On day five after my parents took away my depression medication, I sat in class staring listlessly. Everything my teacher said about the lesson slammed against the wall in my brain blocking out my will. I heard none of it. Cared even less.

Upon the inside of my arm, I copied out fragments of sigils from a library book. Piecing them together to say what I needed.

I am free from depression and anxiety attacks.

Blowing the ink dry, I hoped this worked. If it didn’t, something else would have to give. I was afraid that something would be me.

Note: this story is not based on the writer’s experience.

Thanks for reading!

Summer’s latest:

With Words We Weave 2022: Hope

Featuring an exclusive Hopeful Wanderer short-story!

For over 100 years, Texas High Plains Writers has been a part of great storytelling in Texas and beyond.

This year, our anthology offers a collection of short-stories, memoirs, inspirational essays, and poetry filled with hope.

With 22 talented authors, from best-sellers to the first time in print, there is something for everyone.

Great heroes of legends past sit side by side in these pages with the unsung citizens showing kindness to strangers. Humor, adventure, and nostalgia combine to remind us all that hope can be found anywhere.