'Sluts Like Us' - Mortar Magazine

I. Things That Can Sting

My older brother Mason gets home tomorrow. That’s what this is all about. But it’s not about him, it’s about me and my world and him coming back to it. My name is Phoebe and I am twenty years old. But maybe that much you knew. Truly important things to know about me are these: first, I love the taste of words like phlebotomy, sphygmomanometer, and promontory. I roll them like marbles in my mouth then spit them out and line them up neatly. Second, I live close to my body. I live in the pores of my skin — they echo everything I hear, regular, scooped-out miniature caves. Last night I noticed these whispy white hairs down the sides of my boobs and I didn’t like them so I plucked them one by one, twisting to see in the mirror of my compact, watching how I changed shape, making room for echoes — it took me most of the night so I haven’t slept too much.

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