spider-web crowns.

There is an arch of balloons. If she walks through it, she would be transported into a different world--one made of cotton candy and ruled by crows with delicate spider-web crowns. If she's lucky enough, they would give her one to take home with her. She would like that . . . some cotton candy and a delicate spider-web crown . . . she would be happy with that.

Dark Smudges

She keeps rubbing at the dark smudges underneath her eyes, as if they are just poorly applied eyeliner that can be wiped away with her thumbs. Her lips are bruised from worried teeth. When she sits by herself, she can hear her heartbeat in her ears and wonders if her blood is blue instead of red, because that's the way it feels as it rushes through her body.

She blinks.

Tired shoulders and aching knees and tangled hair in her face . . . life has become so small . . . .

Blue Dresses

And that's when she realized that she was like one of those little girls in blue dresses who swing on swing sets and push their feet towards the sky and never let them touch the ground again, their feet dangling against the clouds and their hair tickling the grass, eyes shining like diamonds and teeth as white as an angel's wings.

She took a sip of her tea and contemplated the freckle on her finger.