Shelly DesjarlaisApr 271 minTo MayApril is reaching its end. Branches are swallowed by green leaves as white blossoms drift to the streets like snowflakes. Calm mornings...
Shelly DesjarlaisFeb 135 minAll the Love I NeedThe restaurant manager prepared for Valentine’s Day the same way a soldier prepared for a battle. He restocked his supplies, called in...
Shelly DesjarlaisJan 31 minSnow AngelFlakes cascade from the blustery Sky like water spilling over rock, Covering bare branches and empty Earth in an embrace as pure as Her...
Shelly DesjarlaisDec 3, 20218 minRelationship Advice from SantaAs snow fell indolently from the starry sky, the clock tower chimed six times. It rang throughout every hollow in Christmas Village. The...
Shelly DesjarlaisSep 30, 20214 minHer Woods BleedIt was your idea. Those words ring in my head like wind chimes. The noise is shrill, resonating. I dwell on the echoes. They seem to go...
Shelly DesjarlaisJul 31, 20212 minThe Smallest of ThingsIt had been a while since Tracey had a decent chicken sandwich. The locals recommended a dive downtown, and that autumn Saturday felt...
Shelly DesjarlaisJun 30, 20212 minThe Light in His DarknessHer nose was the hardest part. It had the slightest curve like the bending of branches in the breeze. When he held her close, he walked...
Shelly DesjarlaisMay 31, 20219 minThe Bad Hair DayThe hat smelled like her Great Uncle Edgar. It was a difficult odor to describe, a sort of cross between burnt bread and wet dog, and it...
Shelly DesjarlaisMay 1, 202112 minThe Time We Take“Those sunglasses aren’t fooling anybody.” Eleanor pushed the aviators to the bridge of her nose, scowling. “Would you keep it down? I...
Shelly DesjarlaisApr 2, 20219 minThe Tale of Princess Ivana and the ChipmunkOnce upon a time, there was a shack that nobody dared to visit. It was home to a strange creature named Brutta Wartsnout, a witch who...
Shelly DesjarlaisMar 1, 20214 minHis Name Is MarchOf all the musicians in the world, Johnny Cash understood him the best. He spent hours listening to "A Boy Named Sue" on his stereo,...
Shelly DesjarlaisFeb 1, 20217 minThe Failed Romantic February meant only one thing to Reagan: The return of Valentine’s Day. This was not a good thing, in her humble opinion. She leaned...
Shelly DesjarlaisDec 31, 20202 minA Letter from a CatDear 2020, I'm sure you know by now that the humans don't have many nice things to say about you. Being a cat, I don't know much about...
Shelly DesjarlaisDec 1, 20206 minUnder the Mistletoe “How did I let you talk me into this, Jess?” Carly tugged at the pointed ears on her elf hat. Before she could pull the entire thing off,...
Shelly DesjarlaisNov 4, 20208 minPlaying in the Leaves2001 “November already,” Anna sighed. “I swore I’d be out of here by June.” Bob checked his clipboard with a chuckle. “Come on, Anna...
Shelly DesjarlaisOct 1, 20205 minThe DarknessI am consumed. Darkness has slowly devoured every inch of me, and I find no signs of light or relief. My wrists and ankles are bound by...
Shelly DesjarlaisAug 31, 20205 minShe Sent a RoosterIt was a sticky summer day in the suburbs of Pennsylvania. Nicole stepped into her coupe and fired up the old engine. She pulled onto the...
Shelly DesjarlaisJul 4, 202013 min"We can't mess up a picnic, right?"“They’re going to hate me.” “They are not going to hate you, Ginny,” Lea said for the fifth time. Anxiously, Ginny gripped the steering...
Shelly DesjarlaisMay 15, 202013 minDelivering My HeartIt was official. Abby Easten had entered uncharted territory. Her heart hammered against her chest, and she struggled to slow her...
Shelly DesjarlaisApr 10, 20207 minThe Easter FrogThe sunny day was deceiving. The grass appeared lush and bright, and the spring trees had blossomed. Yet, the cheerful scene did not...