True Crime Does Not Exist In a Vacuum

G E D A R E L , or, A Rant about the Pill

by Hannah Armour

GEDAREL 20/150 microgram film-coated

Ethnylestradiol / desogestrel

GEDAREL knocks knocks knocks on her door, 5 o’clock on the dot. Not a second before nor after, GEDAREL must be let in daily or disaster strikes. She—no, no, GEDAREL is he, she wouldn’t inflict this, she wouldn’t force our hand, she wouldn’t think this was the solution. He pounds pounds pounds, “LET ME IN! LET ME IN OR I’LL RUIN YOUR LIFE.” She doesn’t behave like this, demand like this. This is all he, he wants no consequences—no consequences for him, consequences for her are printed double sided on A3, conveniently folded into nothing. She lets him in because it’s better than the alternative.

GEDAREL enters incognito, wig equipped and ready for action. Glass of wine in hand, GEDAREL introduces himself around the room, “Please, call me Oestrogen, call me Progestogen.” His real names—Ethnylestradiol and Desogestrel—look, smell, taste just like Oestrogen, Progestogen, but he is a lie. A synthetic version of her. She’s tricked easily enough, after all, what place does he have here…except for the obvious. He assures her he is here to help. Doesn’t she want her life as it is? She’s far too young, too naïve, definitely for sure not ready, so isn’t he a good thing? He knocks over a lamp, “Oops”, she gets a broom and he rips apart a pillow, feathers fly. He wasn’t supposed to do this, she could do this, she does this, monthly, he doesn’t need to, she just redecorated.

Tomorrow, when he pounds again on her door, she’ll let GEDAREL in, after all, it’s better than the alternative. If only there was an alternative to this alternative.

Freshness

by Xiangchen Cai (Sulena)

Fresh green leaves in the forest, The hill climb every day to get to classThe founders’ building at the end always Makes the climb seem worth it.

‘Fresh’ could mean a lot of different things –It’s hard to just pick one –

A new start A new page A new vibe or sense of self.

‘Feeling fresh’ could connote cleanliness. ‘Looking fresh’ in a nice outfit. Fresh skin and fresh-faced pays homage to The glass skin trend.

Smoothies and the gym Waking up at 5am.

What kind of freshness are you?

Similar words could include: Re-fresh Re-vamp Re-define Re-set

The Wishing Flower

by Eiman Elsir

Meeting you felt like tasting the sap of a wishing flower I did not know what to look for, but the flower stood tall among the roses and peonies and you became mine to love.

My tongue hung heavy with its sustenance I savoured the petals of our conversation in a jar And chewed on the leaves of your trivia that you planted inside me. You asked me my name and I felt like I had returned home After a ruthless ten-month expedition -

In all my research I did not believe that the pollen would make me willing to Do whatever you asked of me. But you just asked me how I felt, no less. I caught you savouring my petals too, but that was surely just the glamour of the wishing flower: Filling the fresh air with fairy dust that coated the reds and pinks.

Our time together ran out I did not gather enough seeds of you to take home with me. Such a loss, such a pain: The scholarship forgot to make me aware: One seed is not enough to nourish the wishing flower. The soil will always grow hungry for more.

I will begin my search again, because what else can I do? Now I know exactly what it is I'm looking for, With the taste of your sap still lingering on my buds.