“the bright neon lights / they flash / a plethora of colors / hot pink / bubble yum bubble gum / orange coral / toeing the line between pink / and that color / like orange-flavored soft-served ice cream / you can get it at any beach boardwalk / and also blinding cyan / like a ramune soda bottle / blueberry-flavored / and don’t forget / a golden yellow base / the skeletal frame / they don’t stand alone / the machines, i mean / it’s a whole army / like the terracotta soldiers / from the qin dynasty / but it’s better than even your local vape shop / selling cherry-flavored / orange-flavored / strawberry-flavored / whatever / shiny vape juul pods and dainty herbal cigs / while swirls of rainbow patterns / a bath & body works-type mess / is painted / across the exterior / anyways, / you can’t go in empty-handed to a claw machine center / you’ve got to have coins / in a pocket / a coin purse / whatever / don’t have enough coins? / that’s okay / just put in a 100 NTD bill in the money change machine / out pours 10 coins of 10 NTD each / then you rush / the nearest machine / overflowing with cheap plushies / blind boxes / bundles of fried chicken keychains / your hands are shaking with anticipation / the claw twitches as you jerk the joystick / sink / hook / close / rise / … / what the—? / you didn’t get it the first time? / try again! / and again! / and again! / again! / again! / again! / … / then you ask: / WHY CAN’T I GET IT? / I NEED TO– / it’s SO / CLOSE / such a dumb feeling arises / inside of you / like a hand / it rips through your skin / reaches to grasp your heart / squeezing it / letting the viscous / red / liquid spill over the ropy flesh / it’s tingly / your nerves: / jittery / and everybody knows that the mind: / irrational / but / if you leave / now / empty-handed / (disappointment will crawl in) / you think: / i could’ve saved my 200 NTD / but instead, / you threw it away into a bottomless well of water / but the hope, / the hope / maybe… just maybe / maybe this time / the thought whispers alluring promises into your ears / seduces you / senseless / and you lose count / how many tries / it takes in total / but relief / that’s the new high / nothing like leaving the center / your soul floating / above your body / your hand holding a plushie that will surely break / come next week / as you leave.”

“And then you hit repeat and do it all again,” I say.

You do not notice the giant crate of plushies tucked away in my closet as you laugh.

Chloe Lin is a Taiwanese-American student based in Pennsylvania. She is recognized by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Young Writers Journal, and JUST POETRY!!! The National Poetry Quarterly and is also a Kenyon Young Writers Alum. Her work can be found or is forthcoming in Under the Madness Magazine, The Odyssey Youth Literary Magazine, Bridge Ink, Gaia Lit, Eunoia Review, Vellichor Literary, Youth of Letters, Paper Lanterns, and Hikari Zine. She is also the founder of Bubble Tea Literary.