Only when the strain in my cheeks became unbearable did I realize I was smiling. Regardless, lines of salted emotions stained my face. The memories of Gran brought on a mental fog, yet my body felt light. Muscles relaxed from oils and incense, remnants of when she occupied the small bedroom. Much of her was ...

slowly the chill fills the airelegantly swapping the heat for coldpetals fall and leaves change colortender memories of years pastevening seems to arrive soonermarking the holidays to comebeneath the endless cycleenergy reserves start to shapereturning the world to the quiet

The roar of the school busand excitement of Pep rallies, Friday night footballin the chilly night air  nips at naked necks and fingertipsas Autumn whispers Promises ofKaleidoscope leaves which Dance and fallA carpet of fall colors reds, yellows, and brownsCrunching under feet Autumn delightsWith hopes of Pumpkin patchesFall festivities And haunted housesCostumes and trick-or-treat Autumn ...

It took only a few hours to obliterate the country. Then the skies cleared, and we crawled out of our houses on shaky limbs, fearful of what awaited us. The year was 2004, and our tiny island had been safe from catastrophe for over fifty years. One of the most destructive storms to cross the ...