As a writer,

I look at my life

as an ongoing story,

every life-changing event

as the start of a new chapter,

words spilling across

the paper of my skin.

Until I met you,

my life had become

something of a horror novel,

my body not my own,

my steps unsure,

my thoughts grim and filled

with shadows and all manner

of darkness waiting for me,

both inside and out.

Though I was loved by many,

I felt alone in the world,

carrying only half of a heart

within me, the pages

of the book of me

filled with illegible scribbles

and ink splotches where my pen

was unable to write the words

I wanted to say.

Then I met you.

Slowly, the pages within

started to fill with something

other than darkness,

something other than shadows.

The pages were filled with

stories again rather than

splotches of ink and scribbles.

Your love for me has brought

brightness to my life and

now all the pages I write

glow with a light that is

pure and beautiful.

No longer is the story I tell

one of wanting of needing.

Now it is a story of two hearts

that found each other

despite all odds and

the life we are building together.

You’ve re-written my life

and I won’t skip ahead

to see what’s coming.

I want to experience every moment

with you by my side

and watch as the pages

continue to glow.

The air around

us was hazy,

as if I were

seeing it through

a gossamer film.

They sat across

from me with

looks of concern

etched on their

faces. The blonde

one said simply:

“How are things going for you?”

I tried to

convey my frustration.

“Well, he won’t leave. I don’t know what else to do. He just showed up one day and won’t leave. I don’t know how to make him.”

The brunette gave

me a kind

smile. She touched

my knee softly.

“Well have you tried talking to him?”

I nodded vigorously.

“I’ve been nice about it, telling him that it’s not just working out, nothing against him or anything. But he won’t listen.”

The blonde one

put a finger

to her chin.

“Weren’t you telling us last week about his cousin? Angus or something?”

“Angry Angus. Yeah, he came to stay for a bit, but him I did get rid of. But the other one won’t go, this Max Shadow person. He won’t leave. I’ve tried everything and he won’t go.”

“Maybe he isn’t supposed to.”

The brunette said.

“What do you mean?”

“Well…”

Here she looked

at me with

a knowing glance.

“Sometimes, people or events come along for a reason. We just have to find out what that reason is.”

I considered her

words. I tried

to think of

the reason why

Max Shadow was

there. I shrugged.

“Besides, you don’t have much choice, do you?”

The blonde said.

“He lives inside of you after all.”

She pointed to

the brunette in

with a well

manicured hand.

“She has Diana Diabetes inside of her, always trying to make her foods she knows that are bad for her.”

The blonde indicated

herself laying a

hand on her heart.

“I have Cathy Cancer who is always with me, though she’s currently visiting her aunt.”

The blonde touched

my knee again.

“We all have uninvited guests within us. We just have to find a way to exist with them instead of against them.”

The haze that

surrounded both of

them began to

grow until it

was difficult to

see the. Their

features were even

more blurred when

light began to

shine through them.

“Trust in yourself.”

The blonde said.

“It will become clear in time.”

The light pouring

into them filled

my eyes and

I woke to

find a new

warmth in myself

and a wetness

on my cheeks.