I hear footsteps in the hallway, but it could just be the wind. I see flashes; they’re blurry. (I’m not sure they’re real).

I can’t get into some of the rooms in my head, but I know shadows hide behind the doors. my body keeps score of a game I don’t recognize—some locks

aren’t meant to be picked. not knowing

is its own form of a haunting.

if my heart cast a shadow,

would you look for me in

basic anatomy, the underlying

veins and arteries?

if my lungs cast a shadow,

would you see the black,

the smoke that got stuck

in between every crevice?

if my internet search history

cast a shadow, would you see

that I am trying so hard

to get better at this writing thing?

if my personal history cast a shadow,

would it be spring?

or would it be perpetually winter

another six weeks

of the same stories recycled

over and over until they don't

mean anything?

Craftily hiding in plan sight.

Behind those black eyes.

Waiting to feed on its next victim.

Thriving and growing with negative energy.

Draining the joy and love out of beauty.

Be strong little one.

Create a bubble around yourself.

Protect yourself.

And always be aware -

Those soul suckers have amazing disguises.

The moment I took in the room and saw the soft glow of the lights, I knew today’s match with my renowned opponent was going to be tough. My eyes were tired, my body ached, and if I’m honest, I’d thought about giving up for a while. But I wanted to believe that today could be different, that I’d wake up eager to do what I loved most — strategize.

Sitting there, behind the board, behind the battles, behind the wins and losses — these matches kept me thinking, sometimes overthinking, and worrying more than I should. Yet, every day, I found myself here, facing this challenge. I’d played against this opponent many times, sometimes winning strategically and having some of my best moments filled with purpose. Other times, I’d lost, my dignity replaced by embarrassment and shame. This opponent was a beautiful yet destructive player, the reason why I felt like giving up today.

Quitting seemed like the only solution because the better I became at strategizing, the more challenging this opponent became. So, as I lay in bed, fully aware of the possible outcomes, knowing that today could be the day my opponent defeats me for good, I faced a choice. I could go to that square board today, even though I knew I had only 10% of my best left in me. With my opponent possibly at 100%, defeat was likely, but there was a smile on my face as I realized I’d faced my fear.

Right there, I decided that even at 10%, I would be behind that board, making moves, ruthlessly trying to checkmate my opponent. Maybe I’d win today, maybe I wouldn’t. As this realization washed over me, the smile on my lips shone brightly in my eyes.

Watch out, life, your opponent has awakened.

Hello, Writers and Dear Readers.

The title says it all... Yes. Here's the link!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb6Fd7nLdlc

And.

As always............

Thank you for being here.

-The Prose. team

I am just an admiring tourist

Walking the streets to a world in which I don’t belong

Window shopping for a change I want to see

Trying to speak a language unfamiliar to my tongue

I have known this landscape for far too long

Does anyone see me?

A place I used to call home

Has turned against me

Dark waves of admiration

Of greener pastures on the other side

Create blindness

Or fear that’s deep inside

Am I a permanent resident?

Or is it all in my mind?

In Loving Memory of Joshua Levinstone 11.19.19

She was a survivalist, that’s all she has known. This knife, this bag and a dysfunctional family that was all but ready to be rid of her. She didn’t mind though. When the time came, she enjoyed not being a part of the family. She never felt like she really belonged there anyway. The black sheep of the foul fortuned family. What she didn’t know or was ready for, was that the world she use to look up too in wonderment, would start to crumble in her mid-life. She watched the simplicity of the world, the creation of technology, the movements that changed the calloused society she was raised in, and finally she watched the downfall. The destruction of the planet. The day, mother nature claimed back with force, all areas we called home.

We all should have seen it coming really. The red flags were there for years. The extreme weather, the cities sinking, over consumption, the encumbered landfills, the lack of water management, the panic. It was all there, we just felt more comfortable being distracted.

While she pondered all these thoughts she felt a pain lodge in the back of her throat. The guilt. The self-shame. She was a survivalist after all. The weight of the darkness almost grabbed her perception, as the weight of the blade impelled her dinner.

"Association of Helpful People"

One day Stan opened a door and saw a bald man in a long quilted black coat who was standing on the threshold. The man introduced himself as a representative of the Association of Useful People. Stan heard about them, about an organization that introduces people to the norms and laws of modern society...

"

- I am authorized to be assigned to you for a period of one month, as a leading specialist in my field. The man paused abruptly, tilting his head to the side.

There were more and more questions, and Stan flared up:

- By whom are you authorized? What industry?

- Hot temper is good, it will play an excellent role in political conflicts, but this is not about that now, - the friendly intonation has not changed despite the cries of Stan, the specialist continued, - in the modern world it is very dangerous to be detached, lead a reclusive life, ignore the information life. You have completely dropped out of society, and I am here to help you. Three years ago, Helpful People units were created in every city for people like you who are not in the digital world or who do not have the skills to live in it. Such as you are not able to know the joy of social contacts through a virtual network and lose friends right and left. How long ago have you been invited to parties? Or take a walk?

Stan bit his lip.

- I see, for a long time. I was informed...

- And what do you offer me?

- I am your monthly life consultant. You have to do everything I say, and I return your friends, fans and fame.

genre- dystopia,

age range - 18 - 100,

word count - 5 texts around 2800-3000 words

author name - Victoriia,

dystopia is really interesting for nowdays and I love to write,

"The Norm" - a world in which people try to equalize all the bad by sacrificing the good. If a disabled person is born in a family, his fate is shared by the second child, so that the love of the parents goes equally to everyone. A little girl is looking forward to the birth of her brother, not suspecting what trials may await her.

"Interdiction" - farce of the future, where in the era of enlightened beauty, naturalness becomes a curiosity and losing it is equated with death.

"Аbuser" - The woman tells her story about how she came across an inappropriate male attitude towards herself, but already in the course of the story it turns out that it was her behavior that prompted all subsequent events.

"Family Institute" - society lives according to the law of morality - in order to get married you need to go through a long procedure, but in order to terminate it - even longer. A man is tired of living with his wife and his divorce proceedings are nearing an end as he decides to give him a second chance.

target audience - all people who have hight education

My bio - ukrainian writer (Russian language), private teacher

platform - for ukrainian auditory https://g.co/kgs/2MZ1qU

education - master of philology

experience - wrote 2 books (1 has already been published and in sale from 2020 (sold more than 3000)) the second book is going to be published this year, also have education in literature (courses in different printed editions)