{"id":5805,"date":"2021-04-09T08:21:03","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T08:21:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.exlibrismeis.com\/?p=5805\/"},"modified":"2024-07-09T05:23:45","modified_gmt":"2024-07-09T05:23:45","slug":"eighth-girl-maxine-mei-fung-chung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.exlibrismeis.com\/en\/2021\/04\/09\/eighth-girl-maxine-mei-fung-chung\/","title":{"rendered":"“THE EIGHTH GIRL” by Maxine Mei-Fung Chung"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Alexa (23 years old) and her Psychiatrist<\/strong><\/p>\n

“-It’s important to listen to all of the Voices, <\/strong><\/em>I say<\/span>.<\/strong>\u00a0
\nIt doesn’t mean you have to act on what they say. But pushing them aside only makes them stronger.”<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\nI watch her throat swallow.
\n“-When you’re ready, <\/strong><\/em><\/span>I say cautiously, you<\/strong> could<\/strong> try introducing me to everyone inside.”<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\nShe reaches into her purse again.
\n“-<\/strong>I’m scared”,<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>she says, smoothing on lip balm.<\/span>
\nI lean forward a little farther.
\n“-<\/strong>Listening to everyone means acceptance of your whole self, Alexa.<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\nNot just cherry-picking the good parts accepted by others.”<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\n<\/span>Her gaze return to me slowly.
\nI sit up straighter and smile.
\n“-Tell me about the Voices.”<\/span><\/strong><\/em>
\nShe pauses, a striking expression of unknown freedom on her face.
\nFear and relief all at once.
\nI watch the rise and fall of her breath. A zing of anticipation in my own chest.
\n<\/strong>“-Yesterday, <\/strong><\/em><\/span>she begins slowly, her voice shaking at the edge, we were all cleaning my bedroom.<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\n Only Dolly, the youngest, showed any kind of enthusiasm. The rest just mooned about, kicking their heels and complaining about wanting to be someplace else.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\n Oneroi fancied yoga and Runner had ideas about some kickboxing class.<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\n And the Fouls, well, they just stayed inside. They want no part in anything we do these days.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\n None of them seem to realize how exhausted I am.”
\n<\/strong><\/em><\/span>She raises her head to check my response and laughs softly.\u00a0
\n<\/span>“-Thank you”, <\/strong><\/em><\/span>I say.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>It’s good to finally meet you all.”<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..<\/p>\n

“Ask anyone with multiple personalities why they’re so conflicted and they’ll tell you it’s because they compartmentalize their feelings.”<\/p>\n

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..<\/p>\n

Alexa (9 years old) and her Father<\/strong><\/p>\n

“-Be a good girl”, <\/strong><\/em><\/span>my father says.<\/strong>\u00a0“<\/strong>This is what all daddies do when mummies go to heaven.”<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Why is he doing this? Is this really\u00a0what all daddies do when mummies go to heaven? I don’t know.
\nHis release comes quickly, the sticky mess pouring down my nonvirginal thighs.
\nSuddenly, another girl joins me. She smiles and straightaway I can see she looks just like me. Same eyes, same hair, same nose. Same face shape.<\/p>\n

“-I’m Dolly”, <\/strong><\/em><\/span>she says, stroking my head.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\n“-Don’t cry, it’ll be over soon. Promise. Just close your eyes.”<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kindle, 2021<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alexa (23 years old) and her Psychiatrist “-It’s important to listen to all of the Voices, I say.\u00a0 It doesn’t mean you have to act on what they say. But pushing them aside only makes them stronger.” I watch her throat swallow. “-When you’re ready, I say cautiously, you could try introducing me to everyone […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5806,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fiction-en"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n"THE EIGHTH GIRL" by Maxine Mei-Fung Chung -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exlibrismeis.com\/en\/2021\/04\/09\/eighth-girl-maxine-mei-fung-chung\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\""THE EIGHTH GIRL" by Maxine Mei-Fung Chung -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Alexa (23 years old) and her Psychiatrist “-It’s important to listen to all of the Voices, I say.\u00a0 It doesn’t mean you have to act on what they say. 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