Lust

“The strongest men all fell to lust in the stories.”

“Welp, good thing I have noodle arms then, huh?? Ha!”

“Your arms are actually getting—”

“Zip it, old man!”

This stupid old prick had the stones to raise an eyebrow at me.

“I’m not strong. I just fake it. I liked the image of being strong. But really, I am just a weak little degenerate. I am a kid who refuses to grow up. I’m not strong. I won’t fall to lust. Hell, you have to have women want you in order to fall for lust . . . And I—. . . I—. . . I don’t want success if it comes with new devils!! I barely fought off the last devils!! I barely survived that!”

“You don’t want the responsibility of strength, but, it’s too late, kiddo.”

“It’s not too late!! I can stay a kid!”

“Strength is not physical . . . The strongest men in all of the stories fall to lust,” he repeated. 

“Not me!”

“Oh yeah, kid, you’ve done great with lust without being a famous writer, haven’t you? Ha! What happens now that fame knocks on your door? How will you handle the attention you so desperately sought?”

“Fame can kindly fuck off! So can respect! So can success! I didn’t ask for this! I didn’t want it!”

“Yet, here it is. Opportunities that others would kill to have found you all on their own. What will you do with them?”

“I was strong! Maybe I was strong for a second . . . But not anymore. No, I am a coward again. Just a weak little coward who types on his laptop. That’s not to be taken seriously. Honestly, it’s not.”

“The strongest men all fell to lust. What will you fall for, Owen?”

“Piss off, old man. I’ll drink alone, thanks.”

“Even if you did meet your soulmate today . . . I wonder how you'll handle her in a year from now? . . . Do you think you’d stay faithful to her?”

I growled at him and he finally left me alone. 

“Hey hun, you’re a cutie. What’re you working on?” One of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen asks me, while sitting down in the spot the old man had just left.

I smile at her. 

“Who, me?” I ask, playing coy.  “Oh, I’m no one to brag about. I’m just leaving bad reviews on a bunch of shitty books on Amazon. That’s how I spend most of my time these days. Here, will you read this one for me and tell me what you think? This book sold tons of copies. Honestly. Tons. It’s basically fairy werewolf porn. Can you believe that?? Fairy werewolf porn! Ha!”

-CH 6/1/25