2006 FEATURED SHORT STORY

2005 FEATURED SHORT STORY
2004 FEATURED SHORT STORY
Previously Featured Short stories:
  • Running... a thriller
  • A Devoted Friend .. A story about a dangerous friend and one woman's struggle to face her worst enemy, herself. It's a worth while story to take the time to read.
  • Vampyr ..A dairy based off the novels by Ann Rice..
  • Farewell ..Ever wonder how you would live your life if everyone was killed and you for some reason were spared to live out your days?
  • Lynn Warden's Secret .. There is only one way to find out..
  • INITIATION Follow Matthew into the darkness..
  • Bad Awake Karen is running for her life.. find out why..
MAGAZINES:
BOOKS ON THE SHELF:

The Library




The Diary of Objects

May 1, 2001

Chimera returned from lunch after a long morning of running around. She leaned back in her chair and propped her right foot on top of her left knee and lightly tapped her pen on the side of her desk. She contemplated on checking her e-mail to see if anyone else had responded to her ad. She wondered if she wanted to look at all. They might like what they first see, but once they got to know the girl behind the mask, would any of them still be interested? Who knows? It takes a very special person to like you for who you are. In today's world, it seems like everyone has some sort of "issues", and is desperately looking for someone who doesn't. They are all chasing chimeras. Everyone, she figured, has something wrong with him or her.

Chimera remembered an earlier conversation with one of her best college friends named Clayton. He was a lively fellow who could always make her laugh when she felt blue. She would love to go out with him, but his life was to busy for her, or for anyone for that matter. However, she cherished the friendship deeply over the years they have known each other. She remembered talking to him about the "issues" people seemed to have with each other.

" I am feeling down " he said to her one day about a year ago. " I am having troubles with Katie again. She has to go to the gym every single night. I mean, I am so frustrated that she just can't just take one night off and spend it with me once in a while. I am beginning to think she has some serious problems. Every time we go out to dinner, she like disappears for a half an hour into the bathroom. I think she is bulimic."

" Oh, Well, how do you know that for sure? " I said, not really knowing what to say. " Have you talked to her about it?"

" Well, yeah. I ask her what takes her so long, and she always replies that it's a girl thing Do women actually need to take a half an hour in the bathroom every time they go? What do you guys do in there? " Clayton said boggled out of his mind.

" I don't know... It usually only takes me like 5 minutes, unless the line is kind of long." I replied sympathizing with his frustrations.

" I mean, for guys it is just unzip, wizz, shake, shake and zip. Anymore then that and the other guys in the bathroom think that we are playing with ourselves. What do girls have to do that takes a half an hour? Blow-dry their butts? What?" Clayton said as he waved his hand in the air.

" He he, I think you are probably right, she is probably tossing cookies. Unless have you been wrapping your whacker?" Chimera teased

" Hey, We haven't been going out long enough for that " Clayton sneered at her. Clayton was one of those rare guys who respected women. Often times, people thought he was gay because he didn't act like the typical male. " I think she is just obsessing with this whole fitness thing. She doesn't believe me when I tell her she looks fine just they way she is. What is with you women and this self esteem "issue"? I swear I never dated girl that didn't have an "issue" with how they look. Dam it is like so annoying!"

" Everyone has "issues", Clay... " I said, " We all just want to be able to give the other person what we think they want, and what society tells us our partner would want of us. We set our expectations around what we see around us. It is it so funny that we all want so much to be like each other, or the ideal, and yet everyone want to be unique at the same time. It is almost a paradox... "

As Chimera sat her chair and studied the computer screen, she thought of Katie. She had known Katie in high school. She was always obsessing about herself, and never confident with whom she was. She was a beautiful girl with long cherry red hair and beautiful green eyes. You could tell her that a million times, what she herself could never believe. But she understood Katie as the same time. Katie was terribly afraid of rejection more then anything else. To Katie, people had to like what they saw, before they looked any deeper. People needed to hear what they expected, in whatever way it was normal to them to hear it. She reflected on this as she looked through her e-mails of potential suitors. Would she tell them what they wanted to hear and hope for acceptance, or tell them who she really was and face rejection?

Chimera sighed, continuing to tap the pen on the side of the desk wondering what she should write to those to sought to hear her words.