Gray After Dark

by Noelle W. Ihli

Opening up your heart is messy—and risky. But keeping your heart locked is risky, too.

I learned that it didn’t actually matter whether you kept your heart open or locked. Twisted metal and broken glass sliced through it either way. So did loss.

“Welcome to the wilderness, but don’t worry, we know you like things bougie!”

I would have cried tears of joy to trade the past two days for a chance to face off with a bear instead of these two monsters.

Kidnapping was fair game. Sex before marriage, not so much. Right.

“Opening up your heart is messy—and risky. But keeping your heart spotless is risky too,”