Shancia Speaks: Short Stories Superb!

They are scattered all around in a dull splash of hurt, remorse, anger, regret, animosity, envy and bitterness. The leaves have odd shapes and their weight deal painful blows as they fall to ground. The mother tree is such a wretch and has been creating havoc for decades. She revels in the mischief of her falling leaves.  The woman bends down, tired and weary, and amasses them one by one. Her blistered hands are calloused as she maneuvers with the giant rake. Her sack grows heavy in no time at all and she labours down the winding road, back strained and bending from the ponderous collection of the leaves. Their tips are mucronate, piercing holes through the dirty sack, and jabbing the woman all about. Blood spills and starts to run over but she must endure the journey to cast them off, over the cliff of forgiveness. The woman treads on, persistent and courageous and then the most mysterious thing occurs.  The leaves' edges are so sharp and their mass so burdensome that the hol...

Look out for them! Eyes wide open, for they are surely all about. The saintly faces whose hideous souls hide behind famous bible verses and motivational quotes that their fingers fail to reach. Look out for them! The disguise of scrutiny holders, holders of judgement over your life, whose eyes burn at your presence, whose lips curl in aguish at your light, whose eyes reflect disgust because "how dare you, be you?' Look out for them! The ones who pretend to listen but whose lips and tongues are already armored to claw you to the ground. Take heed of them! They wear the loveliest smiles but look well when they watch you, how they stare from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes as if Jesus was somehow hidden upon your skin. They can never hear what you say because the fixation upon you is so fierce that they ears reside under their feet. The treacherous ones who declare, "I will pray for you," while with a heart beaming and laughing that you are the one in th...

The shadow reluctantly trails its owner, dark with anguish because of the uncertainty that looms. A brand-new environment comes creeping in sight and the shadow cowers at the feet of its body. "I do not know anyone," he whispers. "I wish I was back in my old room," he complains. Strange faces pop here and there, and he is forced to peep, shyly though, and almost crumbling at the thought of him being seen. But then the light bounces upon the concrete playground and forces him out and he shrieks! Certainly not ready to say hello, he does so weakly, his voice breaks and the tears stab a little, almost ready to burst out. Quickly, he retreats but the light is more intense and here it comes forcefully pulling the shadow out. He will learn today that new beginnings are meant to be explored but really....can he? The shadow leaps and bounds in a wretched game of hide and seek, losing miserably to the light. All of this is brand new; he surely misses his old home. He yearns ...