pipskers

You left in the winter, taking all the warmth in the room with you. Everyone always said winter means hibernation, things remain stagnant, they stay the same. Does that mean they lied? or did you simply not read the script?

"Quiet down," they said. I never liked to be quiet. I was naturally loud, outspoken, intense. "Boys don't like girls with opinions," they said. That was fine, because quite frankly I didn't like boys who didn't like opinions. "Calm down," they said. Calm wasn't in my dictionary. "You're too wild," they said. But I felt at home in the woods. Was there something so wrong with that? "You need to learn your place," they said. My place was at the head of the pack. "Speak only when spoken to," they said. But I never learned how to play second fiddle. They spent years trying to teach me, the subtleties of submission. The art of being seen and not heard, of not making waves amongst peers. They thought they won, when I grew quiet, distant from everyone. "You'll bow to me and take orders from me." He demanded it and they listened. But I did not. I was not a loyal subject, I was not created to take orders. I had the spirit of a wolf and the wolf does not play in others' silly circus

It came in the dead of the night, during the hours when only the true night owls were willingly awake. She was on her front porch, curled up in a rocking chair with a cup of tea clutched in her hands when it appeared. At first, it was nothing more than a gradual light. She would have missed it, had the intensity of said light not grown until it was almost blinding. Then, as if a giant had smashed its hand down, the light went out. She stared into the darkness, squinting as best she could, to try and make out what had happened. One minute passed. Then two. Then three. Maybe I imagined it, She thought, glancing down at the cup that she clung to. Then she heard it. A slow grind, a creak, a random pop. Another slow grind, a loud growl, and some branches snapping off. Her eyes widened slightly but yet she never moved from her perch on the porch. Whatever was going to happen, was going to happen, and she was going to face it head on. Another couple of branches snapping, followed by angry

Too much, that's what they said. Too loud, that's what they said. Too demanding, that's what they said. "Girl, know your place." Was a phrase she heard often. "You should be seen, not heard," was a theme of those around her. They wanted her to be small, to be pliable, to bend to their will. They wanted her to not take up so much space. But she refused. She wanted to be known, to be heard for her opinions. To make herself small would have been suicide. Suicide of the soul, not the body - which was worse to her. So she refused to comply. For she was a wolf, caged in the body of a mortal.

After the uproar following the 'big bad wolf' had died down, the constant line of people died down as well. No longer did she have close to a hundred guests a day. Instead, she had only those closest to her, who were still curious about the whole incident. "But how did you escape? He ate people, you know!" Her cousin exclaimed loudly, clearly shocked at the fact she was still alive. She paused for a moment, blue eyes moving to the red riding cloak that still hung by the door. She hadn't worn it in months. There was no need - grandmother had passed shortly after the wolf had mysteriously disappeared. She was just grateful she'd seen her grandmother one more time and had been able to make it there and back safely. "I'm aware. He didn't eat me, though." Was all she replied. What was she supposed to say to calm their fears? They clearly didn't believe she'd escaped without so much as a scratch. They clearly didn't believe that she knew for a fact he was no longer going to hurt anyone.

You don't have friends. Better to stay in. - They invited me out. They're my friends. They're pretending. STAY. IN. - I WANT TO GO OUT! I'm tired of being stuck in this house. It'll be just like last time. You'll get excited and think you're having fun and then something will happen and you'll be upset again. - Fine. I'll stay in. Let's start this project. - I have enough to finish. Start this now! Stay up tonight and finish the others later. You'll get them all done, you've done this before. Remember? - I need to sleep. You slept for four hours last night. That's plenty. You're wasting valuable time. - No, I need to sleep. Four hours isn't enough for me to be healthy. You're overthinking this. Again. You can sleep when you're dead, remember? It'll be fine. - No. I said no! You'll give in. You always do. Here's a list of what we need. Which means you have to make a midnight trip to Wal-Mart. Must keep moving. Move fast. Do things. Keep busy.

Darling - the wild in your eyes was never meant to be tamed. You were meant to burn brighter, to burn longer, to go the distance. You were born with the spirit of a survivor.

I am not the princess of this story. I am not the fearful damsel who needs saving. No, I am the fire that rages through the land. All beauty, destruction and grace. You made a mistake thinking I was the princess because I am the dragon in this story.

I am hard lines and rough edges composed of pieces that don't quite fit. I have learned to love the heat and to dance within the fire. I am full of loud, open opinions. I was not built to obey, to bow and I was certainly not meant to hide behind anyone.