59. Bodka

It felt like he was forcing it on me. He was trying to coax some other personality out of who I usually was. A bottle of courage wasn’t going to do it. I knew what I needed, it wasn’t him, loud music or smooth booze. But what I wanted was another story. He had no idea what he was about to unleash.

58. Soostalan

She couldn’t explain to anyone why she loved him, she just did. Over the years she had questioned herself; he couldn’t cook, he left a whirlwind mess around him, he hated being social and loved hip hop. If they were mismatched in their tastes what was left over was super connectedness. Plus he was the best lover she’d ever had.

57. Slit

If he fixed his eyes and focused then everyone would think he was fine. He envisioned his life beyond this group and it’s cloying darkness. He hadn’t figured out how to extricate himself and find somewhere else to go, though he was dying to. The fantasy of making new friends was appealing. Then he wondered if it was the booze talking and he was over-thinking it all.

56. Elevator

She wanted to go though knew she shouldn't. The decision held more weight to her than to anyone else. The draw and release was in her power in that singular moment that moved slower than any other she'd experienced. She heard them laughing from inside, freely giggling. And realized the invitation was more benign than she imagined.

55. Kealan

She usually wasn't needy. But tonight she decided it couldn't be miscontrued since she was getting what she wanted. It had taken so long, she had repressed volumes, and now it was clear how to let it out. In her own measured way so no one would suspect a thing. It was her truth and her time. Luckily for her, they accepted it without question.

54. Motel

She had come for him. This place had nothing to do with her and every aspect of it stung her skin. She only felt herself if he was there, and now he wasn’t. It was crippling. The idea of creating a new environment for herself was more than she could bear. She got in her Mustang and drove back to the city.

53. Sao Paulo Trees

She lay in wait to join the rest. Few would even notice the unveiling, just the ones who built her with their sheer ideas that came to limestone life. Her final resting place was to be here and she would live out her long days slowly becoming elegantly decayed. It was useless desire to ever be the maiden again.

52. Tattoo girl

She did it to keep people away. The staring was a surprise and something she had learned to deal with. She was expert at averting her eyes and as a result found it hard to connect with anyone. The people she wished to let in took her at face value and that led to a sad, insular, loneliness. It was a shame because she was soft and endearing.

51. Apartment terrace

Their life seemed dreamy, full of sparkle and shine. It was so different from hers, which felt drab and melancholy in comparison. She watched their dinner parties, their little arguments that always ended in romantic bedroom escapades. She became the ultimate voyeur, though to her it was more like becoming obsessed with a TV soap. Then one day their flame spluttered and it became ugly. She never knew that they started to watch and dream of her mundane life, because she had stopped watching them long ago.

50. Bus Stop

He wanted to talk to her desperately. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen her, just the first time he had a clear unchallenged view. She was clueless of course, but that only added fuel to the unrequited romance he conjured in his mind. He would never talk to her, just imagine for years what it would be like. Then the bus arrived and it wasn’t his.

49. Traffic

His legs stuck to the vinyl seats slicked in sweat even though it was barely midday. His driver’s side arm was already sun burnt and coated in the dust of the city. But it felt normal to him. The rusted out hulk of brick canyons was home and he had no problem being shoved down its valleys on his never-ending route. It was the cacophony of bleating horns that bothered him. So he shoved his ear buds in tighter to block it out.

48. Windows

It was home. The village could see whatever he was doing in that concrete square. Mama had reminded him frequently of this fact. Kicking around an old ball or pressing against a girl into the shadows of the night, he knew one day it would be him looking down to spy on his own kid. That’s just how it went around here, he’d never leave the block.

47. Sao Paulo

He made huge efforts to beautify as he saw fit. Vertical slabs were the canvas that he attacked with every intricacy he was capable of. Everyone else took it for granted and just walked by clueless to the unconscious absorption that took place. Soon their city would be slathered in the glory of his colours and they would take all the credit.

46. Nun

It was the only way she could get close to God. She had flown in dreams but this was different. Not only could she practically see and touch Him, she had the energy of many people on the plane unknowingly praying along with her. The unholy disgrace was having her luggage lost.

45. T&A

She was in her own world with everyone else on the outside. Twirling with abandon released her body so her mind could do the work. She had her best thoughts like this. To relate it to others, it was like washing the dishes while zoning out, but just wearing your panties.