Shorts by katie

  Silas’s mother always told him that the forest was enchanted and a refuge to special creatures that resided there. He never believed her. For all he knew, she was just telling stories to keep him entertained. Silas and his mother lived a two-day walk from any other humans. When he was a child, seeing the shadow kill his father felt like a nightmare. He forced himself to keep it hidden because his mother would cry every time he mentioned him. Silas always believed he was a regular human like his mother and the books his father left were just made up stories for kids. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the next morning his whole life would change.  His mother would often tell him the story of his birth. “It was the middle of the hot season but a storm blew up throughout the day and the moon was full that night.” She couldn’t tell him what year or day it was but he just know it was his birthday soon. This year though, something feels different like he was changing, turning

 A different perspective. I’m up for learning something new, I just don’t like being talked down to, Everyone learns in their own special ways, For people like me, We find it hard to concentrate,  We can’t react and listen, We’re usually off in our own little bubble of weirdness, And not reading your social ques, Or reacting how you want us to, Show me again and please don’t shout, As the distractions around me, Mess with my mind, Please repeat your words again, So my mind can let it sink in, Remember everyone learns in different ways, And I’m up for being taught something new, So please don’t talk to me, Like I’m something from your shoe. Written by: Katie Clarke 2021

  Divine. I can’t wait to have you inside me, I’m gonna squeeze out every last drop, My mouth begins to water You’re looking so tanned and hot, Your smell is divine and you drive me wild, I want you to be mine, You make my insides quiver with delight, As the warmth slips down my throat, I remember why I want you all the time, Oh, this sweet cuppa tea of mine. Written by: Katie Clarke 2021

  Little Eyes. I know you don’t feel good and your body aches, But there is no time to waste when you’re a parent, Your child comes first in all that you do, You have to show faith, Even when you hover on that mental break, Little eyes are watching you, So get up and keep going, Here let me fix that crown for you, Don't worry, I hid it, nobody seen it, So now show them eyes what you can do, You will fix it, you can show it, Teach them to keep in mind, That not one soul is the same, everyone is different, And to be kind in all that they do, Show them all that is good in life, And not just the pain and sorrow, To become your best self, express yourself, When those little eyes are watching you. Written by: Katie Clarke 2021

  Nobody Nobody knows, nobody sees it, I sit here with my demons, night after night, They whisper sly things in my ears, They want me to scream and they want me to shout, They want me to break things but don’t tell me why? My mood plummets down, even lower than before, All the way to rock bottom, a familiar scenario. I have seen a lot in my life, And had a fair amount of pain, I’ve lost the ones I loved, And been stabbed in the back by a friend, They will stay here forever these demons, They hide away in the sunlight, They live in my shadow you see. And only come out at night. Nobody knows anything at all, Nobody sees the silent tears that fall, As I lay here feeling cold, in this bed all alone, With only my demons for company, They grip at my soul, as fresh tears fall, Although nobody sees it, nobody knows, nobody cares at all. Written by: Katie Clarke 2021

  Round and round. Round and round we go, Up this spiral staircase, Where does it stop? Nobody knows, Just take each step as it comes, Look how far you’ve already gotten, I’ve seen the world of hate, but you don’t have to feed it, Be kind, be gentle, think positive, Give out love and it will come back to you. It’s ok to slip back a few steps Or slide right down, past the ground, All the way to rock bottom, I’m here to ask, please pack up and don’t stay. If you’re tired, take a seat I will stay beside you, We can sit in silence if needed, or laugh and play, Or cry on my shoulder, it’s here if you need it, Then when you are ready, we can start the climb again, Let’s go hand in hand until we feel the heat on our faces and the wind or hair, Just take one step at a time and please know, I’m always around to help you when you need it. Written by: Katie Clarke 2021

  The line. draft 2 The line was drawn long ago and I am debating if I should cross it I normally don’t mind to stand here alone in my own little world of weirdness But now it feels different somehow, someway I see all the people conforming and I feel utter sorrow I can’t tell them apart, they all look the same With a very slight change in smiles, If you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all Isn’t that what they all used to say? But they no longer practice it so the world's gone to shit I’m here to tell you, it’s ok to not be ok Like now, I still feel the hurt and anger from years ago My smile is fake but nobody sees it The world has gone fake and everyone feeds it I stand here alone, a woman full grown But my insides will say “I don’t feel it” I’ll tell you again, it’s ok to not be ok Why does society treat us this way just because we’re unique The strangeness that lies inside me wants to be set free But the world as we know it is fucked, I stand here on the other side, alo

  The Void. The fog swirls down around me, and the void in my chest deepens. I push and fight in my mind to pull myself free, as it aims to swallow me down. The void in my chest gets bigger and has a voice of its own.  “I’m here for life, you’re no good, there’s no getting away from me.” Despite the stillness of the house, the void screams so ferociously,  When did the silence inside me leave? “What’s the point, you aren’t good enough, it’ll only get ruined if you try.”  The darkness creeps in from the windows,  The walls feel like they are closing in. As the fog seeps through to cloud my mind. My creativity gets lost in the shadow of forgotten pain. I twist and contort myself to break free but It's not easy. How can I speak when no one can witness the void that threatens to suck me in?  They don’t look and see the sadness that’s deep inside my eyes, they never look within. How can I speak my truth when no one listens to my silence?  Surely that means I’m alone in this world and no

    The line. The line was drawn long ago, and I am debating if I should cross it I normally don’t mind to stand here alone in my own little world of weirdness But now it feels different somehow, someway I see all the people conformed and I feel utter sorrow I can’t tell them apart, they all look the same With a very slight change in smiles, Why does society treat us this way just because we’re unique The strangeness that lies inside me wants to be set free But the world as we know it is fucked, I stand here alone On the other side of the line that was drawn long ago

 I stand here on a full moon's night With shadows of ones once forgotten in the daylight I want you to rest here with me now Keeping me warm and holding me tight Tell me your story, tell me your name So I can remember you when the day breaks In the forest on this full moon night With shadows of ones once loved but now forgotten in the daylight

 Why is my house so noisy? Where has the silence gone? The monsters I gave birth to still argue like cat and dog making my brain turn to fog. I feel like a mess. Like the kitchen, the living room and the bloody rest. Where had the silence gone? 

  “Stop moaning will you,” Holly said as I stared at myself in the mirror. “A pink flamingo,” I shot back at her. Her face was crinkled as she tried to hide her laugh. “It says on the invite all non-celebs are to dress as an animal,” she said passing me the white envelope with gold writing. “Why do you get the cat, though?” I asked with a sigh strapping the flamingo head to the top of my own. "I look completely ridiculous, Holly," I said with a bright red face. "come on chick, you look fucking great and keep flushing like that. You will surely be remembered as the flamingo with the bright red face." she said and I laughed again. "you don't have to come," Holly said looking serious. "Fuck it, let's go," I replied pulling her out the door. As we get to the party I can hardly keep the excitement off my face as I watch Ed Sheeran saunter over the dance floor in the bottom half of a panda suit, and crazy sunglasses on his face. “Now I understa

  “The fish is cooked,” I said to my husband as I placed them on the side. When I turn again I freeze on the spot. There was a deep blue to his eyes like the ocean, and his legs looked agile and strong. He had black fur that defined his chiselled jaw. I stood and watched as he crept forward ready to pounce. His pointed nose sniffed the air as his long tongue slid over his razor-sharp teeth. “Love,” I shouted for my husband but it was too late. The kitten had already crawled up my leg.

  The room smells like roses as I lower my aching body into the deep silky water. As I begin to relax I hear the boards creak on the stairs and my heart pounds in my chest. Now it's a race to the bathroom door, who will get there first. Standing with one leg in and one leg out water pools beneath me from my outstretched arm. My fingers skim the door swinging it shut, haha I won I think to myself. Without warning, I hear a crash as the door flies back and I almost fall out of the tub. I'm rooted to the spot as water hits the walls, floor and ceiling with a big splash. This bath is no longer mine. “For goodness sake,” I say to my husband as he enters the bathroom and laughs at the dog.

  The Dream. “Stop moaning will you,” Holly said to me as I stared at myself in the mirror. “A pink flamingo,” I shot back at her. “It says on the invite all non-celebs are to dress as an animal,” Holly said passing me the white envelope with gold writing. “Why do you get the cat, though?” I asked with a sigh strapping the flamingo head to the top of my own.  As we get to the party I can hardly keep the excitement off my face as I watch Ed Sheeran saunter over the dance floor in half a panda suit. Holly slips off from my side and I stand rooted to the spot as people surround me. An older couple moves from behind me and I notice a bright pink suit. My mind automatically thinks of Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter but when she turns I see she is the Queen. Well, the actress that plays her on ‘The Crown.’ In my head, I have a little fangirl moment like I’m at the end of a dance and you have to do jazz hands. She is talking to a young woman I know but can't place. As I look around s