The Writings of Aiyu

We, the Clowns "'All together now!' The lead circus instructor tilted his head at the others. Waylon, an ornery and slightly taller clown spoke up. 'This is all we do! Practice and train, practice and train. Why can't we take some time off once in a while? I'm exhausted!' The lead instructor nodded wryly; his lips perched in a smirk. "For the company!" was all Gravis shot back. Catalina, a forty-three-year-old female clown with a beguiling nature, laughed raucously. The lead instructor's famous line. Typical. The instructor, whose name was Gravis, pulled and tugged at his pointy hair, the slight make-up on his face assimilating into the nature of a frown. He studied the company. They just had to be good enough. 'All together now!' They had seen this every time. Working together, too rebellious to get along, too unpracticed to do things properly. But the company must survive. As Gravis said, to entertain and serve was mere...

  Vertigo "Dexter Valentine shook his head vigorously, unaware of the dangers around him. This can't be it. The final cut had gone poorly for Dexter Valentine, lead actor of the set of the movie Vertigo . It was a thrilling romp about highness in society, and the madness that came with it. Isabela, his co-star, came over to him. 'Why so upset? We still have a show. Even if that was a little, I don't know, reaching?' Isabela patted Dexter's knee and walked off, her long dark hair flowing behind her, confident she had raised her co-stars' spirits. Dexter wailed again, holding his head in his hands and refusing to believe a word. He was in his late forties, coiffed hair, and the most perfect facial symmetry Tinseltown had ever seen. And, yet his awkward nature! So effete, so feminine! No one could stand him, up close, and his film sets often went just this way. A line here, a gesture there, and his whole career was sunk. Ruined. If they only knew th...

  Seem Ghosts "' Look into the mirror.' Shari Brownsworth told herself, as she stared in the bathroom of her apartment. Glaring eyes, slumping posture, and an unhappy disposition. She frowned, not sure of what to do next. She looked good, but something was missing. Her husband Daniel bounded into the room, anxious to show his approval. Daniel made an encouraging remark, then left her in the bathroom as she studied her appearance once more. All she had was this upset look on her face, disappointment in her cartoon of a husband, and nothing else. She felt unhappy and didn't know what to do next. She and Daniel were leaving for a very important formal for his work, and she wanted everything to be just right that night. Daniel yelled from the other room, inquiring as to if she was ready or not. Shari frowned again, irritated by him, and noticed it affect her look in the mirror. She immediately put on a more placid face. Much better. She sighed to herself wist...

The Viking "The Walmart manager smiled as the rest of his crew lit up in bright smiles. The camera flashed, and the regional store crew laughed and shoved each other playfully as the flash dimmed to nothing. Harry Monday, the manager, chuckled too as his assistant manager examined the photograph she had taken on her phone. A nice picture, his employees looking happy and productive. Walmart's finest. Tyra, the assistant manager, smiled as well and walked off. They were supposed to take a store picture, shift by shift, showing happy and grinning employees enjoying their careers at Walmart. Harry squinted and pulled up his trousers, trying to think if any more shifts were due that day. Probably not, unless somebody had a replacement, and that wouldn't count. Harry returned to his office in the back of the store, contemplating life and new beginnings. He stopped in front of the security mirror and looked in. With a grumpy smile and wave, he could barely see the ...