Harley's Father Has Just Committed Suicide... #Literary #Romance

The Boots My Mother Gave Me
(An Amazon Breakthrough Novel Quarter Finalist)

by Brooklyn James


Suicide, death, it doesn’t affect the deceased, only the living, those of us left behind. Death in any form is difficult, but suicide’s a real bitch. It’s demoralizing. Most of us put a high value on life. When someone close to us, someone we love, decides life is no more valuable than death, it contaminates our thoughts, makes us reevaluate life, its meaning, purpose, worth.

Some say suicide runs in families, like any other disease. Does that mean my fate is a bullet through my flesh by my own hand? Suicide used to be a topic distant from me, tragic and nonsensical. Now it’s forever a part of me, a little piece in the fabric of my family legacy. Writers like Shakespeare have glorified it, romanticized it. Others like Plath made it a part of their own destiny, suicide. Maybe it is the only way for some. I wouldn’t propose to tell anyone how to die, no more than I want to be told how to live. But their choices will forever affect those they leave behind.

All of my life, I have borne the weight of my father’s shortcomings. And of my own choosing, I probably will continue to do so, pushing myself, trying harder next time, fully attempting to prove worthy. My dad was one of the most capable, talented, intelligent people I ever knew. But he threw it all away. Chewed it up and spit it out. For what? Addiction? A lost childhood? He could have been so much more. He wouldn’t take responsibility for his life. He wouldn’t own it, but I do own mine.

*This book has an accompanying original music soundtrack (written and performed by the author).

Exhausted, angry and stuck on a plane for 16 hours . . . #Literary

Wings of Hope

by Hillary E. Peak


There was no end in sight, so I pulled out the deck of cards I used to entertain Jules. The ex and I started to play gin rummy. Usually, she wouldn’t play with me, but there was nothing else to do.
A guy in the row in front of us starts getting really rowdy. He was laughing, spilling alcohol everywhere. I got up; I was on the aisle. I can remember touching his shoulder, ‘Excuse me, can you keep it down, my little girl just fell asleep. ’
‘What’s your problem buddy? ’ He slurred all his words and talked at the top of his voice. He reeked of alcohol and perspiration.
‘My child is tired and hungry, she’s finally asleep. I’m asking you, keep it down so that you won’t wake her. ’
‘S’not my problem. What the hell do I care if she wakes up? ’
That did it. I grabbed the guy by his necktie, shoved him up into the ceiling of the plane, knocking him out and tossed him into a seat about three rows back. My ex was so stunned, she jumped and all the cards went flying into the air, it looked like it was snowing because she had the full deck to shuffle.
But I’ll tell you, the plane was silent after that—for two hours until we took off. Also, the stewardess came and brought food for Jules. Everyone apologized in hushed tones. It was great.”

From "Leaves of the Fall" by Violet Yates

“Hey, what’s going on with Trevor?” Rose asked.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s been acting weird, flying off the handle. And the other night, I found him down at The Donut Shoppe hanging with some girl.”

Ethan sighed into the phone, and from the popping sound in the background, Rose could tell he was opening a beer.

“I haven’t even talked to him outside of work lately. I don’t know what his deal is. Wish I did,” Ethan said. He paused for a moment and then he said, “Ahh. That hits the spot.”

“Ethan, do you think he’s messing around?”

“With that girl? I don’t know. Hey, wanna come over? Sherri’s not here and I got a few extra beers.”

“Uh, I don’t know.”

“C’mon, please? It’ll help you take your mind off Trevor.”

In her marriage bedroom, Rose stood before their disheveled blankets, staring into space, with the phone clutched tightly in her hand. She walked out into the kitchen and turned around in a circle, drinking in the silence. Trevor would have been done with work hours ago, yet he wasn’t here.

She went to the fridge, took the hamburger that she was supposed to make dinner with, and tossed it into the trash.