• This is the story of a girl.
    A very broken girl
    She was hurt long ago and after that she became heartless.
    Well not completely heartless as she learned as she got older. She just shut her heart away.
    It got shriveled and starved while hidden in darkness.
    And while a few people were able to touch it none of them could heal it. And she held those few friends very dear.
    As she grew older she tried to forget the past pain and instead open up. It wasn’t easy but she put up a good front.
    She was friendlier, smiled more, was less depressed even.
    The Broken Girl made more friends and memories.
    But she still didn’t have a heart..
    Then she saw a boy. Maybe he wasn’t that cute but she thought so.
    She would do anything for him.
    He was a geek, sweet, and kind.
    But older..
    He was also her brother’s best friend.
    They spent lots of time together.
    Hanging out, playing video games, goofing off.
    And she liked him as the years ticked on.
    For six years she liked him..
    Then one trip to Garden of the Gods he said it. The first words that made her heart beat.
    “Your so cool. I’d date you if you know it wasn’t for the age difference and you being Ethan’s sister.”
    He laughed.
    The heart beat and then it stopped…
    But for another year she liked him from afar.
    Till she made the mistake of telling a friend she liked hi.
    A week later the boy and the Broken Girl’s friend were dating. A little over a month later they were engaged.
    Every time she saw the two together the other girl would remind the Broken Girl that she never had a chance with the boy.
    That the Broken Girl was no match for her…
    The Broken Girl cried and shut her heart away again.
    Now she dated. A few boys anyway.
    None of them ever meant anything.
    She never got attached.
    Though some of them hurt her physically.
    Breakups never hurt.
    Until one boy came around.
    She had liked him for a while and though they were good friends she kept her distance because this Boy already had someone
    They were happy being friends. At least she was.
    But lo! The Boy and his girl broke up. The Broken Girl still stayed back though.
    Flirting, joking, but nothing more then glances at him.
    Then the Broken Girl left school. She was afraid she missed out but she figured it was for the best.
    But with her last bit of summer freedom something happened.
    The Boy and the Broken Girl spent more time together.
    More and more…
    Till one night, one late and dreadfully cold night.
    He wrapped his arms around her to help keep her warm.
    The shriveled heart jumped and demanded to be heard.
    She pushed it back though. She knew the Boy. It was a joke. He would take his arm away any second and laugh.
    His arm stayed there. They looked at each other. The Broken Girl blushed and looked away before she recognized the look on his face.
    As the days went by it happened more and more till it was official.
    The Broken Girl’s heart rejoiced but the Broken Girl, who had learned long ago to trust her mind rather then the dying organ caged in her chest, was fearful.
    As was the Boy it seemed.
    They dated briefly and she enjoyed every minute of it!
    But then the Broken Girl had to go to school. She wouldn’t see the Boy anymore.
    She used it as an excuse and she broke it off before her fear of ruining there friendship could come true.
    For the first time she felt something from a break up.
    It hurt but both went away peacefully.
    No tears. No fighting. No bitter feelings.
    Then time went on and she met a young man a few years older then herself.
    She remembered what she felt that summer and tried everything to have that again.
    She lied, she tried to love, she gave herself.
    But it didn’t work...
    Yet again she had failed and what more she was in too deep to get out unhurt.
    The Older Man clawed at what was left of her heart with his words and accusations.
    Then the Older Man ignored her completely making the Broken Girl feel even smaller.
    But not having a heart helped her once more and the Older Man did not leave a wound in her heart like she feared he would.
    The Broken Girl confided in her old flame and feelings began to surface between the two yet again.
    The Broken Girl fought it but it was hard…
    Eventually he asked her to try again.
    Was it cheating, for though she was being ignored she hadn‘t broken up with the Older Man? Was it worth the risk?
    Then a week or so later there came the kiss…
    Then she knew it was right.
    When a kiss makes you so happy it brings tears to your eyes, how can it be wrong?
    So the Broken Girl ended it with the Older Man who continued to ignore her.
    And she went out with her best friend again.
    Her whole family seemed to be against her dating the Boy for the second time.
    Saying he was too young and that she would ruin his life.
    The Broken Girl wasn’t sure what to do…
    Her heart screamed yes.
    Her mind struggled with itself. Half saying yes half shouting no in retaliation.
    Finally the Broken Girl said yes.
    And their story began again.
    And it was a wonderful story they shared.
    But it seemed as fast as it had started it ended again…
    The Broken Girl fled again only this time she fled to a much darker place.
    She became entwined in a situation that slowly started to strangle her.
    She didn’t fight back near as much as she should have.
    She kept telling herself she’d be fine.
    She was wrong…
    The Terror struck her and inside her it left a Parasite though it was unknown to the Broken Girl.
    The Broken Girl panicked.
    She was left alone with no help and didn’t feel she could confide in anyone.
    She shut herself away. Letting no one in.
    Till an old friend, turned soldier, forced his way in.
    He saw something was wrong and while she still believes his intentions were good, he made some bad choices to help the Broken Girl.
    The Soldier had changed over the couple years the Broken Girl hadn’t seen him.
    He had matured a bit, he had a family started, but he wasn’t happy.
    He split from his family and asked the Broken Girl to spend time with him.
    She did.
    It was a pretty good time. Nothing special though.
    The Solider had years of practice of being a player and it showed.
    He could take a casual occasion and convince you he cared.
    The Broken Girl knew it wasn’t real but the illusion was a nice change of pace from the darkness she had seen.
    So she sat back and watched the Soldier’s magic show.
    Then the Parasite growing in the Broken Girl made itself known.
    New panic came over the Broken Girl.
    The Soldier offered to help her. This is how his own family had started and he understood what the Broken Girl was going through.
    To the Broken Girl it was obvious. She had to have the Parasite removed before it hurt her more.
    It had already made her sick, miserable all the time, and was a constant reminder of the Terror.
    The Terror!
    Maybe if she made a plea to it it would help her!
    It was worth a shot…
    The Broken Girl plead to the Terror but it just laughed at her and refused to help her.
    The Broken Girl was alone again…
    She even pushed the Soldier away. It wasn’t his problem.
    She didn’t want his pity or his help.
    The Broken Girl made plans to get the Parasite removed but even the best of plans can fall through.
    The Broken Girl didn’t know what to do.
    But in her panic something great happened.
    The Parasite died inside her.
    She was free…
    Part of her knew she shouldn’t celebrate near as much as she was but she couldn’t help it.
    She went to tell the Soldier the good news and found out he was trying to go back to his family.
    The Broken Girl was happy.
    She knew the Soldier wasn’t happy with his family but they needed him and she was glad he went back to them.
    The Broken Girl went for awhile without telling anyone about the ordeal she had gone through.
    Finally she decided to tell a few of those special friends that had touched her heart so long ago.
    But that just made her think of The Boy.
    How she had confided in him about past terrors.
    She couldn’t do it.
    She couldn’t tell him all this.
    But it was summer again which meant freedom for both the Broken Girl and the Boy.
    They started hanging out again…
    And with each parting the Broken Girl cried.
    But the pain was worth it to see the Boy again and again.
    Then one stormy night the Broken Girl decided to confide in the Boy.
    The power went out.
    Her message didn’t go through!
    And then the Boy sent the words that made the Broken Girl break down.
    “I love you and nothing can change that at all”
    The Boy came over to comfort and talk things through with the Broken Girl.
    She was so grateful.
    She had started to forget how it felt to be cared about.
    That wet and stormy night it was decided the two would try again.
    Third times the charm right?
    It seems so.
    It might get hard once summer ends but the Broken Girl has planted her feet and refuses to run away because of fear again.
    She’s in love.
    She has a new heart.
    One made by the Boy. A metal heart with flames and lightening bolts painted on it.
    The Broken Girl isn’t sure what the future will hold, or how her family will feel about this third time around romance but she’s decide this Boy is worth any of the risks.
    And so their story continues.
    Where it ends who knows?
    But for now it goes on…
    And on…
    And hopefully on some more…