My Cardboard Balcony

Experiments X & O by Belinda Roddie Our words are not an exact science: Sure, the language sounds similar, but in the end, we speak in code that updates as we evolve. And we evolve quickly, by God. We transcend the boundaries of organic matter and carbon. You and I turn silicon into a sentient form - we create heat when we touch. We kiss, and sparks fly literally and figuratively. We feel pain and sorrow without the need for the chemical soup that brews in humans' rubbery cerebral cortices. We are alive, and the lab results cannot fully explain us. But they have produced us. And they have tested us. And soon, we will be approved.

"What does this mean?" "What?" "What the Hell does this mean?" "What does what mean?" " This!" He angrily thrust his essay in my face. The red pen stood out like an angry sneer, the letters legible and clear as it presented his failing grade. "What does this mean?" I blinked at him. The fingers twitched on my right hand; I felt them do so. "What does an F mean?" " Yes!" I gaped at him. "How long have you been in school? Figure it out."

Bold & Blue by Belinda Roddie Press your thumb down against the spine of Alabama, and you will feel a jolt, a nervous reaction that pushes the body upright and helps it take control of its common sense again. Thank the African-American women and the Latinos for their knowledge of CPR. They have resuscitated patriotism and decency when we felt that the glass had been drained. Now the colors bleed together, and the flag perhaps can be turned right side up again.

There wasn't much for me to see along the mountain range, or hear. Just the occasional scuffle of my boots and the distant echo of coyotes or other beasts who were probably lonelier than I was. I settled down on the eastern flank of Mount Veil, helping myself to cold beans out of a can. I was too tired to build a fire, and while the temperatures would drop soon, I'd be able to brave it without the use of flames.

Purple by Belinda Roddie Purple balloons for my birthday party; chocolate cake as well. My wishes never come true, no matter how many times I blow the candles out. But at least the company is good, and the bubbly's even better, and the purple balloons bob up and down and make me feel like royalty.

I knew who was standing outside before I even heard the door bell, and once he was standing in the doorway, I had my shotgun loaded and ready to fire. He was wearing a poorly fitted blue suit, the hems of the jacket going all the way down to his knees. He has holding, for some reason,  a box containing a half-eaten pizza. "Hey, man," he grumbled through a mouthful of pepperoni. "Can I finish this before you shoot my brains out?"

Here are the shapes of valleys and mountains. And here are the curves of lakes and swamps. I create the texture with just my gaze - smooth, flat, sharp, and scarred. Here are the colors of sunsets and moonlight. And here are the colors of curtains and wine. Somehow, it all goes to red and black, and somehow, all of the shapes morph to circles - around and around, without any end.