Finale

I hate this jumper as much as I hate your face. When I look into your deep blue eyes I see my life and weep. I resent the way they demolished your soul but you are fine with me.

Be still my friend. Please don’t leave.  Hold me up despite my hopelessness.

Sharing one last beer, we raise our glass. We laugh at the fools dancing on the sidewalk. Then you squeeze my hand tight as we close our eyes and fall from the big blue sky.

The Outing

Tim wants to go outside but he doesn't have a raincoat. He hates the rain, he hates being wet, he hates the sound, he hates... Utterly pissed off, Tim curls up in a ball inside the wardrobe and remains there for what he believes to be about six hours. Once Tim is sure the rain has stopped, he steps outside the wardrobe, stretches, opens the curtains and smiles as he sees the sun peeking through the clouds. "Fucking Hallelujah,” he thinks before heading down to the garden shed. Tim fetches out a large bag, which he struggles with as he puts it over his shoulder.

Tim whistles as he walks down the street. All of a sudden he comes to a halt. He has seen her. "Yes, this is she. Who else could it be?" Inquisitively he watches as she walks to the underground station. Tim follows as the lady dashes for the tube. Once inside, Tim coyly observes her. He is amazed at how young she looks. He likes her long golden hair, her pink high heel shoes, and her long legs...

The lady makes her way off the tube. Tim follows.

She walks into a department store. Tim has never been in a store like this. Tim has never been anywhere much. He has lived his life as a recluse. He only ventures out on special days and he feels that today is one of them. He looks on as the friendly lady greets people, flicking her long golden hair each time she joyfully laughs. Tim is so entranced by her that he hasn't noticed a few people looking his way. A woman walks towards him "Can I help you?" Tim stares at the woman for a few seconds. He begins to sweat and blinks his eyes rapidly. Tim takes a few steps back before heading for the exit.

"Why is everything so damn fucking complicated" Tim moans to himself while he sits on a bench and waits. A passer-by glances over and Tim gives him the finger. He hates waiting, this wasn't how he planned it and as each hour passes Tim becomes more impatient. At last he sees her leave the department store and once again she is heading for the underground. Once again Tim follows. He follows her home.

He is now at her door. He rings the bell.

"Hello. It's Tim"

"Tim?"

Tim forces his way in. Slams the door shut. They fight. She bites and screams then with one swift blow Tim knocks her to the ground. She is unconscious. As she lies on the wooden floor Tim unzips his bag. He takes out a hammer, a saw, and a knife amongst others. He looks at her, hesitates some until a voice whispers "Come on Tim, you know this will be so entertaining."

Sylvia

A dark room and a bolted door. Sylvia is pressed against her lover, she likes skin against skin. Sylvia wonders could he be the one, yet deep down knows it won't last long. She slides her fingers through his golden hair and whispers 'Do you hate what I am?'

A drunken Sylvia turns away. Hurls her glass and laughs as it shatters, then yells 'damn them all.' Sylvia wants what she wants and she can't change.

Sylvia feels dazed and confused as she thinks about her lover and if he ever knew her at all. With a gentle kiss, Sylvia touches his face before she ascends. Scanning the body, Sylvia reaches for the blood stained knife.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has waited with anticipation for this day all week long. Today is her twenty-fourth birthday. But she has no reason to celebrate. Without any cards or birthday wishes she feels beat and low, her mind spins like a coin tossed into the sea. Cinnamon looks at her watch. It's twelve 0' clock. She takes the watch off her wrist and throws it into the cold water. A momentary joy feels her heart but then it’s overshadowed by the darkness that’s always beside her. Cinnamon takes a bar of chocolate out of her bag.

As she is enjoying her chocolate she hears a child laughing. She looks to her left. On a bench sits a child and her mother. Like two stars, they radiate. The mother hugs her child lovingly. A man appears and embraces the child. Cinnamon wishes she were this child. She looks to her right. A man is walking his dog. A passer-by stops to greet the dog. The two men talk enthusiastically. The owner strokes his dog with tenderness. Cinnamon wishes she were this dog. She sheds a tear.

Cinnamon moves towards the edge. She removes her shoes and throws them into the cold water. Her toes have made it over the edge; her heels briefly hold her back. She spreads her arms wide. Cinnamon is flying. She feels elated.

Then falls with one hell of a splash.

Anti - Valentine Poem

Love,

I embraced you,

moments protected you,

then

joyfully you drained my sanity,

and just as I grew used to it,

you were gone

Women of the Living Dead Anthology

I have a story in the anthology by Open Casket Press "Women of the Living Dead" Please check it out :)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0075B81PI/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwperfectbyd-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=B0075B81PI

Interview with S S Michaels

The talented S.S Michaels talks about her novel 'Idols and Cons' and other amusing things.

ME: What is Idols and Cons about?

SSM: After a night of passion with a rock star she didn’t want to meet, poor Mary Bellows goes missing. Damien Tungsten knows where she is, though. After accidentally strangling her, he rolls her up in an expensive rug and dumps her in the trash. Hours later, his neighbor, one psychotic visual artist, Patrick Salinger, finds her. He drags her back into their apartment building, planning to fashion some ghastly and priceless installation pieces out of her dead body. One boy, John Thomas – meth dealer, high school loser, and son of an alcoholic – witnesses both incidents. Unfortunately for John, Damien sees him in his window as he flees the scene.

Following a battle with his own conscience, John confronts Patrick. Bad idea. Patrick forces John into helping him dismember Mary. Freaked out and in need of a smoke, John is allowed to step outside for a moment. As he puffs away, pondering his predicament, a big old Cadillac screeches to a stop right in front of him and whisks him away to the desert. When they arrive at their destination – a swank rehab facility – John finds Damien waiting to see him. Convinced that he’s about to be killed, John prays that Damien just makes it quick and painless. Damien’s got something else in mind, though – something much more painful than death: John, a punk rocker to the core, will be taken into Damien’s boy band, where he can be babysat twenty-four seven.

Reluctantly, John is transformed into teen idol Jake Wolfram. His ego spins out of control, swelling his head and his desire for even more fame and power. In an act of revenge, John uses his stash of drugs to weaken Damien and switch places with him – the imprisoned becomes the imprisonor. Patrick, also seeking revenge, comes out of hiding to attend John’s debut art exhibit. After shooting the place up, Patrick is carted off to prison where he ultimately makes it to death row. At the boy band’s performance immediately following the art gallery debacle, Damien collapses with a heart attack, caused by an overdose of cocaine. John has everything he wants: a successful art career, a promising music career, and a house in the Valley for his mom.

Back to exact his own revenge at a book signing, Damien pulls a gun and takes aim at John, ending the story with a bang.

ME: Can you tell us something of your background. Any magical tales or encounters with gnomes, dragons, mermaids?

SSM: I do actually know one gnome, but I'd prefer not to talk about it.

ME: Do any of the characters in Idols and Cons reflect on people you know or on your experiences, dreams or nightmares?

SSM: Idols & Cons started life as a screenplay, which was inspired by time I spent working on various music award shows. I caught a glimpse of just what goes on backstage and at after-parties, and the whole thing just sparked my imagination. I thought how awful it would be to be stuck in the celebrity lifestyle if that just wasn’t your thing.

ME: Do you need to be in a special state of mind when you write? Any writing rituals you wish to share?

SSM: When I write, I'm usually in kind of a hyper mood. I get up to get a drink. I sit down to write. I get up to let the dogs out. I sit down to write. I let the dogs in. I sit down to write. I play with stuff on my desk. I write some more. My attention span isn't that great so I

ME: Are you the type of writer who has her plot mapped out or do you just go on the journey and see where it takes you?

SSM: I make an insanely detailed outline, which I throw out about half-way through my story when I allow my characters to just take over and show me what they’re made of.

ME: Do you have a favourite character in Idols and Cons?

SSM: I'd have to say Patrick is my favorite, just because he's so so deliciously evil.

ME: If you could be a superhero who would you be?

SSM: I would be the female version of Iron Man. He's in great shape, doesn't get hurt because of that insane metal suit, and he's got that cool heart thing.

ME: And if you had to rescue any cartoon character from evil villains and attic clowns who would you save and why?

SSM: My first thought was to go with Finn and Jake from Adventure Time, but they don't really need any help. So, I'll say Mordecai and Rigby from Regular Show. They're cool animals and I like their style.

ME: What are your hobbies?

SSM: Hobbies? Um… writing is kind of a hobby since it's not really a full-time job kind of thing yet. I also enjoy drawing, listening to music, and running.

ME: What writers inspire you and why?

SSM: Writers who inspire me, big names: Bret Easton Ellis and Chuck Palahniuk, because that's who I want to write like when I grow up. Writers who inspire me who are friends of mine: Jeremy C. Shipp, John Edward Lawson, Scott G. Browne, Kate Jonez, D. W. Grintalis… These are people who have given me advice and kind of guided me to where I am now. There are more, and they know who they are. I am grateful for these people and their generosity.

ME: For those many people who wish to purchase Idols and cons where it is available?

SSM: It's available through Amazon, as both a paperback and an e-book. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0066DI8J0/afterschoolsp-20

Thank you for the interview