Allison stood in line with the rest of her class, waiting for the school doors to open. Usually first thing in the morning was a quiet time, but today kids were talking happily—and loudly. This was ... [+]
Devin S. Turk is a college student writing from personal experience about Autism, transness, and Madness in the Mid-Atlantic United States, often with a cat in their lap. Devin is active on Twitter @DevinIsAutistic. "Sensitive" is in Short Circuit #10, Short Édition's quarterly review.
Too much noise will shred the softest parts of me. at the crash of a cymbal, I am reminded of the moonlight reflected from each pointed tooth of a gator as it thrashes the baby gazelle in its jaws with neither mercy nor conscience. then the beast, one more living creature just breathing and hungry, sinks beneath the surface of the river. the ripples on the water smooth over, all is quiet again and I am left trembling, holding the lifeless stars the cymbal has shaken out of the sky.