"Breathe." Emotions shake my entire body—anger, grief, pain. How could it have ended this way? "Breathe in, breathe out." He was my everything. My past, present, and future. He was my hope. "Breathe in, breathe out." It is my fault. I turned my back on Him. I ran away. Now, it hurts to gulp in [...]

I. slam a fresh block of wood on the carving table and glare back at the house, even though I know my family won't see my expression. “James, brother of Jesus,” I scoff aloud and bring my knife down in a deep slash over the edge of the block. "Jesus, the perfect child. It doesn't [...]

What am I? I thought as I stared down at my hand, now covered in words written in permanent ink. Cruel words—written all over my hands— stabbing me in the heart like knives. This can't be who I am, I thought. Lazy, slow, fat, short, stupid, weak every word stung with fresh pain when I [...]