Dead of Winter

by Darcy Coates

Each day felt like a fight to earn the right to be happy, and they were fights I lost more often than won.

Our shelter doesn’t have a bathroom. When we need to relieve ourselves, we’re supposed to go outside and walk as far from the cabin as we safely can without losing sight of it. People leave, looking embarrassed as they fumble with the door, then come back in squinting and sour.

Made me laugh

the average person is likely to cross paths with three to ten murderers in their lifetime, including not-insignificant odds of having one inside their broad social group.

old scars sometimes peel back open and weep fresh blood.