Muted and She / Vine Leaves Press (ePub)

Muted: It's illegal to wear clothes. In some streets, it's also illegal to sing. Concetta, a famous Italian a capella singer from before "the change," breaks these totalitarian laws. As punishment, her vocal chords are brutally slashed, and her eardrums surgically perforated. Unable to cope living a life without song, she resolves to drown herself in the river, clothed in a dress stained with performance memories. But Concetta's suicide attempt is deterred, when she is distracted by a busking harpist with gold eyes and teeth. Will he show her how to sing again, or will the LEO on the prowl for another offender to detain, arrest her before she has the chance?

She: A girl's brief encounter in limbo, following a suicide attempt, after being sexually abused by a priest. God in limbo is represented by She. She has been misinformed about how faith is advocated on Earth, and sends the girl back for another chance at life, in the belief that she must repent for her sin. This story explores the notion that it is blasphemous for religion to be institutionalized, because no matter what one believes, there will always be something or someone that contaminates its worth. The only faith anyone needs can be found within one's own heart and soul. *Disclaimer: This story is not in any way a direct criticism of religion, or a representation of the author's beliefs, but simply a creative exploration of the concept.