Matt had just finished reading the letter Eve wrote him. As always she said she loved him and forgave him among other things. Though he wasn't sure he believed her anymore about anything she said. Eve had asked him so many times why he had killed Sam. On September 17th, 2003 he decided if he just told her maybe she would finally hate him. He started to write the letter that would finally put an end to all of Eve's endless searching for answers that could never justify his actions. He began to stroke the tip of his pencil to the paper as the memory materialized claiming his mind leaving a simple fool behind with his empty eyes staring down at the prison floor.  

Eve sat on the couch that rested against the wall in the master bedroom that at the time had been Julie's room. Matt sat a few feet away from her in a folding chair babbling about anything he could to keep the conversation going with her. Eve invited Matt to accompany her outside to share a cigarette, with a smile of relief he agreed. Once finished they returned to the bedroom. This time they sat closer together with a small table between them. With a quick gesture he presented the deck of cards.

"Would you like me to tell you your future?"

he asked displaying a smile as cheesy as the idea that he could actually predict her future with playing cards.  His eyebrows shot up and down in a rhythm that prevented Eve from repressing the grin that surfaced mimicking  his own.

"You guys are ******* stupid."

The sound of Julie's voice penetrated the invisible bubble that had been cast by their foolish adolescence. Julie's laughter left their cheeks warm with embarrassment silencing their emotions. They both awkwardly searched the room unwilling to make eye contact. Matt combed through his hair with his hand resurrecting the nerve to look up at her with those lost eyes she enjoyed so much. When his nerve remained steady he spoke,

"Let's go to the living-room?"

She couldn't help but smile. Still flushed she eagerly agreed, happy to get away from Julie and the others in the bedroom. He carried the little table while she carried the folding chair following him to the living-room. They positioned the chair and table in front of the recliner where he sat across from her. He began to shuffle the cards telling her,

"I'm serious, i can read your future with these cards. Just ask me any question you wanna know about. Then pick a card from the deck and i'll answer it."

Knowing he was completely full of ****, once again, she smiled at him. He laid the cards out on the table spreading them out for her.

"Go on, ask. Pick one."

he said with a serious look that changed into a cocky grin. She leaned forward in her chair relaxing the muscles in her face. She brought her hand up allowing her chin to rest between her index finger and thumb then she squinted her eyes at the cards as she said,

"Hmmm... let me think.

When she knew what question to ask she spoke. While asking her question she released her chin pointing her index finger up towards the ceiling then at him. When she finished her sentence she placed her hand  on her lap.

Oh I know! Remember when I told you that I love to write?"

He swallowed hard and admitted,

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well, my question is, will i ever write a book?"

She folded her arms across her chest cocking her head to the side then lifting a brow at him waiting with anticipation for the answer to her question. His eyes widened and he inhaled deeply telling her in a flat tone,

"Pick a card".

She hovered her hand over the cards, scanning back and forth stopping in the center she pulled the card up handing it to him. He took it from her turning it over onto the table. He placed both arms on the table leaning down towards the table to studying the card. He then looked up at her with amazement and said,

"Oh this is interesting."

Her eyes brightened letting laughter fill the air around them.  

'Yeah? Tell me. What do you see?"

"Hold on. There's more."

He looked back down at the card. He began to tap his fingers on the table taking his time to respond.

"Okay, I think I got it all. You will write a book. As a matter of fact, you'll write more than one. You actually become quite good at writing. I can tell just by looking at this one card."

"Huh, is that right? And does the card tell you what i'm going to write about?"

"Yes, it does. But i think i'll let that be a mystery."

They both laughed. Matt crashed into reality as her laughter faded in his mind. He stared down at the blank piece of paper. Finally he began to write the letter he had been advised by his lawyer and his conscience not to write.

Eve,
  

Hello. uh, ****. I thought about writing this letter so many times and now that it's time, I can't figure out what I should say. I guess I should start out apologizing, but i won't.  There's no point in me saying I'm sorry because no matter how many times I say it, it will never be enough. And you don't have to apologize for taking a long time to write because in my mind it is truly a blessing to have ever gotten a letter from you, given the circumstances.  And i won't be getting my high school diploma because I got kicked out of the program. They kicked me out for no reason. I'm out with the adults now which is cool. I haven't gone to my unit yet because I'm in the hole and i get out the day after tomorrow, Friday the 19th. Well, since you asked, I've been in here being a hell raising down *** ***** ***** trying to make it seem as though I'm not scared of being locked in a cage with the rest of these murderers, thief's, **** o's and other type of bad guys. But I guess I'm one of them now. I'm not really that scared anymore. I got some nice size arms from doing push ups and I'm an okay fighter. I'm a real troublesome inmate. I've spent like 10 months in the hole in total. But before I continue let me say what I got to say. You've asked me in county jail and many other times so here it is... o.k. you Julie, Amanda, Jeff and Jake left somewhere and I was in my room with Sam. Sam starts crying like hell and I finally get him to stop so me and him are chilling, thinking where the hell you are and Amanda pops her head in the door then leaves. Sam probably thought it was you and he starts screaming and then i started to think about how someone stole my money, my cigarettes, most of my beers, screaming, my mom accuses me of stealing gum, ritain pills, ****, and robbing Katie's house, screaming, you treat me like I'm for you to use when your feel like it, broke one of my speakers, Derek comes out of no where and you love him, screaming, I don't got no money, probation officer never leaves me alone, radio is ****** up, school *****, about to go juvie for a ***** U.A.  All of those thoughts came to me at once and the next thing i know I'm watching me lift Sam by his neck, throw him on the bed and start punching him in the chest. I tried to stop myself but I was moving in slow motion while I'm punching as hard and as fast as I can and then i stopped.

Matt stopped reading the letter unable to relive the memory any further. He folded it and placed it  in the already addressed envelope.

Rays of beauty glisten through the crystal
Rekindling the intensity of her own complexion
As I glide perfection to my lips
I watch her dressed in sorts of red
She dances in such a motion,
Circulating, demanding my attention
Defenseless to her fragrance
Like an addict i inhale
The senses rush to my cortex
Now i'm under her spell
I welcome her warmth into my mouth
Savoring the velocity of her seduction  
She sends tiny explosions down my spine
Some call her mistress to her kind
Others know her simply as wine
I call her versatile and quite de-vine!



Yesenia Acevedo

Six hours later the sun rose in Peach Springs shinning down on the little busy police station in the middle of town. Eve sat in a tiny well lit room hand cuffed to a bar attached to the wall. She felt dizzy from the tears she had shed unsure how she could still produce them, one after another they fell. The door opened announcing the police officer who uncuffed her and lead her to a room with a table in the center surrounded with chairs. She sat silently gripping to what was left of her sanity as the tears continued to fall. Minutes later two detectives entered, one female, one male, they sat down looking at each other stating their names and titles. The female detective asked Eve her fist question,

"Do we have you permission to record this conversation?"

"Yes, you do."  

She pressed the record button and the interrogation had officially began.

"Tell us what happened prior to you arriving at the hospital."

Eve began to tell her truth fading in and out of the memory as she told the events before and after she decided to get out of bed with Sam. Six hours earlier...


Eve and Sam were restless unable to return to their dreams. She hoped Matt would come back to bed and realize he was being a ****.


He doesn't even know what the situation is between me and Jake.

Eve decided to leave the bed with her son oblivious to the consequences that awaited. She kept her shoulders square, her eyes on the path that lead to the kitchen as she passed Matt in the living room. She peeked in the master bedroom searching for Julie when Matt's  mother spoke in an overpowering voice,


"I'm in here, close the door."

Eve felt her son squeeze his legs around her and quickly closed the door. She walked towards the back door listening to faint voices coming from Matt's room. She joined them sitting across from Julie with her son in her lap she asked,

"What are you up to Jewels?"

Eve wished she would've stayed in bed when Julie pointed to the coke offering  her some. She refused it but knew it wouldn't be that easy to get away with. Like with most things Julie told her to try it and stop if she didn't like it. Eve asked her what it felt like then agreed when Julie told her it felt good. She placed her child on the bed opposite to Jake, she shooed Jake"s hand away when he tried to grab her. Agitated she walked over to Julie who held the foil steady while she inhaled her hit. As she exhaled she washed the taste clean from her lips. When she looked up she realized Matt was sitting on his bed drinking a beer. Eve shook her head at Matt agreeing with his sister who was telling stop or he'd go back to jail.

******* *******, he's doing this on purpose.

she told herself when he downed four more. Eve followed Julie's lead yelling at Jake not to  give Matt any of the ******* when he offered it to him. Eve held her anger while she watched him as he snorted the fine white powder. Julie told her brother,

"Your ******* stupid."

Eve shouted at him,

"Yeah you are."

"Why do you even care.",

he asked in voice that stabbed at Eve. Lost in her thoughts she barely notice when Amanda walked in. Eve heard her whining but couldn't make out what she was saying. She looked up in time to hear Julie invite her somewhere. Automatically she refused using the excuse that her son was awake. Amanda threw a fit telling Julie to leave Eve behind then she turned to Eve glaring at her as she left the room with Jake following behind her.

"Ignore her. Lets go.",

Julie insisted.

"I can't.",

Eve pointed to her son.

"Ask Matt to watch him",

she told her. Eve looked at Matt who was shaking his head with his answer no.

"It's only for a few minutes Matt."

Julie told him. Eve walked towards Matt telling Julie,

"It's okay Julie, Amanda doesn't want me to go, remember."

"**** her."

Julie said laughing. Eve reached for her son taking him from Matt, but Matt pulled him back telling her,

"I'll do it."

"No, it's okay, give me my baby."

Eve insisted pulling on Sam. Eve frowned at Matt when he refused to let go of Sam. They both tugged at him til he started crying, with sounds of his cries she let go of Sam.

"Are you sure Matt? I can take him, he's my baby, just give him to me. "  

Eve studied him, Matt pouted saying,

"I'll do it, I always do it anyway?"

Feeling uneasy Eve handed Sam's bottle to Matt then left the room with Julie. They met Amanda, Jake and Jeff at the curb where the cream colored Cadillac was parked in front of the house.  Immediately Amanda threw a fit at the sight of Eve. Eve shrugged her off as they drove to the store. Jake went in then returned empty handed explaining it was two a.m. and the store clerk refused to sell him alcohol. They drove the four blocks back to the house with Amanda pouting a fit that had them all in distress. Upon arriving to the house Eve smoked a cigarette on the front porch with Julie keeping her company. She finish the cigarette proceeded to the kitchen retrieving a yogurt from the fridge. Eve step out on the back porch listening for Sam. She stood there for several minute while she ate her yogurt thinking,

Sam's probably asleep. If i go in that room and end up waking him Matt will flip. I'll just wait a few more minutes and smoke another cigarette, if Sam cries i'll get him, if he doesn't i'll leave it be.

She finish her cigarette certain everything was perfectly fine. She believed Sam was sleeping in the safety of Matt's protection. Matt had always referred to Sam as his son ever since Eve's belly began to show she was pregnant with Sam, she trusted him. With her mind at ease she returned to the living-room and out the front door.  The Cadillac took off leaving Amanda behind. She watched Amanda walk along side of the house heading towards the back yard. Eve followed Amanda until she turned snapping her words she instructed Eve to leave her alone. Eve turned around entering the house through the front door.  Amanda entered the house through the back entrance minutes after eve had sat down next Julie. Amanda joined them in the living-room visibly upset making it clear she was not happy that Jeff left to take Jake home. Soon after Matt ran through back door yelling ,

"Help! He's not breathing, he's not breathing!"

The girls met him at the frame of the door leading to the kitchen. They shouted at him demanding to know what had happened. He told them Sam must have swallowed a rock. Everything swirled into a blur and Eve took her baby from him grabbing her coat on the way out running, following Julie.

Eve blinked through tears returning her to the room where the detectives sat in front of her. She shook head resting her arms on the table saying,

"That's all i know."

"Tell us again, from the beginning, what happened?"

The detectives took turns insisting she tell them over and over again what she knew. After the fifth time through the events of that night she lost her composer. Eve slammed her hands down on the table as she stood from the chair screaming,

"I already told you what happen. Why are you doing this? How many times do I have to tell you?"

She hung her head low clearing her mind making sense of the situation. She looked up at them, in a confused voice she said,

"You think i killed my baby?'

Her voice hardened raising slightly.

"Is that what you think? Is that why your doing this? I didn't **** my baby, I didn't **** him."

Defeated she fell into her chair. The detectives looked at each other then turned off the recorder.

"We're finished."

They both said softly standing then leaving the room. Some time later a police officer opened the door leading her to another room with a table in the center surrounded with chairs and a two-sided mirror next to it. Her eyes leaked endless amounts of sorrow flowing, falling with every step she took towards the chair she pulled out sitting so that she faced the mirror. The door closed with the officers exit and she let out a wail of enormous heartbreak, sorrow, and just flat out pain.

What happened? Oh god, bring him back. Tell me what happened. Why?

She pleaded silently with her God. She watched herself in the mirror thinking,

I should have never left the bed. I should have made him fall asleep.

Feeling faint her eyes throbbed making her head pound deeper pulsing down her neck. Eve pushed two chairs together curling on to them making her hands her pillow. She closed her eyes wishing that when she opened them she'd be next to Sam in bed. But she open her eyes and saw the carpet of the room, she began to sob. The door opened with the familiar face of the officer who lead her to the exit of the police station informing her she was free to go. The light of the sun blinded her sending her into a daze. Nora and Julie soon joined her and she asked Julie's mother Nora,

"Where's Matt?"

Nora turned to Eve shushing her with a finger to her lips. When they arrived home Nora requested the girl join her in her room. Once there Nora instructed the girls to sit on the bed. They did as asked then Nora faced the floor slowly and clearly she said,

"Matt killed Sam!"

With the sounds of those words Eve's world turned, crumbling. Nora informed the girls what Matt had done to the child. They all cried in pain knowing nothing could ever be the way it was before. Now those loving feeling she felt for Matt in the darkest corners of her mind echo'd, slithering, completely tainted by the unspeakable evil he committed against her son resonated throughout her being.

All it takes is a stroke of my pen
To find the words that hide deep within
To express what it is that I feel
Although they are thoughts it's the truth they reveal

As I sit and ponder on these thoughts
to much of my dismay
I realize sometime it's a word on word play
To tell a story, just a glimpse of the fantasy
I hide in and relive each day

To some it is a crime
If as a poet I do not rhyme
I write to express not to impress
And to my fellow poets
I dedicate this simple poem  


Yesenia Acevedo

Jake met Julie at the door way taking in her beauty lit under the glow of the moonlight.  He retrieved  the ******* from his pocket parading it in front of Julie.

"You want some?",

he asked tempting her.With ease she smiled at him.

"Come on, lets go in here.",

she answered leading him into Matt's bedroom. Upon entering the room Jake noticed it was an addition to the house. Three walls were made up of bare ply wood lacking insulation and paint. The fourth was the siding of the house painted Brown with a window  leading to the master bedroom. The room had a dirt floor with rocks scattered about. A few feet from the door there were two chairs across from each other leading to a tiny walk way between two beds lined up side by side. Curious about the master bedroom window he pointed to it asking,

"Where's the curtain?"

"Oh um, My mom likes to watch.",

she answered with laughter as she collected her hair pulling it to one side over her shoulder. She turned her head towards the window wondering if her mother was indeed watching them. Jake presented the fine white powder serving it  as if it were an appetizer.  Julie inhaled it feeling the surge of the high mixing in and with her blood. Jake took several hits himself trying to shake what remained of Eve's rejection. Several minutes later Eve entered the room holding Sam. She sat in the chair across from Julie with Jake to her left on the furthest from the brown wall. Ignoring Jake's presence she ask,

"What you up to Jewels?"

Julie pointed the coke saying,

"Just doing a little of this. You want some?"

"Uh no, i'm okay."

"Just try it you might like it?"

"What's it feel like?"

"Um, i don't know, GOOD. Just take little if you don't like it just stop."

"Okay."

Jake didn't mind that he sat silently listening to them talk. He was eager to supply his drugs to the girls. When Eve decided to take the hit Jake felt his mind race.He smiled kindly at Eve with a glimmer of hope twinkling in his eyes he thought,

I hope this ***** gets hooked, then she'll come to me willing.

Jake watched Eve stand then walk over to the bed across from  where he was sitting gently placing Sam in the center before walking over to Julie. As she passed Jake he reached out touching her hip. Eve jumped shooing him away. Jake loved seeing Eve uncomfortable and angry. In his mind it meant he could then be sweet and loving. Jake served up his drug of choice handing it to Julie, she then held it steady for Eve to inhale. Eve licked her lips spinning inside she felt the rush of the drug. Matt joined them, in a bitter frenzy he pulled beer after  beer from between his mattress til he had consumed five. Julie warned Matt he would end up in jail if he didn't stop. Her words only fueled him and Jake saw his opportunity. He offered Matt some of the ******* ignoring the girls as they yelled at him not to dare. Jake drank the rush that washed through him making two plump lines for Matt. Jake sat on the edge of the bed gripped by anticipation while Matt took a line in each nostril.

Mission complete. If Matt doesn't consider me a possible friend now, at least Eve isn't happy with him.

Hope escapes the sanity of subtle essence drifting in the wind...
long ago, fused to the memory of your love. Caressing a dark bitter heart abused by betrayal of familiar faces within beating life, mirroring its own. Corruption spews from those tender lips; releases its venom into rushing crimson. Clovers wilt at the sight of you, unaware your beauty is your confliction. What is a sight of beauty when morals lack, sprits tainted, Stars extinguished overtaken... by desire of ones own will to rewrite them against a higher beings will. Is it possible to rewrite stars? Is this destiny to deny a dream dreamed sweetly amongst the clouds an plucked for an instant the light rendered pure...  manifesting darkness at ever turn? In the end, does the love I feel no matter how true really worth the heartache caused upon myself reflecting onto them?  Shall I end this? Do I continue such a darkened path with no ending in sight.  I crave these rusty chains turn to dust or the life drained from me.


Yesenia Acevedo

Matt turned off the television in hopes peace would present its self in the shadows clinging to the silence of the living-room. He closed his eyes, filling his lungs, grasping that moment desiring to hold it prisoner.

Nope, no use, there it is rising again.

Matt soaked in the fury that slowly brewed into wrath savoring the delicate temper pulsing in his heart. He began to enjoy  himself entertaining all the things he could do to make Eve regret ever messing with his head. Matt watch scenario after scenario trading smirks of pleasure with each one. He welcomed them to appear, fade, then reappear, each one bringing a mending sliver of an antidote to his heartache. Sams crying followed by Eve's echo'd pain slapped Matt's plotting revenge leaving his heartache to thrive. Instinctively he felt the brief urge to know what was happening. He shook his head refusing to go to her.

Why should i give a ****? She doesn't.

Several minutes later Eve appeared from the bedroom holding Sam. This time he met her at eye level waiting to see if she would offer an explanation or sign of regret. Eve's face failed to demonstrate any emotion that might have laid beneath. She held her sight steady on her path passing refusing to look his way til she was gone from his view. Every scenario Matt had planned collided crashing against one another til they were just ruble being sweep away by his sadness. Without permission his emotions flooded spilling out, each tear represented a different one. He stood then paced from one end of the room to the next. He opened the front door needing fresh air to cool his head. He blinked through blurry tears then quickly closed the front door when the cream colored Cadillac came into focus. Wiping his tear he peered out the window. He recognized Amanda sitting in the front passenger seat sobbing uncontrollably. Matt didn't need to see the driver to know who he was. Jeff was never far behind Jake.

Jake and Jeff, ******* *******, always together.

He stepped away from the window and with a moments thought headed to his room. As he approached his bedroom door he could hear Julie, Jake, Eve and Sam from behind it. He walk through the door way looking from Julie to Jake before sitting down on his bed. Jake laughed sending Matt into his own life altering path. Left there for safe keeping Matt pulled out a Budweiser from between his mattress. He knew he had a probation appointment the next day that would result in a ***** UA, but that was the point. He didn't give a ****.