My Cardboard Balcony

The Sparkles by Belinda Roddie The sparkles on her dress glittered and gleamed as she walked down the long spiral staircase, looking like something that I'd only dreamed of seeing in an unfamiliar place. She smiled at me, in my black vest and tails, and I felt my heart shudder in my chest at her beaming visage. I tried and failed to hide my glee, so I thought it was best to simply bask in the moment. Her mom took pictures of us, though her father hid in the living room, which made me quite calm, knowing he wouldn't act so bigoted on this special night. My date took my hand, the sparkles on her dress so bright and grand.

Perhaps only once a century, she emerges from the sea and leaves trails of saltwater on sidewalks and asphalt streets that normally never touch the ocean. Sometimes she slithers toward the closest drive-thru and orders a large milkshake and fries - never a burger. You can hear her slurping down her fast food close to the shore; even monsters of the deep get hungry.