All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

by Bryn Greenwood

“Cassiopeia. Cepheus. Ursa Minor. Cygnus. Perseus. Orion.”

Mr. Arsenikos said if you knew the constellations you would never get lost. You could always find your way home.

When I was younger, I thought about it plenty of times. Just put the barrel in my mouth, pull the trigger, and paint the ceiling with my brains.

I could have told him there was no sense in rushing toward being dead. It would find you soon enough, and before it did there were pleasures to make your heart hurt less.

You make people interested in you by keeping secrets, not by passing them out like candy at Halloween.