Sayin Nothin: A Short Story

she managed to keep her cool and lie to them. Minerva is trying her hardest to keep her

The room was musty and dimly lit. A heavy curtain was drawn across the only window, allowing only a slight and pathetic slant of balmy sunlight to slip in. Faintly, the air tasted of dog urine and stray fur—a fusty undertone hovering beneath ghostly.

had just been attacked by several of her neighbors for no reason. I observed that

He didn't know that she was going in the first place. She seems not to worry about what others think of her, except Robert.

isolated when she wanted to stay out of Glen’s sight since she was scared that Glen was going to

Purple bruises were scattered across her frail wrist like grotesque, swollen beetles. Her knee jutted out awkwardly to her side. Her bleeding, cracked lips were shrunken to a tiny buttonhole. Her tongue stuck out between her teeth like a piece of rubber. Her eyelids fluttered feebly as she lay there - defeated, defenseless, and desolate. Her chest heaved up and down, as her lungs fought for breath – she was barely alive. A caked, muddy trail of shoeprints followed him out the door. He had gotten away again. Tears prickled at the back of my eyes. My throat swelled up as my steely resolve began to dissolve. Grief shook my shoulders like an inner earthquake, the world around me crashing down. A nauseating mixture of relief and horror clenched tightly onto my loins – like when you finally stop an itch, only to realize that you’ve ripped a hole in your

She looked towards me, her face growing ever paler, she trembled, as tears began to run down her, once rosy red cheeks. her gaping mouth began to move, trying to form words. however she found it difficult as her breath was leaving her

He turned his head. With features distorted in pain, he looked directly at her. The longing in his eyes was unmistakable. His mouth began to move. She couldn’t hear any words. There was only silence. His hand rose wavering beckoning her to come closer.

Sarojini bit her lower lip and recalled all of the beatings she witnessed along the way thus far. Shivers circulated through her body, and the prickles of fear caused goosebumps to rise up. In her distracted state, she sent me into a puddle of muck.

The aftermath of all this sent uncomfortable feelings down her body, but she was used to it, and they were only brief. The feeling was akin to strong jolts of electricity discharging throughout one’s body, only to dissipate shorty

But now, she had to keep her focus on patching things up with her mother.

A deep sigh of regret and the pressure of a body by her side made her acutely aware that she wasn’t alone. A gentle caress stroked the hair from her face, and the feeling of someone watching her had her heart pounding.

He saw her look out the window toward the cemetery where her dead children lay buried and he knew she did not want to leave them. The sight of the white

The room smelt of sick and death. It clung to all in the room like a living demon, mocking the grievers. Heavy dark curtains were drawn shut blocking out the summer’s day behind them and only a few scattered candles were lit. The room felt smaller than it was in the dark and the large furniture only added to the tightness. The air was stuffy for all the occupiers though no one made a comment. On the couch nearest the door sat three young girls. Dressed in fine clothes and perfect posture they remained silent, eyes focused on the bed. The only noise in the room was the clanging of bottles in the corners where the old healer was putting away his possessions. He glanced once more behind him at the bed before leaving the room, heart heavy with failure.

Just the thought of all they had done to place both of these girls in the best possible position to capture their son’s consideration for a permanent relationship had them wondering if someone