*wails* NO! God, Damn girl, I'm depressed enough on a daily basis, and then this happens to Malcolm. The story was good, great idea, like the style. Very nice. Just so you know, you're stories are the only reason I'm back, school has made me crazy busy. But very good work. God, so sad.

Aww, this is sad but really well written. Having him end up basically just like his father is tragic.

I liked that. It's a slightly different perspective on him, and it's quite intriguing. Nicely done :)

Impressive.

wow, powerful piece.

i must admit that i sat silently for a while after reading this, it's very real, personal.

it's scary to think that this "attitude" is shared by so many poor souls out there. the idea seems to be a worthy advertisement for fairy-tale fantasties and making the effort to find your true love.

I can see why this one wouldn't leave you alone... I for one can definitely see something like this happening. Malcolm has always reminded me a little bit of Robert Frost's poetry... one passage in particular comes to mind...

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep

- Stopping by Woods On a Snowy Evening

It always seems to me that he puts his 'duty' and 'promises' first... and his own desires second.

The journalistic/brief snippets style works well here... a confused and lost soul who's forgotten how to feel...trying to assemble enough data to take on a new part that makes no sense. And I love how you've put it that even after he's found out that there *is* an alternative to 'second-best' that he still follows the 'second-best' route he was brought up with.