My Cardboard Balcony

by Belinda Roddie Andy woke up in space. And how lovely the cosmos were! Swollen nebulae pulsing like rich celestial cotton candy. Misty fingers rising to the occasion. Beautiful in every way. Like a child's fever dreams come to life. Andy had not been prepared for this. At least, he thought he hadn't. But his suit had been prepared in the most beneficial way. In the cold vacuum, it protected him and seemed to give him endless oxygen even when there was none outside his helmet. And as he jettisoned about, he could see the corners of his visor brimming with stars. He found a rocky planet to set down on, to readjust his footing, and see how far he had gone. Earth was nowhere near him. Good. This was a very nice change from the 9-5 monotony he had become accustomed to at the age of thirty-nine. Even with his suit on, he felt his receding hairline prickle as if with static electricity. His breath was warm, making his face feel greasy as he paced slowly around the terrain, the

It takes some madness to destroy a town. Set fire to a gymnasium. Wreak havoc on roadhouses and gas stations. Doesn't matter how many times someone slaps you in the face. When you crack, you crack. That's that. I put down Stephen King's "Carrie" and loll my head back. The backs my eyes are burning. Purple veins throbbing against graying white. I've never been normal, sort of like King's protagonist. I close a window without getting up from my seat. It's frosty outside.