Hiya!
	Well, been gone for a bit... had a major backlog of homework to 
catch up on, then made the rather silly decision that I wouldn't 
resubscribe 'till I actually had some writing to send to the ML.  And at 
my writing speed, well, it meant a fairly long banishment...

	Back now, though... hope I didn't miss too many 'fics!
	Oh, and here's my response to the one-syllable fic writing 
challenge that came up a while ago...

***

                 Bengman One-Syllable Challenge

     You do not love me.  You can not love me.  I know that now. 
Once, it could have been, may have been - but not now.  It... it is
too late.  I held on to hope, though the odds were slim, that, one
day he would leave, or give up, quit, or... die.  But no.
     He proved his love, could no more lie nor hide the truth,
spoke the words... while I sat back, mute, in shock, and I knew
then, knew with all my soul, that it was too late.  She could only
choose him - I had been no more than a fool, a pig, a friend.  I
should laugh - me, a pig?  Who's the true pig - me or him?  But at
that time, I could only think - I've lost her, she's gone.  And I
ran - ran far, ran long, till I dropped, as if dead.
     I'm back now - to break the last ties, to leave.  She'll be
back, soon, from a walk - a walk out with him.  I wait in her room. 
On her desk, a book - her own, with poems, and stuff.  Though it's
wrong, I look - the first I see is not hers, but _his_.  I read:

     "She did me kiss, and said, dear heart, how like you this?"

     A lone line - too much.  Proof.  Who knew he could write?  I
don't want to, but I start to read more... but hear her come near. 
At the door.  Not with him - it's just her.  And... and I can't. 
It hurts - too much, it scares me.  I leave - she sees me, as I
flee, I'm sure, she calls out, I can't hear her:
     I'm gone.

***

	BTW, the line of poetry was taken from Wyatt (and slightly 
butchered to fit the one syllable rule).  The whole thing was 
surprising difficult to write... really quite a neat exercise.  Whaddya 
think of how it came out?  Comments appreciated!

	Later!
	-Mike Noakes