This way-more-abstractly-metaphorical-than-I-usually-write story was inspired by one of the exercises in Holly Lisle’s “How to Beat Writer’s Block.” She calls him her “muse”; I call her my very life-breath.
My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word. (Psalm 119:28)
Flashlight in hand, I progress slowly down each step, toward the dungeon in which I keep my soul. Repeating drops of condensation drip, drip, drip and echo off the cold, dead walls. The scent of urine and defecation permeates the air, and intermingles with a poison must.
I loathe this place, which reeks of hell and depression.
I approach the cage. My keys rattle against the thick, steel slats, as I wrestle with the heavy padlock.
The noise rouses my soul from her bed on the concrete. She glares at me in terror, her once luminous countenance now merely flickering a dim grey, bruised and mottled from years of abuse and neglect. She slinks into the opposite corner. I swing the gate open, slowly enter the cage, but do not approach her. The horror of a hundred thousand past encounters etches itself into her eyes, as they follow me, tracking me.
I stoop in my corner of the cage. I try not to touch the floor with my knees or hands, but I cannot get down to her eye-level, because she is balled up tight as an armadillo bug, her eyes peeking out from behind emaciated fingers.
“I wanted you to make me popular, powerful,” I explain. “I expected you to do whatever necessary, whatever I demanded. I thought that would bring me fame and fortune, and fame and fortune would bring me happiness.”
My eyes stare as into the void.
“But it didn’t work,” stolid. “And now there’s no one left in the house but you and me. And I’ve all but killed you.”
I rise, not knowing what else I might say. I want to tell her I’m sorry, but I know she cannot believe me. I have worn out any trust she may have ever had for me.
“I’ll leave the door open for you. I hope you decide to rejoin me upstairs.” I begin to leave.
Pausing: “For what it’s worth, I promise never to make demands like that of you again. I promise from now on, we’ll only create what we both desire to create. And I’ll never cage you again or attempt to restrain you.”
No answer. No movement.
I return to my favorite space, in the once-bright reaches of my home, a place formerly full of possibilities and promise. Now, dark except for a single, yellow incandescent lamp.
In the distance, a tentative step falls on my ear. And another. Getting closer now.
And the tiniest tear I feel returning to the corner of my dry eye.
https://stromectol.reviews/# buy ivermectin canada
stromectol reviews: stromectol reviews – stromectol reviews
https://easy-bet-casino.co.za/
EasyBet Casino stands as a up-to-date online gaming platform as well as sports betting hub created specifically for the local Saffa public, which runs under an official licence and makes available a well-rounded journey whether through a smartphone as well as from the computer.
hello!,I like your writing very a lot! percentage we communicate more about your post on AOL? I require an expert on this area to unravel my problem. May be that is you! Taking a look forward to peer you.
online beste australian open wettanbieter (Kurt) vergleich
wetten dass online spielen
Feel free to visit my web blog – Wett tipps Von profis
https://antibiotics.cheap/# antibiotics cheap
UFC
Look, I appreciate the local atmosphere in Liberec like everybody else, but the bookmakers are getting a little too cozy with the hometown favorites for UFC Oktagon 87.
handicap wette was ist das
my blog post :: wettanbieter Gratiswette
https://tictac-bets.co.za/
TicTac Bets comes across as a contemporary internet casino together with sports betting hub developed especially for players based in South Africa, that carries out its activity with a valid permit in place and makes available a full gaming adventure from any mobile device as well as from the desktop.
https://mikefromgidstats.substack.com/p/oktagon-87-betting-preview-analysis
Oktagon 87 heads to Liberec this weekend with a card that offers several clear tactical discrepancies for bettors to take advantage of.
buy antibiotics for uti: antibiotics online pharmacy – antibiotics cheap
нажмите здесь vodkabet водкабет казино
можно проверить ЗДЕСЬ водка бет
wetten com bonus bedingungen
Look at my blog post – tipps bei sportwetten
https://playa-bets.co.za/
Playa Bets comes across as a contemporary online gaming platform as well as sportsbook built uniquely for the South African market, that carries out its activity legally and delivers an all-round proposition whether through a smartphone as well as from the PC.
You’re so interesting! I don’t think I’ve truly read through something like that before. So wonderful to discover someone with a few original thoughts on this subject matter. Really.. thanks for starting this up. This web site is something that’s needed on the internet, someone with a little originality!
https://stromectol.reviews/# ivermectin price
antibiotics cheap: over the counter antibiotics – over the counter antibiotics
424-458 Hoxton Park Road, Prestons NSW 2170 Saturday, Dec. 6 – Santa Clara To make a booking, click here and enter your details. We will send an email once your booking is confirmed (Please note, bookings must be made at least 15 minutes before entering the car park). Australian casino online operators offer diverse bonus packages to attract new players and retain existing customers. Understanding different bonus types helps you maximize value and choose the best online casino that matches your gaming style. Inside the Club This guide helps you choose the perfect online casino in Australia. Remember responsible gambling and always play only with money you can afford to lose. Every good casino site needs the thrill of competition, right? Therefore, at Uptown Aces Casino, you can compete against other players on the Leaderboard! From freeroll tournaments to ones with a participation fee, you may have it all! Register for the desired tournament, put in all your passion and endurance, and rank highly on the leaderboard. Your reward? Generous bonuses await! Some rewards are bonus cash, and some are free spins, and on special occasions, you might get a ticket to another tournament to prove your skills!
https://www.compliancecorepro.com/2026/04/23/enter-uktrinocasino-a-comprehensive-review-for-players-from-the-united-kingdom/
The casino offers a wide range of games including slots, table games, video poker, and specialty games. Raging Bull Casino is an experienced gambling representative and an asset of Merus ltd. licensed in Curacao. Raging Bull online casino has created excellent conditions for playing for money on the official website and in the mobile version. Registered customers receive a welcome bonus – 50 free spins + 350% on deposit and an additional 25 free spins no deposit. I used to play this game a lot, and I got pretty good. However I have noticed that it doesn’t work on my new phone because the maker hasn’t made this update. If you somehow see this, please update it. I’m dying to play it again. All personal data on the internet site is secured by simply 128-bit SSL encryption. Apart from playing, there’s a good referral program enabling you to profit much more by appealing friends to May well Fortune casino. Keep reading about this online casino in Australia and see May well Fortune Casino benefits and cons that we checked out. If you’re looking with regard to a wide variety of games, you’ll find a good selection at this online casino. Games Raging Bull on line casino Australia is powered entirely by Realtime gaming, one of the major software program developers for video pokies and other games. Real time gaming, also called RTG supplies close to 200 games to be able to this website.
https://springbok-casino-bet.co.za/
The Springbok Casino platform stands as a innovative online gaming platform together with bookmaker designed exclusively for the audience in South Africa, which runs legally and provides an all-round proposition both from the mobile phone as well as from the desktop.
The links in the scam ads directed users to pseville.fun – a website designed to fool users into believing they were looking at the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The scam website displayed a purported download link for the casino game “The Beast Plinko” and said it was created by “Beast Group.” The first step to mastering the Plinko game behind your distribution operation: Identify the “pegs” that are sending your orders in unexpected directions. Here are the most common obstacles Cavallo customers tell us about: The following table shows what all three betting options pay, probability of winning, and return to the contribution. The following table shows what all three betting options pay, probability of winning, and return to the contribution. Per the concept of “provably fair gaming” common to Cryto-casinos, the final outcome is determined in advance. With 16 rows of pegs, there are 2^16 = 65,536 possible paths the ball can take. The final outcome is based on a random number from 0 to 65,535, which gets mapped according to one of the positions at the bottom of the grid. I have checked and the mapping is done correctly, according to the natural odds of a fair Plinko board.
https://theummahtoday.org/magius-casino-uk-review-a-top-destination-for-online-gamblers-2/
The second Uptown Pokies no deposit present is available every Monday for VIP members. Depending on their rank, such individuals grab from 10% and 25% of the losses that occur between Thursday and Saturday, during which they aren’t restricted in using match replenishment boons. Just like regulars, they get the perk via live chat. Apart from their game collection, one of the most important factors which determine the success of an online casino is their promotions and bonuses. A welcome bonus is good for both the online casino itself as well as the new player. However, there are some casinos that go well beyond the welcome bonus to keep players engaged and potentially boost their bankroll. At Uptown Pokies, you will find an array of reload bonuses, free spins and more, in their promotions calendar.
такой vodkabet новый сайт
https://bet-co.co.za/
The Bet.co.za platform stands as a up-to-date online gaming platform and sportsbook built uniquely for the South African market, which runs with a valid permit in place and provides an all-round proposition both via the cellphone as well as from the PC.
We are a bunch of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your site provided us with useful information to work on. You have done an impressive process and our entire community shall be grateful to you.
https://stromectol.reviews/# stromectol reviews
Hello! In this topic we talk about in-demand professions and training for them in Rostov: https://mastergrad.wixom.ru/viewtopic.php?t=41157
ivermectin cream cost stromectol reviews stromectol reviews
https://stromectol.reviews/# stromectol buy uk
antibiotics cheap: antibiotics cheap – antibiotics for uti
antibiotics cheap: antibiotics online purchase – cheap antibiotics
https://silversands-casino-bet.co.za/
Silversands Casino Casino is a contemporary online gaming platform as well as sportsbook designed exclusively for players based in South Africa, that functions with a valid permit in place and provides a full gaming adventure both from the mobile phone as well as through the laptop.
Детоксикация в основном фокусируется на печени и почках, помогая этим органам быстрее справляться с продуктами распада алкоголя. Такой подход гарантирует не только улучшение самочувствия, но и восстановление работы внутренних органов, которые пострадали в процессе злоупотребления алкоголем.
Подробнее можно узнать тут – капельница от похмелья анонимно самара
Капельница от похмелья в Самаре: снятие похмелья, детоксикация и восстановление организма в наркологической клинике «Детокс»
Подробнее – капельница от похмелья на дом
Наша клиника предлагает полный цикл услуг — от экстренной круглосуточной помощи до долгосрочной реабилитации. Каждый этап разрабатывается индивидуально с учётом возраста, стажа зависимости и сопутствующих заболеваний. Современные протоколы 2026 года позволяют проводить анонимное лечение алкоголизма и наркомании максимально комфортно и эффективно, минимизируя болезненные симптомы и снижая риск срывов.
Получить дополнительную информацию – оказание наркологической помощи воронеж
https://roobet.com.mx/
La plataforma Roobet se presenta como un moderno portal de juego virtual junto con plataforma de apuestas desarrollado especialmente para el publico mexicano, el cual funciona con permiso vigente y ofrece una vivencia integral tanto desde el celular como desde el ordenador.
Hello mates, how is everything, and what you would like to say on the topic of this piece of writing, in my view its genuinely awesome for me.