worksheet,

Said we were going learn.

Turned out to be a couple games

For us to learn each others names.

Mom was right

The fun was outta sight!...

Most people are afraid of my neighbor but not me, he is my friend. Actually I’m not sure if people are afraid of him exactly but rather they just pretty much ignore him. He and I hang out on his porch most evenings and as neighbors stroll by they wave and call to me, "Hi Kevin, how was school today?" or "how's your mom doing?” Then they stroll on down the block without a kind word or even a look ...

The day started out bad and just got worse from there. The van pool was late and I got the last seat, I hate that. Traffic was horrendous, as usual, and it started to rain on our way in. Since we were late, all the close parking was taken so we had to park in the back of the lot in the middle of a big puddle. I jumped out into ankle deep muddy water and made a mad dash toward the building. My new ...

“Oh man, my arms feel like they’re going to fall off”, Sam muttered to himself. He knew he should not have taken the dare but Miles always knew just how to push him and goad him into it. And now, here he was, in trouble again just because he could not turn down a dare…and Miles knew it. Miles also knew he was the better rower and he loved to beat Sam, but this time Sam was going to beat him. Sam b...

The sun shines on my head; the spray from the surf mists my face; the wind blows through my long hair. I feel his arms slip around my shoulders and I know I am safe. I lean back into his broad chest really truly content for the first time. The colors of the sunset are brilliant and an involuntary deep sigh escapes my lips.

I take a deep satisfying breath and turn the page. I lean back deeper into...