Color in the Dark

By Nadi Abdi

They were the worst of times. They were the best of times. They were the times that wrote this book. Six years is a looooong time to spend on one writing project. But, while it should seem like it took forever, the time really flew by like a coke-addicted bat out of hell.
As the writer, I hope you, the reader, enjoy the ever-changing spiral that has shaped into the person I am today. These are the poems, short stories, and flash fics that helped pull me out of the darkest times in my life and hold in the warmth of light. If at some point during the book it sounds like I was verging on a mental breakdown...I probably was.
Love always and thank you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nadi Abdi
• Release date: Nov 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301045570

Nadi Abdi

Hello there! Welcome. Have a seat. Thank you for joining me. I’m guessing you’re here to have a conversation. What would you like to talk about? We can talk about where I’m from (Kansas City, Missouri [home of the Chiefs!]) when I’m from (1981), but that’s only interesting to people from that place or from that time. Let’s talk about something that matters. You, me, and this trip we’re taking, this relationship we’re building, this trust we’re sharing. You’re trusting me to take you on a journey full of magic, suspense, and fiery characters. I’m trusting you to tell me if it’s shit. Or if it’s great! Does it move you? Did you laugh? Did you cry? Did you throw the book (or device) in anger and frustration? I expect this to be a long road trip. Let’s talk about everything.

Book preview

Color in The Dark

By

Nadiyah Abdul-Khaliq

Smashwords Edition

Color in The Dark

Copyright © 2012 Nadiyah Abdul-Khaliq

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced

in any manner whatsoever without written permission

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Table of Contents

Author’s Note

Welcome

Create A Crowd Scene

Purple

Coffee

It’s Not Enough

Life For You

Green

The Fire Place

How It’s Done

The Fire

Cessation

Red Shadow

Oh Lord, Look At This

Had I Forgotten You

27thof May, 2004

The Collision: Part 1

The Nervous Reaction

The Readers

Use Remember In The First Sentence

Removed

Down The Mountain

Left

I Had It Flown In For Effect

Orchards

Water

Untitled Song

Tundra

For A Moment

It Just Adds A Little Sparkle

Winter

Blue Walls

Hello My Dear Friend

The Marvel

One Life

Apple

Here

Now all I Need Is A Screwdriver

Sword Count

The Collision: Part 2

ThisNever Would Have Happened

NAK Untitled

All Pestilence Swarms

Burial Rights

What Am I ?

Penny

Fuchsia

Ooh, Yeah, That's Gonna

Cake and Icing

My Name is Louis

The Beautiful Creature

Pure

Splat

6thof January, 2006

Abandoned

Speak

Blue

You Have Become A Local Hero. For What?

1st of March, 2004

Zipper

The Serial Killer

The Breakup

Pink

Bringing Home The Fiancée

The Immigrant

Maroon

How Right You Are

N.O. Will Live

The Recluse

Starving Gods

Have You Ever Seen Anything Like This Before?

Come Out More Often

A Fitting Punishment

Your Throat

28th of February, 2004

What IfThere Is No Heaven

White

27thof February, 2004 #5

Apart

A Song and A Pistol

Grey

Write About A Color

Bio

Author’s Note

They were the worst of times. They were the best of times. They were the times that wrote this book. Six years is a looooong time to spend on one writing project. But, while it should seem like it took forever, the time really flew by like a coke-addicted bat out of hell.

As the writer, I hope you, the reader, enjoy the ever-changing spiral that has shaped me into the person I am today. These are the poems, short stories, and flash fics that pulled me out of the darkest times in my life and held me in the warmth of light. If at some point during the book it sounds like I was verging on a mental breakdown…I probably was.

Love always and thank you.

To Top

Welcome

Today, I turned my home into an asylum. The people I once called family I now call attendees.

Create A Crowd Scene

Everyone was gathered around the microphone. We’d formed a semi-circle with people sitting or standing everywhere. On the floor, at the round tables, leaning against the walls, creating a thick endless field of wallflowers. The fire marshal would have a heart attack if he saw this.

I was sitting on the floor in the center. Legs crossed, resting on the heels of my hands. I idolized Reid. So, it only made sense that I should be in a position to see him the best, to look up at him. I wanted him to look down at me and see the awe in my face at every word he spoke.

He was a poet to rival Keats. But not everyone would understand his lyrical rhythm or his words. I would. They were always about us.

To Top

Purple

Lay with me

before we fall

into the lonely,

greedy arms

of death

and lie still

under the Earth’s

axis.

To Top

Coffee

Well? Adam asked his wife, Angel, as he cleared his throat. It was morning and they had both showered and gotten ready for work. They were sitting at the breakfast table, drinking their morning cups of coffee.

Well, what? she asked. She was reading the business section of the local paper, looking at the stock market numbers and such. She took a couple sips of her coffee and looked up to see her husband adding