The main door opened and a young man, maybe 25 or 30 years old, stepped into the small space between the solid iron door and the thick iron bars. “Meal time,” he called to the prisoner, who cowered in the far corner of the dark cell, her eyes closed against the unfamiliar light.

Note: This is written by Kylie, not Dorothy. Kylie rendered her account inaccessible, and asked to post it here instead.
Author's note: This is completely true, every word, and it follows my thoughts and actions in what I intended to be my final weeks. Please read with caution.

Kylie smiled her first genuine smile in several weeks, maybe even months. The plan was simple, but genius, and foolproof. An hour later, she set her plan in motion.

I’m moving out on January 4, her text to her case manager read. We can talk about it on Tues, if you want.

The first step was taken; there was no turning back. That simple action -a text message- banished any fears or uncertainty she may have had. She went downstairs to the staff office to add some momentum.

No Matter What - Epilogue

Authors note: This is kind of a follow up to No Matter What. I strongly suggest you read the first part if you want to understand any of this.

Sarah opened the fridge and put the leftover cake away.

“What a party!” she exclaimed to the rest of the group who were helping her clean TAN’s new meeting space.

“I’ll say,” Jose laughed. “Who would have thought that a tiny group of me, Tony, and Amanda would get so popular?”

“Well it helped when PFLAG started referring people to us,” Dorothy added.

The six of the seven people who had stayed to clean up sat down in the lounge area.

“I remember my first meeting,” Dorothy pondered. “It felt like a group of old friends just hanging out at Jose’s house.”

Warning: This story follows the thoughts of a woman who is very near committing suicide. Please read with caution if this is a trigger for you.

Aelita sat on the edge of the bathtub staring at her open medicine cabinet. On the bottom shelf, there were two bottles, with very different purposes.

The first, a bottle of Estrogen, brand new from the pharmacy. The other, a half full bottle of extra strength sleeping pills.

Do you know what it’s like to hate everything about yourself?
To hate your hair style and the shape of your toes?
To hate every thought in your mind and every word that you speak?

Do you know what it’s like to plaster a smile on your face?
To fool the world that you’re happy, and to fool yourself?
To pretend that nothing hurts, and that this act actually matters?

I know what it’s like to hate everything about myself.
I know what it’s like to plaster a smile on my face.
What I don’t know, is if I can do it again tomorrow.

The Archivist

I am the Archivist. My sole reason for existing is to observe and record what happens on your planet earth and its nearby galaxies. I am forbidden to interfere. In this, I fulfill my purpose.

This record begins 46 earth years ago. This is but the span of but a single breath for Archivists, but is half a lifetime for Terra’s dominant species. The subject of this record goes by more than one title. The subject goes by Edward, but also Alice. They go by Daddy, but also daughter. This subject has grabbed my attention.

Messages

Kayla dropped her school bag and immediately flicked on her computer. She was eager to see if Tony was online. She had met Tony by accident three months earlier, when she’d mistyped a friends IM address, but she’s glad she did. Tony had become one of her best friends, and she was always excited when he was online.

Soon, her computer emitted it’s usual welcome chime and Yahoo Messenger loaded. Kayla’s excited mood was deflated when she saw that he was offline. Kayla sighed, and started on her trig homework.

Perhaps you'll see me sit and smile
Head up, eyes dry, and a grin on my lips
But please don't watch too much

Perhaps you'll hear a soft laugh
Joyful, happy, and kind-hearted
But please don't listen too much

Perhaps you'll feel me touch your hand
Tender, caring, and soft
But please don't feel too much

Because if you watch, you might see a tear
Because if you listen, you might hear a sob
Because if you feel, you would know

Those are the days, when a smile hides a tear.