The following is a compilation of poems and short-stories written by yours truly in the past years. They have been edited for any grammar mistakes but, as stated, these have been left mostly untouched from their original forms, and many have been written years ago; some pieces may feel more/less complex or mature when compared to others. A majority of them have been based on real experiences, so I hope they're real to you too. *Alternating Poem/Short Story format* ©kaseymarilyn Enjoy!

*CURRENTLY UNDER SERIOUS EDITING* "Freak." The word is almost as painful to say as it is to hear. What does it take to be one? Do you need to be different from everybody around you, constantly sticking out like a sore thumb when inconvenient, but blending in with the darkness when you want to be seen? Do you need to be fearless, but without a heart at the times when having one matters most? Do you need to be extremely hotheaded, losing your temper at times only because deep down, you care too much about the people you love? Do you need to be whacky, zany, and carefree, when really, you're constantly afraid of what's to come? Do you need to be an outsider, who's nothing like your closest friends who have really become your family, having been dragged into a mess that you have nothing to do with? "Freak." The word carries many meanings, but one thing's for sure: It takes one to know one.

For months Summer is trapped in a cellar with the man who took her - and three other girls: Rose, Poppy, and Violet. His perfect, pure flowers. His family. But flowers can't survive long cut off from the sun, and time is running out...