“What is the furthest you’ve ever been from home?” Johanna, the older girl with pink cheeks, asked as we were all sitting in a circle in the middle of the playground.

“Once I went with Aunt Susie to Wyoming in my Christmas holyday.” The bubbly girl said now.

“Were you with your parents?”

“Sure! I never go out without mommy or daddy.”

“But, like, without your parents, maybe an Aunt, or Uncle.” Johanna asked again.

“I went once to visit my uncle Jerry, and I was all by myself, well, with my uncle Jerry, but not with mom or dad.” A proud blonde kid said.

“I went to a place by myself, too.” Said the other, lonely kid. No one really dared to ask, until Johanna’s curiosity was bigger than anyone else’s shyness.

“Where?” She asked.

“To the moon,” he said really convinced of himself. All the other kids started laughing. And he walked away, didn’t even cared, with such an indifference that even the playground ‘watcher’ noticed, how he slowly walked away from that cruel, laughing crowd. This ‘watcher’ was indeed a teacher, young, new. He felt intrigued with this kid.

“Who is he?” he asked Mrs. Miriam as he pointed the kid.

“Ohhh… I see, you’ve noticed him Mr. Hampton”

“Call me Dean, please.” he said

“Dean, you’ve just noticed Todd.”

[Mrs. K i t e ]

you're my favorite flavor, you're my playground love [playground love-air]

School is boring lately, we're just seeing the same stuff over and over again, not even APs keep my attention this days. It feels like I shouldn't be here any longer, and it is not because of my classmates, they're all cool, I'm like popular to them. And it surly is not because of the school work, getting less than an A+ is becoming very odd. It's just the feeling, that I shouldn't be here, but mom and dad and my stupid sister insist that I stay.

Things at home aren't that great either, dad is sick, mom is neurotic every single day and Gina simply is so self centered with her unpopular preppy friends, they believe they're so great... It is sometimes just way too unbearable to stay here, to listen to all the noise, to watch dad losing it, to see Gina run away every night, it's just becoming too much. To make things worse they insist on taking me to some weird doctor(sorry, you said you wanted honesty), they say it's just because I looked stressed out. Bullshit, I know they think I'll end up like dad and go all coo coo, but I simply don't care.

I keep secretly writing for some reason, it helps me let out all those dreams and voices. But it has become a problem, you see, mom found one while breaking my every right of privacy. Ever since then we've been having lots of fights, and I don't see the point, it's just a story, it's not like the voices are telling me to kill...every day.

Things with Sylvia are progressing, we always have long talks, even if I jut stare at her form the other side of the library. I don't care she is 7 years, 4 months and 3 days older, I have nice feelings for her. I don't find myself wanting to hurt her or anything as the shrimp (Doctor Seiler) often suggests.

I wish dad was like he used to be.

So that was my week, and I sincerely hope nothing of this will get me more of those shitty pills you gave me last month dear doctor.




By I'm the penguin

"Good morning Amanda, how are you today?" asked routinely Christa

"I'm fine Mrs.Jan, what about you?" answered Miss Morgan

"I am fine, thanks. I see you are wearing your yellow dress again" observed the psychiatrist

"It's my favorite" said Amanda, in a short, hardly audible voice

"Your mom told me you don't want to wear any other dress, why is that?" asked Christa

"Because I like it" said the girl, now starting to feel pressure

"Is there any special reason why would you want to be a girl in a yellow dress all the time?" asked Mrs. Jan

Both remained in silence for a couple of seconds, but before she lost her completely, Christa Jan tried to bring back Amanda.

"Amanda, are you listening to me?" asked Christa

The girl nodded.

"Could you please tell me, why is it that you act in that way? Is it because of a story? A story some friend told you?" the doctor kept with the interrogatory

But again the girl just nodded, looking blankly at the window.

"So, you liked so much this story that you wanted to act like it, is that why you are wearing always your yellow dress?" asked the psychiatrist, obviously wanting to get to somewhere.

This time Amanda hardly nodded, she was sank on her seat, staring at the window.

"Could you tell me a little bit about this story?" asked Mrs. Jan

"Your office smells like new car, I like it" answered Amanda

"Thank you for your compliment, but could you please talk to me a little about this story?" asked the doctor

"Stories"answered the girl, still looking at the window

"Could you please tell me about this stories?" she was starting to get annoyed

"I can't" finally said the girl, after a few minutes of silence

"Why? Did this friend told you not to tell anyone?" accused the doctor

"No, Toddy would be fine about me spreading the word about the girl in the yellow dress, but i couldn't remember exactly how the story goes" resolved the girl

"Well what is it about?" asked the psychiatrist

"That's not how it works" said the girl, ending the topic

"Well, could you talk to me about this new friend of yours?"

"He's name is Todd and he likes cheese burgers with three pickles and one slice of tomato" answered the girl, for the first time eager.

"And how old is he?" asked Doctor Jan, finally getting to the whole point of the appointment

"I don't know, he's old. Not old like you and my parents, he's not seventy." answered the wondering girl

After a hypocrite laugh doctor Jan determined that neither her parents or her were even close to be seventy.

"And do you get along with Todd all the time?" asked the psychiatrist

"Yes, he's lots of fun." answered the girl

"How did you meet him?" kept asking

"In the mad-house" answered the girl

"Amanda, don't call it that way. It is a place for people with special needs just like you and Todd" said the preoccupied doctor

"I know, but he calls it that way, sounds funnier than help and health center" said Amanda, playing with her hair

"And what do you do with Todd? Do you play like the other kids?" continued Dr. Jan

"Well, not really, he tells me stories you see?" said the girl

"What kind of stories?" asked inquisitively

"Of all kinds, he told me all the stories about the girl of the yellow dress, fairy tales, about the fields of the black birds" listed the girl, making an expression of delight for every story she remembered

"And does he get along with the other kids, or with the adults?" asked the doctor

"No, everyone says he's very lonely. But I think his stories are enough company for him, with such fantastic worlds who would need real people making it all dull?" said the girl, leaving the doctor speechless for a few minutes.

By I'm the penguin

The wind was great, it blew in their faces, fresh as the calm after the storm. The Sun was up and bright, there was not a single cloud in the sky, the trees rocked with the cool breeze, the leaves danced in swirls, and the grass was greener than ever.

They had just parked the car in the middle of the way as they came out of that old Malibu, with bags and baskets, smiling and laughing, Todd and Henry Owen were just to sit under some tree when they noticed a bee hive, quiet deathly for young Todd, so they moved to the next big oak.

"It is sunnier than ever dad! Look, there aren't even clouds in the sky! Are you sure it doesn't needs fixing?" asked the toddler

"Of course not, it's perfect the way it is, in fact it is better this way, and you have never seen this kind of Sun because we don't come to California that often" said Henry, looking at the beautiful sky

Then they proceeded to set the basket, put the tablecloth, and take out the sloppy sandwiches Henry had prepared five minutes before leaving, and took out some sort of odd mixture that according to Mrs.Owen was chocolate pudding. Then they just laid there, watching the sky and feeling the mountain breeze in their faces.

"Did you brought your kite, Mr.Todd?" asked the grown up

"Yup, i put some stickers on it, so the clouds could check' em out, but I guess only the sun will see them" said Todd, looking at the cloudless sky

And so he took out his red kite, filled with plasters of shiny stickers, and for some weird reason, the kite didn't seem to fly.

"It's broken! How will I fix it?" said the irritated kid

"Well, maybe taking off some of those sticky thingies could help, just maybe..." said the father, looking at the blankly at the horizon.

"I don't think so, but I might as well try it" said the child as he took off every dinosaur, fish, Pegasus and car off the kite.

Then, as if Henry had made some sort of magic spell, the kite flew just by taking off a little few ounces of the kite. So father and son stood looking at the kite, with the same expression of blankness, as if what they were looking was light years of distance from that silly red kite. Then after a two hours, twenty-three minutes and approximately twenty-seven seconds, someone got bored and the kite was put away.

"Will mum and Gix come here too?" asked Todd as he took a bite at the mustard and double jam

"No, I think they don't come to California to enjoy the Sun, more like the shopping I believe" said thoughtfully as he threw away a triple tomato that had made its way to the basket.

"Well, what do you want to do now Toddster?"asked the father a few moments later, quiet worried that the child would ask anything with running, he hated running.

"What about climbing that tree over there?" said the blond kid, pointing at a distant enormous laurel.

"I guess we could..." sighed Henry

After a couple of minutes of packing everything on the basket again, and walking to the great tree, they were there, contemplating that huge old tree. Their amazement was interrupted with a tweet that came from low. At first they thought it was some bird in the tree, but after a few minutes of listening the desperate tweet Todd found the source, it was a bird, not the kind aunt Georgina had in a cage, but this one was black and big.

"Why is he not in the sky daddy?" asked the boy

"I would say it is because he is not flying, but I'm just guessing there" said the sympathetic parent

And as expected, the boy didn't understood a thing and he approached the bird, careful not to scare it away, it looked like he was really nervous and had a twisted wing. Todd walked towards it when Henry interrupted him

"Hey, wait, those can hurt you, you ever know when it will just stand up and peck your eye out" said the concerned adult

"What?" muttered the frightened kid

"Meh, forget it, grab the bird, probably it could use some help, be careful though" said the father as he approached as well

Then with a klutzy move, the seven year old leaned towards the bird who now tweeted furiously and as it could moved away of the kid, in the second try Todd just made the black bird angry, as it started to groan angrily. Then Henry stepped in and took Todd a little farther from the bird. Then himself leaned carefully and stealthily as only he knew how to and grabbed the bird.

"Look, the bird has a broken wing I believe" said Henry, in a sarcastic obvious tone he knew Todd wouldn't get

"I know! Perhaps that is why he wasn't flying right dad?" hypothesized the eager child

"Right..., I think we should do something about him, erm... probably massage the wing?" said Todd's father, almost to himself

"Can I touch it?" asked the enthusiastic kid

"I'm not sure, eh... what harm can it do?" answered the father, trying to think what would Lauren say about it

Then Henry leaned a little so Todd could touch the bird, and with some dorky touches, the boy startled the bird and both got scared, the second try went better with this affair, because he was gentler and softly touched the black bird.

"Do you want to hold it?" asked the father, seeing the bright on the eyes of his son

"Sure!" answered instantaneously

So, carefully, not letting the bird move, he put it at the level of the boy's spread arms and carefully placed it and with a gently swift, he took away his arms, leaving the bird completely in the arms of the little one. It was quiet a magical moment, at least for Henry, he knew he would remember it until the last of his breaths, that or until a newer memory took its place.

"I think I should say something..." said Henry

"Huh?" asked the confused child

"Yea, I mean, in this meaningful moments parents tell their kids something wise they'll remember their whole lives, I just can't come up with something..." confessed his father

"Well, they always talk about telling the truth to the grownups in the TV" said the kid, still confused

"Urm, right, I guess, that we should take care of the bird because it symbolizes our freedom you see? It was fallen and wing broken, as when we feel... imprisoned, or that we can't make a choice, yea this stuff is good" he paused, giving some sort of order to the lecture that was to come "and, we need to take a while to heal it, to get back in its way, we can't make it hurry too much or it will be hurt again, and we can't take too long or it won't take it's course again, do you understand what I'm saying?" asked the epiphanized parent

"I guess, yea" said Todd, understanding more than he gave himself credit for

"Well, and so you shall let it free when you think he is better, and just then will it fly again with the might and elegance it did, back into the skies of blue and winds of cool, o yea, and tell the truth always to your mother and me" said the satisfied parent

"I will" said Todd, answering to both questions, or perhaps just one, or who knows, maybe none

So they stood there, under the great laurel, contemplating the mountains and the descending Sun, all in peace, all in calm, just the right moment and Todd extended his arms, letting the bird fall at first, then it swung its wings and took off, slowly, silently, announcing the twilight.

"Todd.." said his father

"Yes?"

"Well, when I was little, we didn't have as much games as you do now, we had fun with sticks and stones and it was wonderful. The point is that one day, I was tired of the old long stick and I asked my father for a toy, and instead of yelling at me, he for once, looked at me and gave me a speech about how his first toy had been a set of marvels. To be honest, i didn't put much attention to him as I bet you are doing right now, but I appreciated when he gave me his old set of marvels, and i played with them and was very happy. " then he paused "Of course i was terrible at it, so I kind of lost them playing and my father got angry at me, put i kept one, a red one" he said, pulling out a red ball from his pocket

"Wow" said Todd, looking at the antique red ball in front of him

"I kept it all this years, to remember one of the only kind acts i remember my sober father doing, and now I want to pass it on to you in this day that I think was kind of special" said now sensible Henry

"Thanks dad!" yelled the excited boy, throwing himself at his dad, hugging him tightly

Then the boy took the marvel and but it in his pocket, where it would be for many many years, always near where his nervous hand could hold it, holding to the memory of that day.



By I'm the penguin

"Have you seen Beryl Jarred lately? She grew some cups during summer" said Pacey Jed as he and his buddies entered to the library

"Yea... i sit behind her in Chemistry, and hell, she is hot"said Zach, while putting the books in the nearest table

"But I heard she's now dating this Morrison guy, he's a senior." said Zach to the rest, who somehow seemed a little disappointed by the fact, even if they knew Beryl Jarred would never even look at them.

Then for a couple of minutes there was a silence, as if someone they once knew had died, just a little silence for respect, then they opened their books and started doing some homework, the acting was quickly dropped as Ritchie started again.

"So, what about Tina Landon?" he asked, in that dirty-guilty voice they did whenever those questions poped in.

"Hands down a seven, she alright, but her back is too broad and her hair is always greasy" said Zach, as the others nodded, except for Pacey, who then said

"I believe a seven is too much, she is so clumsy, not in the Katie-Wallace-cute-clumsy, but she is really stupid, plus ever since last semester she has been having all this zits, grouse. I believe a 5 is more accurate" the others agreed.

After a little while of some sevens, tons of fives and three tens, the guys started talking about the teachers, it was really very predictable, it's not like high school kids have something to really talk about, just people in general.

"Mrs. Ranulph is such a big fat bitch, the other day she gave me an F in some essay just because it was just like the one of Thomas Tyrse" he complained
" I mean, it's so unfair, I even bothered putting my name on it and changing the conclusion, which she said had nothing to do with world war two, man I though it was about the hidden places in old buildings." he ended, with looks of horror of his nerd friends.

"Tom... was it about a book?" asked Zach

"Duh! you think I was going to read it?" answered Tom

"Was it by any chance named...uh forget it, but anyways, how about Mrs. Woodrow?" continued Zach

"Smoking hot! I mean, she THE teacher, I even but attention is social studies now, I mean not that I have to it's just your opinion on how groups develop..." said Pacey just to leave clear his smart-ass posture.

"Well, she's like the only decent teacher in the whole school, the rest of them are fat old cows" said Tom

"The worse one I believe is Mrs. Reiniger, she's like a hundred years old, and like two hundred pounds, seriously, every time I have history for dummies i die a little inside" said Zach, who was in a low level of history due to his lack of interest on whatever was done before he was born.

"I think not, I think the worst looking woman in this building is Sylvia the sludge" said, well almost whispered Pacey

"Sylvia who?" asked Ritchie

"Sylvia the sludge, she is the librarian, she's never in her desk, she is always wandering in the halls of the bookshelves, or with a book in her nose. The only time people see her is when they need to rent a a book, in which case they just ring a bell in her desk, and she appears, as the loch monster coming out of the water, she is horrendous." said Pacey

"Yea! I've never actually seen her, but I know from rumors that she is in her late twenties and she has a horrible face destroyed by acne, her hair is black and grease and has a constant smell of tuna, she's like five feet tall, fat as a pork and wears this weird gypsy skirts" said Thomas, excited of finally being able to say the words 'I know' in a real sentence.

"C'ommon she can't be that bad" said Zach

"O dear friend, believe me she is the ugliest thing my eyes have ever seen, but that is not the worst part." said Pacey

"What? Is she a dyke too?" asked Tom

"No, Thomas, she is not a lesbian, and there would be nothing wrong with that, the thing is that rumor says that some kid in junior has a crush for her!" he ended as he burst into histerical laughter, as his friends did.

"What? Who?" asked Zach, in a shock of knowing there was a retarded blind kid running around out there.

"Some kid, I think his name is Todd... Todd something"said Tom

"Oh lord! Todd Owen?!" asked Zach "the little brother of that hottie Gina who was on senior when we were still in junior high?"

"The same, Todd the toad" said Pacey

"He's such a looser, i bet she is like his only friend, have you seen how he sits in a corner to eat his lunch?" asked Ritchie "It's like he searches for bugs to come out of it, he even talks to it sometimes"

"Maybe he waits for bugs to come out because his hungry, freaks don't feed on sandwiches" said Tom, laughing alone.

"Yea...well that's what they say, he spends all of his spare time around here, talking to Sylvia the sludge" said Pacey

"Talk about losers..." said Tom

"Whatever... it's not like freaks are that important, have you noticed Kayley Roberts? she is getting thiner, that's so HOT" said Zach, as they went on with their daily manly gossip.



By I'm the penguin

Once upon a time, in a far away land, there was a little village next to the mountains, in there people used to live peacefully, but dark times came and they where soon threatened by all kinds of evil creatures and bad spirits...

"Dad aren't we too old for this stories? I mean, lets move on from the little village being saved by ..."The girl was interrupted
"Shut up Gix, you always cut all the fun!" said a little young boy "Go on dad, what happen to the village?"

Well... we do could change the story...but I'd rather go on with this one, i even thought about the story during the day. So as I was saying...

This little village was threatened all the time by all sorts of unspeakable foes, and everyone was afraid to even go to the neighbor for some cup of sugar, but no man was brave enough or skilled enough to be able to defeat these beasts. All hope was soon lost, but then something rare happened a weird traveler came into the town, a traveler like never seen before in those lands. There was no welcoming parties over this circumstances, if even a welcome to the traveler, everyone seemed too scared to notice her.

But then one day, this foreign went into the center of the village and started yelling at all the inhabitants, things no one could here because of the barricades, but as they heard the yelling, one by one, they started looking out. And actually heard the stranger

"People of this town, Fear no more! Because I have come to free you from this imprisoned nightmare you now call life!" said the speaker

And for the first time, the people of this village burst in laughter, men and women all laughing at the mere idea, watching her, just standing up there, with that big smile of hers, waiting for the noise to go away. Soon the laughs and giggles were over, the stranger remained in the village's center, then a voice dared to get out of a house, being heard
"How do you expect to save us?" was heard in a little orange house.

"Yes how?" was heard from another house, then all sorts of voices starting asking questions, confused, but yet they remained hidden

But again, the traveler waited for the noise to finally go away and the she went on,
"I can get reed of this creatures, I just need your cooperation" she said.

"More like you need an army's cooperation" said another anonymous voice

"All i need is to speak to you and a little help from you" said the now preoccupied stranger

"Just go back home, there is no way a little girl can help us" said another angry anonymous voice.
After this all the voices starting murmuring once again, just speaking of what a crazy idea would it be to help a child who asked for aid. A crazy kid who thought she could stop an army of evil creatures, just with "some" help.

"Please do believe me! I just want to help you" she said, now frustrated of the people's skepticisms, fearing not to be able to aid the needed people.

"Well, do you have any super strength powers?" asked a daring voice
"I do not have any strength beyond the one of a 8 year old" said the honest girl
"Do you have a super intelligence to scare them away with some powerful plan?" asked another
"No, just a normal girl" confessed the child.
"But how could you be of any help?!" asked another voice form a distant house
"I don't want to be rude, but as I see things, I'm the only person who has the intention of trying" said the girl
Then there was a killer silence...

Then a door cracked open, it was Alvery, the butcher, he had came with a sharp knife and a buckle. And as he remained paranoiac about the out doors, he stepped out of his house. "I'm willing to help the girl, she has more... courage than any other person in this sissy hole" said, as he approached the girl

She felt pleased, at last someone was cooperating, then some more doors cracked open, and Tylor the fisherman, Hunter the alchemist and Blackie the dog came out to help. Soon all the other people were expectant of what was going on, still locked in their homes.

"So what's the plan kiddo?" asked Alvery
"Well I kind of have to start by saying that no knives of bucklets will be needed today... or any day after this" said the girl.
The men and the dog were confused by this, but arguing seemed being to repetitive now, so they left their harpoons, their blue-fire bombs, and the sharp denture. So they went all wondering to the girl, as more people approached, soon there was a little crowd surrounding the girl, then they all expected for her to talk.

"I have come to bring peace back to your town, but in order to do that I need your help, but I warn you, this won't be like any other task you have done, nor will it be easy." She said, then some got a little more hope, some others chose to go back to their houses.

"Now, I need you to show your affection to those who you apreciate and also those who you don't" said the girl

"That's ridiculous! This girl just wants to loose our time!" said a thin-sharp-nosed woman as she started to go back to her house

"Shut up, we have no other option but what this kid offers" said Tylor. And she staid

"Come on! I want to see some hugging!" said the enthusiastic girl

Then some adventorous dared to pat in the back the neighbor, but that was about it.

"Haven't you ever hugged anyone?" said the girl, as she walked out of the crowd, and went striaght forward to a homeless man that had been standing near by the whole time, just looking, then everyone fixed their eyes as they couldn't believe what they were seeing, the girl had hugged the homeless man, Thomas, in such a tender and warm way that the man had no other option but to smile and hug her back. Everyone was overwhelmed by this, it had provoked such a warmth in their hearts that they didn't doubt this time but to hug the person next to them.

And so and so, it was a really magical chessy moment for everyone, they all had forgotten their previous problems and so and so.

Then, something even more rare happened, out of the thin air, some little balls of light apear, shining as the floated, soothingly in the air. People were surprised by this, not even slightly afraid of these mysterious lights. And then, one by one, in a rhythmic march, all the lights went to the girl, and were absorbed by her amber colored necklace. It started shining, but very dimly.

"The only way we will fully solve this problem will be if now you all tell the people who have ever hurted you how you feel, and that you apologize to everyone you have done something hurtful" said the girl

But the entire village muted, they had no idea how to do this

"But none of us is ever mean to anyone" said a woman in a gray dress

"Oh, common Drucilla, we all have been yelled by you, whenever we accidentally step in you STEPPING mat!" said a tall man in the back

"Yyy...yesss.. yes Drucilla, I fff..feel like you treat me in a way I shouldn't" said shaking a little woman on a fruit box.

"That's it, that's what we need!" the girl said

"I guess... i could just tell you nicely... I'm sorry" said the woman in the gray dress

Then the blacksmith told the teacher how he felt about her not lending him books because we "satined" them, then the alchemist complained to the flower lady why didn't she gave him free roses on Saint Gerald as everyone else...

And so and so, then there were a lot of apologies, then some pretty dumb stuff was brought up to, and still there were a lot of apologizing, silly crying, some more hugging, again, all cheesy and stuff.

Until the very last drop of resentment was emptied, and again this mysterious balls of light appeared out of no where, again all went to the necklace of the girl, and yet no one wondered what were those lights, and why did they went always to the girl, but everyone was too excited to think about that, never in this town there had been something like this.

"Now, and this is very important, I want you to say this along with me 'I fear you no more' and you'll think of whatever thought that has ever kept you from sleeping, you'll think of whatever creature that has been stalking to you, you'll think of whatever harm that has ever happen to you!" the girl hailed, in such an inspiring tone that people started right away.

First it was more like a conversation "I fear you no more", like a silent whisper that was not distinguished from the wind's whistle, then as they got more confident, and the girl started chanting louder, and louder. Then the chant could be heard in all the town, and they kept "I NO FEAR YOU NO MORE" in a liberating tone that would chill even the bluntest soul.

The roars of liberated people could be heard in the woods, the hailing for freedom reached the mountains, the wind carried the message to all the land "I FEAR YOU NO MORE". Birds all over the mountains surfed with the waves of the chanting. And back at the town, as quicly as they had gained all the power, the sound just went away, the fear was at last gone, the faces of peace reined again amongst the people in that town, and so, again, little lights appeared, and as the last times, went to the necklace of the little girl, now shinning as powerful as the Sun, almost vibrating with joy.

"You now have been helped! You no longer fear, hate, resent; and instead you love, foregive and express!" said the girl, proud of herself

Everyone seemed so happy, until a voice was heard
"But what are we going to do with the monsters, they are still out there"

"Fear them no more!" said the girl, and then, as if she had just came for a glass of milk, she walked to the exit of the town, right to where the monsters were, the whole town followed her, expectant of what would happen. Soon the monsters arrived in a rush, confused for not smelling uncontrollable fear, but they still rushed to the girl, trying to attack her, but then something happened, the light of her necklace repelled them, as if an invisible barrier stopped them from even touching the ari around her. Then the ones that came near, vanished, leaving nothing behind.

Everyone was in shock, how could a girl just vanquished the monsters not even the deathlier bombs could make a scratch to? But they were more impressed when the next couple of monsters arrived and as well, vanished. The same thing happened, but the villagers were still amazed, soon a whole army of them tried to attack the girl, who was just standing there, firmly, watching the monsters right at the eye.

And after they all made sure the last tri-horned Panther was vanished, they all went euphoric, clapping at the gril, singing for her, thanking her. And then, as quietly as she had arrived, she walked by the road, continuing her way. And so they saw her, walking away, the girl of the yellow dress, who's name they would never know, but who's act would never be forgotten.

Geez, i did got carried away didn't I? Oh, look you sister is all sleep now, I bet she didn't pass Blackie the dog, but I hope you enjoyed it.

"I loved it dad! please another one! Or at least tell me where does the girl goes now?!" asked the inpatient kid

"That my young Toddster, time will only tell" said his father, as he walked out of the room and turned off the light.

And there he remained, the young kid, imagining his hero, dreaming about the friend who would never leave him, the hero who would always be with him.




By I'm the penguin

It's saturday, I'm tired, the soil in my feet feels good. The air is fresher now, that was one awful winter, I don't feel like working, the Sun bothers me, close the windows, shut that annoying bird!

"Henry!" I hear, I wished she hadn't called me, now I have to pretend I didn't heard, I don't like to lie.
"Henry! I know you are awake, come down and get prepared" she said, but I don't want to go, wherever that "down" is, I just want to lay here, listen to the running water.

"Daddy!" says now her, I hate when she calls me and I don't answer, I hate when she needs em and I can't be there. I would rather stay just here, here forever.

It's just that it has been so long since I had a descent break, I just wish I could stay here, even with birds and sticky thing on my legs. But I know I have to go, the girl in the yellow dress can't be kept waiting, i love that little brat. So I raise with a swing, I still don't want to open my eyes, I know the room will change once I do.

"Henry! You promised to take Gina to the zoo" she said again, now she is angry, I know it, so I hurry, I finally open my eyes, there is no running river anymore, the birds scattered, and the tree just flew with the wind, there just rests the bed and some ordinary furniture, covered by green ashes.

The zoo is always interesting, with all those little monkeys walking, screaming and running around, they are hilarious to observe, always doing the stupidest things, obviously the animals are also interesting, but not as much. I dress, my wardrobe is old now, I should check the trendy simplicities of these days, one can let go so easily of those irrelevant details.

I see the man in the mirror, he is getting old, he is watching his life happen in front of his eyes. I feel bad for him, but, there is nothing I can do for him. I walk to the stairs, I remember the little girl's first steps, I was worried for the floor to move and make her fall, but it all happened beautifully.

"I'm coming" I say, although it is quiet obvious with all the squeaking of the wood stairs

"Daddy!" says the girl of the yellow dress, she tries to hug me with those silly little arms, she can just hold my legs, I hug her back, and lift her, she is getting bigger, I hope she doesn't end up hating me. She is so sweet.

"Are you sure you can take her? You seem really tired now that i see you" said Lauren, she is wearing the same shirt as the night I told her I love her. I still do, madly, even with all the death bodies in the closet, even with the monsters down the bed.



By I'm the penguin

As he walked across those cages he felt a sudden look, and he turned one side, and the other, and he saw nothing. He kept walking and he asked himself about the weather, not that it really mattered. And so he kept going, he remembered being there, long ago, when there was still grass at the entrance, and the cages where full of animals. But now, as the zoo was abandoned by the owners and forgotten by the people, he found himself there, alone, walking through the aisles which once where his playground, and he remembered, vaguely, those days.
Then, he felt a cold wind, and he stopped. What was he doing there? He felt a little lost as he turned around and he saw the crocodile, it was big, very big, just as he remembered, “Stay away from that cage son.” He could listen. From far away, a voice kept telling him that, a voice which he had forgotten, but still it sounded very familiar, a voice that ached now. Deep in his bones, that voice caused an enormous pain.

So, he sat by the side of the crocodile’s cage. He watched him for a minute, or two, or maybe it was for hours. The crocodile looked back at him and they exchanged sights, and he was waiting for something to happen. Then he felt a raindrop in his feet, and he realized he was barefoot, and he felt it again and again. It stared raining and he didn’t move. Suddenly someone was running towards him and with a worried and broken voice shouted, “Todd! Todd!” She reached him, and hugged him, “Where have you been?, Why would you do this?, have you any idea how scared I was?” Todd looked at her, and she was crying. But she kept talking “They just ca-called me… a-a-an they told me you where gone, we’ve been looking for you for… over 7 hours,” Todd kept that indifferent smile he always had, “Come here, you dummy, lets dry you and take you home.”
She helped him up, and they walked away, and as Todd turned to the cage, a red marvel fell from the crocodile’s eye. And he kept walking. They both left the abandoned place, which hadn’t had any animals for 20 years. Gina took her phone out, and dialed, “I’ve found him”.
The nurse walked towards the nurse’s station, “They’ve found 511”

[ Mrs K i t e ]

"I'm frequently asked 'Howard, how do you manage to do so much is so little time?', but that is not really a problem I mean, I just use a controlled agenda and that is it. But organizing is really important." said the tall handsome architect

"Oh, that is some good tip for all our readers, but tell me Howard, did you ever thought that you wouldn't succeed in this gigantic task?" asked the interviewer while writing some notes in a little paper.

"of coarse I had my doubts, it was really more like a challenge than a job" he said while laughing with that charming fake laugh of his "but all the way through there was my lovely fiancée" ended the man, as he looked to the clock.

"So! who is future Mrs. Green?" asked the curious interviewer-at last something barely interesting- she thought for herself

"I really wouldn't like to talk about that, but you may ask anything else about the tower, because we're really running out of time" he said, a little exasperated.

"C'ommon, we all want to know who was an inspiration for such a construction, the construction details can be known just by looking..." she said.

"If you may know, she is a beautiful young lady, who happens to be an architect as well" he said, getting irritated.

"Names honey, names!" said Patricia Conrad.

"If you have to know her name is Gina Owen, happy?" he said as he stood up

"Delightful, simply, delightful" she whispered as she wrote a little more "but where are you going?"

"This interview is over" said Howard Green as he walked away.

Gina won't be mad, will she? I bet they are going to edit that, probably my interview won't even make it to the magazine, probably she just won't even care, maybe she would still be back at Montana building that bank. Regardless what would happen next, we will be married in two months, hopefully all will go according to plan, and that obnoxious brother of hers will be in jail



By I'm the Penguin

“Its just a red marvel” Gina said, as she kept putting away the boxes

“ twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-...” whispered Todd for himself as he avoided the twenty-sixth tile in the floor, along with the thidteenth, the thirtyninth and the fifty second.

“It’s not just a red marvel, Gix” finally said Todd, after moving some invisible bodies of air around him

“Whatever... just help me move this boxes, will you?” said his tired sister

Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four, and so Todd started lifting the boxes into the attic, anyone would think that those fragile arms wouldn’t do the job, but he was not complaining. And they went on without talking, as he kept moving that little red marvel in patterned cycles around his fingers.

“You know you have to put that back once we’re done right?” Asked Gina, after lifting a big one, she had that expression which tells you that she knew exactly the answer, but yet she tried.

“Dad would’ve wanted me to have it” said Todd, almost whispering

“Dad would’ve want you to move on, and to remember him, as he is now, in the past, not to stick to some stupid toy” said Gina

“Shut up!” he shouted “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” he sistematically repeated

“Todd, I’m just worried about you, you haven’t cried ever since dad died, you haven’t called mom since the funeral, you are failing at school again!” said Gina

“The lady of the yellow dress, the lady of the yellow dress...” he went on, almost like chanting, he was interrupted when he accidently, or not, dropped the box.

“I’m sorry, i’m sorry, i’m sorry, i’m sorry” he said, as he kept lifting and droping the box three times.

“Its time for your pills” the two heard

“511, its time for you to wake up” said the voice

So he woke up, surrounded by an agitated nurse and security agents.




By I’m the penguin

"He keeps scratching the aching leg, sir.” There was a long silence, “Doctor?...”
“Erm, yes, yes, of course, tell him to stop.”
“I already did, but he won’t stop, and the rash is getting worse.”
“Which patient?”
“511”
“Fifth floor?”
“Yes”
“Load him then.”
“All right Doctor.” said the nurse as she left, heading to the fifth floor.

As she arrived, she knocked on the room 511 though this was a pure formality since instantly after knocking, and without expecting an answer of any kind, she would open the door and follow the doctor’s orders. Only this didn’t happen, the door wasn’t locked, they couldn’t be locked, but this doesn’t mean you couldn’t block it, any patient with a piece of brain, could figure out that by moving the small table and positioning it in the right spot, you could avoid any door-related disturbance, at least for a while, before security showed up, and this tend to happen more than usual, specially in the fifth floor.

Of course, this nurse knew that, and almost with a trained reaction she went back a few doors until she reached the nurse’s station and paged a number she knew well.. “Security in 511” she said.

[Mrs K i t e ]

They always come, they always do. I've had to deal with them since I got to this horrible place, I have never seen them and probably I never will. But yet every day I hear them, the other prisoners I mean. The old stone walls are thick but yet I hear their every word, always letting whispers of dark thoughts slide out of their intangible mouths, floating through the air, making it harder to breath, crawling into my ears.

"Kill you self" the say "You'll rot in this dungeon!"

At first they didn't get to me, but as days, months, years went by, the ideas of getting out were burning my every particle, out of here no matter how. I had to do something, I had to get out and explain all to Sylvia, I had to made up for all what I made her go trough, probably our son would be now grown up, mad at the father who he never had. But after all, she would must likely be away in some place not even God would know.

Despite of what everyone said, I knew I was innocent, the death of that poor girl had nothing to do with me, but I couldn't think of that, the death girl couldn't worry me any less, I just wanted it all to stop.

"You know you kill her, and you liked it"
"You just want to be out of here so you can do it again don't you? You bloody murderer"

The days just seemed to last years, but what was driving me mad was not any longer the imprisonment, but it was the whispers, they just kept going and going, like a cockroach inside my brain, crawling, with every of its little dirty paws, and i just wanted to smash it, to crush its head and stick its body with a needle until it could move no more and squeeze it and smack it and step on it and destroy its every bit, and.... but they just wouldn't stop.

"Think of the little girl, think of her, she'll never raise again"
"She had a future and you crushed it, and it felt good"

I had stopped wondering who might they be, it lacked of importance, I just wished they shouted up, I just wished they would end the torture, I just wished they died. But they don't, i don't know why they hate me, of why do they know these things, Probably they were the guards, making this more a living hell than it already was.


"Why did you killed the poor little thing?"
"You must end it, kill yourself, kill the murderer!"


"Do you think he's ever coming back?" Asked a pale woman, she looked as if she had cried for days
"I can't assure you anything Mrs. Green, but I believe not" said the man standing beside her
"But how could all this happen?" asked the sobbing woman.
"After all what happen, this was an expected outcome" he said, without any try of touch in his words
"But it was not his fault, right?" asked her
"That we will never know" said the man, just before walking trough the door and leaving.



By I'm the penguin