Scarlet Matter Allison Baker

Introduction 2004 Selections Sarah Aclander Unity! Alex Addison Run to Your Mother Alex Addison: Your Name Allison Baker The Room Time's Divorce Scarlet Matter Imprisoned Childhood Chloe Campbell Love Unveiled Keys, of Course Grow up Music Clio Domagala Whiskey in the Jar Patronage Ramble of Doom Rachel Fisher Siren Lauren Forney Karl Maulfrey Stood You're Late Clawed at My Own Heart Tick Tock Red Clock Stephen Hayes Writer's Block Essay on Writer's Blocks Please Tell Me A Vessel's Final Resting Place Why Them? The Legend of Hal Leonardson and His Sidekicks The Once Again Hidden Flame The Lost Emily Hesselton Though I Am Flirting with Danger I Am Laid to Rest Façade Just Limitation Eternity Anat Kimchi View from My Window Kelley Lenhart The Ways of Mourning Vision Nightmare The Lighthouse Keeper Melissa McWilliams A Way to the Lost World Souls Hannah Monti The Super Healers Dream or Reality Rolling Tires of Life Bich-Thao Nguyen Fate Perfect, Yet Not Wishing True Samantha Phillips Insomnia My Secret Fairytale Suicide William Prior Traveling Vessel Fantasy The Dark Traveler Rebecca Shepherd My Evolution God's Plea Freeze Real Life Aoko Grace Stubee Grace Ann Noland Lauren White His poor little soul First Day at Camp My Best Friend Prejudice Bored Destine Windon Parents Realize Kelsey Younce Put Me At Ease Some Religion Bad Day

The chestnut mane of a dignified steed falls fluidly Its two doe eyes wander along the morning horizon's invading sun Tan freckles slide upon its muzzle's gentle slope Two pink parasol lips open wide at the crack of a starting gun— The stride of its slender trunk sways in the rural wind Its hoofs fall gracefully along the long and rickety racetrack Silent cheers from cranberry cheeks whistle in a passing wind Drops of silver satin sweat glisten on its umber back Its pace grows faster at the sight of the finish Strands of light on a barn's floor scatter The gun sounds piercingly as the steed falls backward And lies mangled, immersed in scarlet matter.