Break From Reality. Daily.
This story is by Marg Nelson and was part of our 2017 Summer Writing Contest. You can find all the Summer Writing Contest stories here. Two rival gangs met in Athens Park off Segundo Boulevard in South L.A. The park stood otherwise empty at midnight, its scruffy green patches and litter camouflaged by the dark….
I still remember her first day in Grade 10 French. We all stared at her, unaware of our rudeness, unmindful of her discomfort. We always stared at anyone new. Under our gaze, she grew awkward, her pink cheeks turning scarlet. That high, Scottish colouring could deepen but not disappear. She would never need blusher.
Mrs. French Class introduced her as Linda Cairn, and she took a seat near the front, two rows over from me. Outside, the fall winds threw rain at the glass, and eyes that had followed Linda to her desk now swiveled back.
