Once upon a time there was a lonely little girl. She had no one to play with, no one to tell her stories, and no one to tuck her in at night. She would cry everyday, her dress stained with tears.

Every night she prayed to God to rescue her from her loneliness, but he never answered. One day she stopped praying.

“I would sell my soul if it meant my loneliness would end” she said. And the Devil heard her. He gladly shook her hand as she signed her soul away to him.

Her wish was finally granted. The townspeople flocked to her and sung of her praises. She had more friends than she could count. She was finally happy, and no longer alone.

But little by little, the Devil began to harden her heart, until she grew to despise each and every one of her friends.

“So annoying are they!” she cried. “So stupid! So selfish! So obnoxious! So unkind!”.

Slowly she drove away all of her friends as her rage and anger bubbled over, until at last she was all alone again.

She wept bitterly once more.

“Why?” She sobbed. “Why have you forsaken me?”

“I haven’t forsaken you at all”, said the Devil.

“But....I’m all alone again! And everyone hates me!”.

“I gave you friends, I never said you could keep them”.

“B-but I don’t want to be alone! I want to be loved! It’s not fair!”.

The Devil paused a moment, scratching his chin, until at last he had an idea.

“I know a place that’s perfect for a spiteful and solitary creature like you!” He grinned.

He took her hand in his and dragged her down to Hell. There she was surrounded by demons. They tore at her flesh and eyes, desperately trying to get a part from the one they loved so much. They ripped at her hair and gnawed on her bones. She finally got her wish. She was never alone again.

Together with you

I was the happiest I’d ever been

You made me a better woman

The joy with you was unparalleled to anything I’d ever felt

I got down on one knee and asked you to be with me always

When you said yes my heart leaped with joy

We were going to be together

Forever

But then you left me standing there

Alone and crying

Many years have passed since then

But no one else compares to you

And now you’re gone

And I’m alone

Forever

It’s been two years today

Since you went away

And left me broken hearted

When you suddenly departed

Then life went sour

Weeks felt like hours

The things you said, they hurt my heart

But it’s too late now for me to restart

There will never be another one like you

Love is a losing game, that’s true

I’m left with only dread

Coming deep inside my head

My hatred for humanity

Slipping mask of sanity

Bubbles from underneath

Cuts like a Sword without a sheath

But I still can’t stop loving you

No matter what you say or do

I’d do anything to have you back by my side

I’d search for you far and wide

But you don’t love me

And I’m trapped in my misery

It’s been two years since the day

That you went away

Deep in my heat I abhor you

You broke my heart, took my money, and drove me insane

Where are you now?

No one knows.

In an alley shooting up?

In the arms of a stranger?

Dead in a ditch?

Married? Children?

I do not wish for a better world for you

I hope all your demons dragged you to Hell

And your nightmares became reality

I hope your friends abandoned you

And your family disowned you

I hope your body betrays you

Just like mine did

But now no one will be your “caregiver”

If you died

I wouldn’t bat an eye

And if I see you on the other side

I’ll gladly spend eternity torturing you

The dogs are sleeping

The birds are chirping

My throat and skin is on fire

The frigid air freezes your breath like smoke in the wind

The kettle boils, hissing and screaming like a mad woman

The tea leaves come to life as the steaming water enriches them

You glance out at the shadows and sun, an unfamiliar setting that you’re all too familiar with

I submerge my head under water and count the seconds as they go by

She was hated from birth

But came from the earth

Flesh and blood, but to them

She wasn’t human

She was an animal, a devious act

A rabid dog waiting to attack

They were disgusted, she was shunned

But her trials had only begun

Desperation, confusion

Words and actions like contusions

So she went away

It was not her price to pay

Someone must understand

There must be a better land

She goes from place to place

Remembering neither names nor faces

And you know what?

She’s still searching

Introduction

She came to this place looking for her American Dream, but she never anticipated the nightmare it would turn into.

She came from a small town in Russia that no one here knew how to pronounce or cared to. She met him online. It looked picture perfect, they looked picture perfect. Of course, underneath that it was always brewing.

“That bitch is after his money”.

“Mail Order whore”.

“Anything for a green card”.

“Ruskie slut”.

She smiled and didn’t know what they were saying, nor cared to know.

She smiled as she waited for her visa to approve, through all the documents and papers, on the many hours spent on a plane, and on the day she said “I do”. Ascending down to the altar like some kind of angel, she was so close to us mortals yet so far into her own heaven.

She was abruptly awoken from her dream when they escorted her new husband away, in handcuffs.