The Jewels

The jewels felt heavy on his body, the golden necklace pressing against his throat. The servants applied the rouge to the corners of his eyes before handing him a piece of mulberry paper.

He pressed his lips on the paper, letting it sit for a few seconds before handing it back to the servants.

Staring at the mirror, he felt as if the make-up had done nothing to change his weary face, instead emphasizing it.

The doors opened, and the servants scattered as his brother walked in.

“Father wishes to speak with you.” Those words made him sick.

“I see.”

From Guest Contributor July Segers

Failure To Thaw

The funeral didn’t make her cry.

She had been given a frosty life, locked out of warmth. Once she found the sun, she never looked back. And yet, here she was.

The chalky dough of a face, ice white and just as cold, with a slash of red lips and the hum of memories in the air bounced off of her like the wrong side of a magnet. She gave the packet of tissues to her sister before brushing past.

Leaning close, she touched the stripe of rouge. Some rubbed off on her finger.

Curious, she thought, the measures taken. From Guest Contributor Emily Fox

Emily has an MA in English and Creative Writing from SNHU. She currently lives in North Carolina. You can find her at emfoxwrites.com, or follow her on Twitter @emfoxwrites.