{"id":7127,"date":"2026-05-13T03:33:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T10:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/short-fiction-a-once-spirited-teen\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T03:33:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T10:33:15","slug":"short-fiction-a-once-spirited-teen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/short-fiction-a-once-spirited-teen\/","title":{"rendered":"SHORT FICTION: A Once Spirited Teen"},"content":{"rendered":"

A ONCE SPIRITED TEEN<\/h1>\n

Ed loved her the first time he met her. An instinctive and overwhelming awareness that "She is the one. I’m going to marry her."<\/p>\n

But they were young. He was shy. They went to separate colleges. And it was 16 years before they met again, both older and more worn down, but he didn’t care. Because she gave him a chance.<\/p>\n

She was his life. His one true love.<\/p>\n

He was happy to become a dad to her daughter because that was HER child.<\/p>\n

Truly was an extension of Barbara. He had to accept her daughter to have Barbara in his life, and it was a deal he was willing to make.<\/p>\n

For four years he lived a happy life.<\/p>\n

He was married with a beautiful wife that he loved more than anything.<\/p>\n

Then she was gone.<\/p>\n

Murdered by Truly. Shot dead in the house he’d bought for her with the gun he’d bought so she could feel safe from her unstable and dangerous ex-husband. And it was her daughter–the girl she’d loved more than ANYTHING (even him!)–that did it.<\/p>\n

And he didn’t know why.<\/p>\n

Whatever story Truly gave, Ed didn’t believe it. Didn’t trust it. Because Barbara was the kindest, gentlest, most wonderful<\/em> person ever. A truly loving mom.<\/p>\n

And Truly cold-bloodedly shot her dead.<\/p>\n

And all the excuses and reasons were weak. Untrustworthy. Manipulations he could not believe.<\/p>\n

But he would smile at her in court. Mouth words of love and trust. Do or say anything<\/em> to get her released from prison.<\/p>\n

Because in the gaping maw of his broken heart, he was desperate for blood.<\/p>\n

\/END<\/p>\n

~Harper Kingsley<\/p>\n

https:\/\/paypal.me\/harperkingsley<\/a>.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/patreon.com\/harperkingsley<\/a>.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/harperwck<\/a>.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/HarperKingsley<\/a>.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/amazon.com\/shop\/harperkingsley0<\/a>.
\nhttps:\/\/www.harperkingsley.net\/blog<\/a>.
\nhttps:\/\/kimichee.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/harperkingsley.bsky.social<\/a>.
\nhttps:\/\/www.smashwords.com\/profile\/view\/HarperKingsley<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A ONCE SPIRITED TEEN Ed loved her the first time he met her. An instinctive and overwhelming awareness that "She is the one. I’m going to marry her." But they were young. He was shy. They went to separate colleges. And it was 16 years before they met again, both older and more worn down,…<\/p>\n Read More<\/span> SHORT FICTION: A Once Spirited Teen<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"Layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[317,648,834,974],"class_list":["entry","author-harperkingsley0-0","post-7127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-uncategorized","tag-fiction","tag-short-story","tag-unbirthday","tag-unbirthday-2026"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2pPoL-1QX","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6738,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/happy-unbirthday\/","url_meta":{"origin":7127,"position":0},"title":"Happy unbirthday","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"May 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Happy Unbirthday! Happy unbirthday to me. Happy unbirthday to you. Happy unbirthday to us. And many more.","rel":"","context":"In "unbirthday"","block_context":{"text":"unbirthday","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/category\/unbirthday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7125,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/happy-unbirthday-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":7127,"position":1},"title":"Happy Unbirthday","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"May 12, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is my unbirthday. Happy unbirthday to me. Happy unbirthday to you. Unless it's your birthday. Then happy birthday to you. I will be posting for my unbirthday for the next 12 days. Enjoy!","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6928,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/unbirthday-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":7127,"position":2},"title":"Unbirthday 2025","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"May 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Happy unbirthday to me, to you, to us, how do you do? Happy happy unbirthday to us!","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/img_2148-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/img_2148-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/img_2148-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/img_2148-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5525,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/today-is-my-unbirthday-happy-unbirthday-to-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":7127,"position":3},"title":"Today is my unbirthday (happy unbirthday to you)","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"May 12, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is my unbirthday, so I am going to unleash some gifts upon you. IN THE GARDEN by Harper Kingsley Flowers bloomed beneath the morning sun, dew kissed petals opening wide to embrace the light and warmth. Bees and bugs rose from their lazy slumber, the buzzing of their wing\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/unbirthday2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/unbirthday2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/unbirthday2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/unbirthday2.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5335,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/happy-unbirthday-to-me-to-who-to-me-to-you-harperwck\/","url_meta":{"origin":7127,"position":4},"title":"Happy unbirthday to me (to who?) to me? to you? #HarperWCK","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"May 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is May 12th, my official unofficial unbirthday. It's the day I chose many a year ago, and that I think of every year as it goes by. Well, this year I wanted to do something about it. So as a gift to you, whether this is your birthday or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Bits and Bobs"","block_context":{"text":"Bits and Bobs","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/category\/bits-and-bobs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6929,"url":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/short-fiction-in-a-paper-world-full-of-paper-people\/","url_meta":{"origin":7127,"position":5},"title":"SHORT FICTION: In a Paper World Full of Paper People","author":"Harper Kingsley","date":"May 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"TITLE: In a Paper World Full of Paper People AUTHOR: Harper Kingsley GENRE: science fiction, introspection It was called \"paper skin,\" though its real scientific name was something long and largely unpronounceable. Everyone knew what paper skin was though. The fear of it was an ever growing concern. A rising\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Unbirthday 2025"","block_context":{"text":"Unbirthday 2025","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/category\/unbirthday-2025\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7127\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}