Standing out in the cold December winds, a young boy wept. The bite of Winter’s Chill was incomparable to the lashings received from his parents’ mouths. He had failed, not just them, but himself. That failure dimmed the flames of passion in his soul down to an ember, when it was rightfully an inferno. Hearing […]
The bag sits heavily on her lap. She has to open it at some point. The longer she holds off, though, the less permanent the situation feels. At some point her hand removes the contents. This old fashion film camera was her grandmother’s prized possession. Nana liked the procedure of processing her own film. There’s […]
Sister laughed at my joke like she always did—her laugh was one that could forever unsnarl me. I never took the time to appreciate it… I never realized just how much I needed it. She leaned back in the station wagon seat. “You’re such a nerd, Farah. Do you know what would be better than […]
Cyrene smiled as she looked around at her slightly dysfunctional family. The families that you build yourself are the very best ones and this family was certainly a good deal better than the royal one she was blood-related to. Cyrene was the youngest daughter of a royal family descended from Earth. Of course, there was […]
Ahmed and Josephine had been married for thirty years, but their love for each other had started to fade. They had raised two children and built a life together, but as the years passed, their relationship had become routine and comfortable. They went about their days, each focusing on their own responsibilities, and their connection […]
It had been nearly five years since the entire family had been together. Jessica had been living in New York working as a lawyer, and barely had time for a phone call, let alone a visit. Her younger brother, David, had joined the military and was stationed in Germany. And their parents had retired to […]
Tracey lifted the saucepan from the hob and ladled a generous portion into Bobby’s plate. “Oh Mum, not porridge again,” said Bobby, wrinkling his freckled nose. Tracey patted him on the shoulder. “Just let it cool a bit and I’ll pour some milk over it. I’ll get some honey for you. You’d like that.” The […]
As she ventured further into the room, her heels produced a rhythm against the marble floor. A room whose darkness paled in comparison to the secrets and agony it bore. A room that had once been bustling; full of joy, kisses, pleasantries, and the aroma of many fragrances blending in the air to produce a […]
Let me tell you about a brother and sis –a wonderful story, which started like this:They’re twins, Noah and Jess, which you never would have been able to guess…Because when Jess said “No”, wouldn’t you know,Noah would always say “Yes”. They were always at odds; they’d rarely agree,Noah loved the mountains, and Jess loved the […]
As a young boy, Alex always looked up to his mother. She was strong, independent, and always put others before herself. Despite the challenges she faced as a single mother, she always found a way to provide for her family and make sure Alex had everything he needed. One summer, Alex’s mom decided to take […]
I stare at the words my teacher has carefully scratched onto the blackboard at the front of our classroom: “Where in the world is the safest place to be?” It was our next essay assignment, meant to conjure up a short piece using current events. We have been learning about the wars in other countries […]
“Get ready, boy!” my step-father, Neil, shouted. “I don’t want to get skunked again.” Getting skunked meant going home empty-handed. As the sun set it became harder to see and the ducks flying into our decoys became shadowy ghosts. Occasionally you’d hear the low thump of wingbeats and a splash as something landed nearby. Neil […]
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