#castingshadows

Commission for Valerie of her as the Wicked Witch of the West when she was in a production of the Wizard of Oz! Shading dark colors is hard; if you start too dark, you have nowhere to go. You have to use greys instead, and your brain still understands it as black.

I have always been a dreamer

I believe in living to leave this world a better place To put a smile on your face Though the sorrows I can't replace To make it bearable, the coming days

But I find that all I do Is to cast shadows upon you As your face turns to a grimace I tell myself I will be better, I promise

But these days, promises don't keep These days, I just cry myself to sleep All I've ever wanted was to make you smile To make things better, even for just a while But I keep fumbling and stumbling and losing my grip Whenever I try to reach, from my hand, it slips

The pulse in my neck thudded, mimicking the patter of rain ricocheting off the window pane.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

When I was even younger, I counted the creaks in the floorboards, anticipating his stumbling arrival into his bedroom across the hall. The noise proved too much, the sound of his limbs hitting the floor always reminded me of lightning striking a tree, cracking the branches like weak bones.

Now, I preferred to watch, witnessing the events unfold like the remnants of a silent horror movie.

I'd close my bedroom door just enough to see the outline of his shadow, darkened orbs floating under the rectangular lip of the wood.

Most children are terrified of shadows, imagined monsters that mutate and morph into hideous shapes in the night.

Not me.

The shadow was comfort, a soothing reminder. He made it home. There wasn't going to be another bottle opened, more ice cubes clinking against the glass. No more guttural sobs emanating from my mother's coarse throat.

Sneak!Ink!tober Day 11: Run.

Sneak!Ink!tober Day 15: Mysterious.