The battle raged for hours in my parent’s basement. Dr. Pepper cans and Doritos littered the field of combat. Fatigue had set in. Our moves weren’t as fluid as they should have been. If fresher, a spectator would have seen a dance unfold before them with grace and poise. Neither of us could request a break at the risk of sounding weak. I could see it in Darren’s red, sleepy eyes. He was at his wit’s end. I made my move.

When I landed that Sonic Boom on Chun Li, it was one of the greatest moments in my life.

Teaching had been a disappointment from the beginning, and Winston Vaughn swore he would quit before the end of the year.

He once dreamed of being a writer. Those who can’t do..., etc., etc.

Last night had been rough. The baby cried, as did his wife, until four. He was in the back of the classroom fighting sleep when Morgan rose for her turn. Her kyrielle sonnet was entitled Sonic Boom, and she read it to the class in her usual milquetoast delivery.

Still, Morgan’s voice galvanized him. Something inside trembled.

He saw her for the first time that day.