Have you ever closed your eyes and blocked out all the noise around you, like underneath the water, the sounds get further away, only the distant echoes remain.

Swinging back and forth, getting higher as your legs reach the sky. Eyelids resting, feeling the urge to fly.

Driving down a hot, paved road, accelerating to break the heat.  Summer winds blowing, only you, the ride, and the radio, not another soul for you to see.

The silence of the earth and sky, loveliest, enchanting, mysterious creatures alive.  As time stands still, only you can start, its only you to decide within your heart.

Ocean seas surround you as you rest upon her waves.  Giving comfort and pleasure, turning deadly if neglected, so be gentle, yet be brave.

Listen to the silence, take it all inside, let your emotions feel invigorated and your body feel alive.

Shhh...Close your eyes...Listen...Be surprised!

In a small, unprosperous, town lived a broken down soul. Not only was she innocent and selfless, but her hopes and dreams stretched further than life itself. Her whole life she was taught to never dream without expecting disappointment, her parents preached that statement throughout her whole life and her siblings believed it to the fullest extent. As an observer, the girl pandered several thoughts; she would obtain honor roll, perfect attendance, and gained an excessive amount of community service hours. Her parents were convinced she was belittling her siblings, her grandparents were sick of her, most of her cousins thought she was odd, and her sister hated her. Everybody thought she was bragging and nobody liked her quality of perfectionism. The support was not there, but something told her life was not meant to be lived this way. She purposely stayed at school after hours and became a workaholic. This was the case, due to the simple fact that home was not where she desired to be, EVER. Along the way she met two friends and a long term boyfriend, so things must of improved support wise. Furthermore, things only went down hill for her and it took the girl 5 dreadful, long, years in order to realize the friends would influence her negatively and use her. In addition, her boyfriend was an exact replica of her parents and was unsupportive of everything the girl desired... In addition, the feelings were just no longer there. Some people called her stubborn and hardheaded, however she was determined. A few years went by and without even planning things through, she took a plane to California and finished schooling out there. She bought a studio apartment and pursued her career path in teaching, a job worth having. During the summer she picked up some modeling positions and published a couple joke books for children. 5 years later, her very first horror book was published and 5 more years this book turned into a horror movie. Not only was this movie created by her, she guest starred in it; this movie was filmed in Michigan located in a small unprosperous town in which the girl hadn't stepped foot in for almost 20 years and the movie was titled "my life." The girl who hoped and dreamed was doing better than anyone whoever doubted her as a child... nothing changed in that small town (which consisted of the same lifeless people who now live in regret) with the exception of the girl who now changed her hopes and dreams into goals and reality.

The most introverted one has the best story to tell. With thoughts racing more rapid than a coaster, waiting for someone to listen to the louder inner screams that only exist within. How can one be so loved if everybody is so absent. Externally quiet as a library; yet, internally loud as a firework.

She always had a book with her. Tucked under an arm, firmly in a hand, or nestled under a thigh, if she was seated. It wasn't that she disliked the world, on the contrary. The worlds she found in books served to highlight and define the beauty and tangible goodness of the real world. The fantasies and faraway adventures she embarked upon in her mind made the mundane existence she lived seem like a backstory chapter, a preface to a grand adventure for which she knew she was destined.

All her life, the drudgery of day to day, she knew it was build up, preparing her for the climax, and all the tragedies and inexplicable heartbreak would be explained in the denouement. The husband that hit, the babies lost, the years of scraping by and making do, they'd all be fixed, made better, and turned into a blissful end.

Her final thought, as she looked from the shotgun in her husbands hand to the blood spattered book beside her, was to wonder who would return her books to the library, or if they'd be left to rot, with her.

Good Morning, Prosers,

The way publishers find new authors might have just changed forever.

We are pleased to announce that we have joined forces with publishing giant Simon & Schuster, whose legacy includes Ernest Hemingway, Carrie Fisher, and Stephen King.

Simon & Schuster’s editing team hopes to discover the next generation of great authors by utilising our challenge feature and our social community, initially through a 500-2000 word writing challenge that ends June 1, prompting you to, “Write a story, chapter, or essay about whatever you like. The 50 best entries will be announced by Prose and read by Simon & Schuster’s editorial staff for consideration.”

This challenge stipulates a minimum of 500 entries and a maximum of 2,000.

We will announce the top-50 entries on June 21, 2017.

Here is the challenge URL: https://theprose.com/challenge/5367

We hope you are as excited about this as we are. If you know people who would like to get noticed by Simon & Schuster, spread the word(s).

Until next time, Prosers,

Prose.