A Danger to Herself and Others

by Alyssa Sheinmel

I suppose your name is the first thing that ever really belongs to you, but when you think about it, it’s not yours at all.

You’re never really too old for games. The games just change.

“If he loves me, he’ll wait. And if he doesn’t, I’ll find someone else who does.” She says it simply, like finding a new person to love is as easy as replacing a pair of shoes after you’ve worn down the sole.

Of course, wishing for them isn’t the same thing as hearing them, seeing them, feeling them. I open my eyes and look at my hand, empty with no one to hold it. I wish my brain could give them back to me just long enough to make me feel better.