Public speaking is evil

So, to top off a whole year of Creative Writing, the Creative Writing profs have got into their heads that all the students in the program, Fiction and Poetry, should do a public reading. Which I think is the most evil thing they could come up with. I hate public speaking. What's even worse, I have to read something of mine. In public. In front of people I mostly won't know. Did I mention evil? But I doubt I can get out of this. Unless I come down with laryngitis, which would be great. :-D

I also thought I would take this opportunity to post some original fiction. My class is making this chapbook to be sold at the reading so this is my submission. It's likely it's also the thing I'll be reading. So, good to know if it's crap before I get up there. ;-)

( 348 words of crap (?) )