I don't write poetry very often any longer though I have an enormous backlog of it. For me, poetry isn't something I can smash out like a short story. It has to have a 'feeling' before I can make the words come out. Probably a weird idea, but *shrugs*.

I wrote this poem for a friend whom I love dearly. She, like many of us, doesn't always see that she is is greater than the sum of her parts. We too often focus on the flaws we see and not how amazing we are to others. She is unique and beautiful, just like a solar system of diverse planets.

For punctuation lovers, I apologize now. I rarely put punctuation in my poetry, especially not on the first draft and sometimes never.

As you may have heard, I'm working on a larger piece with Fairies and Finds creator Tanager Haemmerle for Drawlloween! If you're on Facebook, I update each of her art pieces with a little story information.

Today's story is a sort of prequel to our bigger piece. You will learn a bit of information about the little heroine and her family! It's also a palate cleaner after my last two stories. It's short  but I hope you enjoy it.

I like how you make all these plans and Life just laughs and laughs and laughs and...well, you get the idea. I'm still going to try to get you as many stories this month as is humanly (and humanely) possible.

Little story to get you through the work week! I'm attempting to play catch-up as always, but new stories should be out on Monday. You can tell the S4 people that I chose you over them today.

This story belongs in the Maudit world though I'm vague on when it takes place. I'm guessing before the introduction of cars.

This story is an amalgamation of several prompts!
@Tanager Haemmerle - Finding something buried in your yard/on your walk! It's been partially dug up by animals. It appears to be some sort of box!
@PotataHed - Where's that music coming from?
@m_allicia - Did you hear that?
@Tonja Burger - When you see someone walk pass you and you know you're the only one home

If your prompt is not listed above but you gave me one when I asked for spooky prompts, keep an eye out! This month will be full of stories!

I grew up poor. Growing up poor can shape things about your personality that many people don't consider. Though I was a voracious reader from an earlier age, my house was not filled with books because they were about as practical as that overpriced toy all the kids were crying for. Food, electricity, water and basic necessities were hard to come by so books were not something in the budget.

Libraries were an absolute saving grace for a child who loved to read. School libraries and our public one. I'm a big believer in supporting ANY organization or cause that will help get a book into the hands of a child. My absolute FAVORITE presents of all time were two boxes of those condensed classics for kids. They were little square paperbacks with a few black and white illustrations inside. I nearly wept when I got them because they were MINE. I OWNED THOSE BOOKS.

Now, of course, I have 3 overflowing bookshelves and a massive Kindle log. Why am I rambling about this? Because when I read on some list site about a child who received a dollar to buy books, I felt a little hiccup in my heart. I had to write a story about such a scenario.

I will be the first to admit that the ending wasn't planned. I can't predict how my brain will work when I'm writing a story. Hope you still enjoy it!