AJ DYKENS-HODAPP

AJ is a writer from Nashville, Tennessee. (Pitzer College '21)

Nesting

​Home was the same. It felt like nothing had been moved, which is how I wanted it to feel. Mom was seated on a red wicker knitting, and staring through the window at the bird garden. Dad was reading the paper and dropping raisins one at a time into a small cup of applesauce.

One Model for Independence

My mouth was pried open. Like I was in a perpetual state of disbelief. Somehow they had tricked me into allowing all this. A big round flood light was directed at my face, which must’ve looked pathetically frightened and in pain. More like a child than an adult.