Smallara

Charity watched, powerless, as Alejandra rose from the bed like some ancient giant roused from her cavern. The mattress creaked under her shifting weight; the cold floorboards popped in protest…

Charity didn’t really sleep so much as drift in and out of a shallow haze, a restless half-dream where her old house flickered in and out behind Alejandra’s ragged walls.…

Charity didn’t remember falling asleep. She only remembered waking — again and again — each time to a new noise that made her heart leap against her ribs like a…

Charity didn’t even have time to brace herself. One second she was a quivering bundle deep in the folds of Alejandra’s worn hoodie, the next, the entire cocoon lifted clean…

Charity could still taste the greasy residue of egg on her tongue, salt, oil, and shame all mixing in the corners of her mouth. She sat bundled halfway inside Alejandra’s…

Alejandra’s chair creaked softly as she settled her weight back into it, the laptop screen throwing a faint, bluish glow across her tired face. In the dim hush of her…