The Cottage Diner’s homey lights glowed onto black asphalt which just sucked up the beams to spit out more shadows.

Shards flew everywhere, slicing her hands, her forearm, and cascading to the floor like snow glistening on a winter morning.

As the sky faded to night, her anger dissipated—but not in a healing way, just dulled, like forged iron sizzling in a cold pail of water.

Harsh, bitter laughs exploded from her like shrapnel, and she didn’t care who was cut in the process.

Aggression like this demanded slinging the first punch in a bar brawl, firing rounds at a range, or setting a car on fire.

She glanced outside at the sky, filled with clouds and smog. All the pollution, all that hell—even the stars didn’t stand a chance.

As she’d walked along this street, a million stars stretched across an indigo canvas, holding all the freedom she’d yearned for every night.

Time to make herself scarce because, hell, she didn’t want to pass that thunderhead on her way out.

Blonde hair drawn into a no-nonsense bun, her new manicure the deep red of fresh blood, she’d even donned a blouse and slacks for the occasion, something Neve had forgotten Veronica owned.

Build your life in self-controlpurity, moderation in food and drink, and obedience to the will Divine. and you will have built well !!!!

Don’t try to make everyone happy

RECURRENT CURRENTSLike the ocean, life ebbs and flows with the occasional ripKamil Ali

We are muddled into war.

There's no road map on how to raise a family: it's always an enormous negotiation.

The more sinful and guilty a person tends to feel, the less chance there is that he will be a happy, healthy, or law-abiding citizen. He will become a compulsive wrong-doer.

Will America be the death of English? I'm glad I asked me that. My well-thought-out mature judgment is that it will.

She was not used to being cruel, but he had taught her how.

“No thought lives in your head rent-free.” Each thought you have will either be an investment or a cost.

When Mister Safety Catch Is Not On, Mister Crossbow Is Not Your Friend.