Joseph DelFranco
Bio
Eager upcoming writer with lofty goals. Looking forward to experiencing the minds of others.
Stories (14)
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When Time Was Young
Before the first cloud cried over barren lands, and before the first plates clashed so that mountains could kiss the sky, even before the first tree's roots stretched its weaving tendrils into the moist soil, before almost everything, there was the Council. Breathed into life by the Voice of the cosmos, the Council was spoken to, given a directive by the force that creates all—and in the end, destroys it. With our eyes still sealed, unknowing of the stars before us, the Voice informed us: a new cycle had begun.
By Joseph DelFranco3 years ago in Fiction
Enceladus
Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. Manya wasn't about to find out. Every breath wasted was a few seconds of her life given to the great void. The stars had no use for the oxygen in her lungs but she still did. Manya set her breathing exercises into motion. Slow and measured.
By Joseph DelFranco3 years ago in Fiction
Trapped
Milton thought about Far Shore often and dreamt about it even more. While his eyelids flickered from REM trance, crashing ocean waves ensnared his vision. As the dark briny lifeblood of millions of nautical creatures receded from white, shimmering sand, bioluminescent jellyfish undulated beneath the glow of a yellow moon. Milton wondered how the sand reflected the moonlight so well. It couldn't be possible to shimmer so brilliantly from the dull glow of the moon, but he couldn't be sure as he’d never seen a beach in person.
By Joseph DelFranco3 years ago in Fiction
Chapter I
“There weren't always dragons in the Valley. A few wingless drakes in the upper mountains, sure, but they never bothered anyone,” Valerei said, and then she leaned in closer to the children. “That is unless someone was foolish enough to enter their caves,” and she gave them a wink.
By Joseph DelFranco4 years ago in Fiction
October Lake
10.28.2024 Day One: I stepped out onto the creaky deck of my cabin in Groton, Vermont. The cool autumn breeze swept across my ankles and up the bottoms of my forest green high water pajamas. With Lake Groton visible before me, I put the mug of coffee (dashed with cinnamon) to my lips and drank. The scent of coffee, cinnamon, and burning leaves in the distance were intoxicating. Sweet autumnal perfection.
By Joseph DelFranco4 years ago in Horror
A Loss of Light
Can fairies exist if there are none left who believe in them? Fear of death is a natural response, but what of the panic and the terror in the face of extinction? What required measures would preserve an entire race of peaceful beings whose pulse relies on others’ confidence in their actuality?
By Joseph DelFranco4 years ago in Fiction
Persephone's Purr
Though my hands trembled on the reigns of my trusted steed, Marion, I knew I must relay to you my experience in the hills of Old Denton. If, by chance, I am taken in the near future, then perhaps this story will still reach you. If my cadaver is found alongside this letter, I beg you pray for my soul, for it will be haunted.
By Joseph DelFranco4 years ago in Horror
By the Horns
I, am Pilar Marín, and my favorite drug is dodging the horns of a charging bull. As I look out now, into the heart of the arena, the banderilleros are luring the bull, getting him ready for a dance with death. A dance with me. I have worked arduously to get where I am, but I have an obstacle. It is the same hurdle that has plagued women since Christ walked the Earth, and even before.
By Joseph DelFranco4 years ago in Fiction
Marvin and Leah
Marvin’s head drooped as he examined the perfectly manicured yellow and orange marigold in his hand. With a slow and gentle stroke, he ran his thumb and index finger down the stem. He inhaled, adjusted his posture, and looked straight ahead. In the pristine glass doors of Madison General Hospital, the reflection of an old, battered man with thick round-framed spectacles peered back at him. He had lived a long life, the wrinkles on his face a testament to the many seconds, days, and decades that had passed, but he’d never felt his age. There were the physical repercussions of gravity that he could not deny, like backaches and joint pain, but the fatigue of life that sometimes comes with age never seemed to affect him.
By Joseph DelFranco4 years ago in Fiction
All but the Name
The white walls surrounded me like I was an encased lab subject. It was suffocating, but knowledge of the truth prevented me from descending into mania. They had questioned me for days, and despite my insistence on revealing the entirety of events, I was not to be believed. I was ignored, mocked, and finally detained in that unholy straightjacket. “To loosen your tongue,” they said. Though I do not understand how restricting one’s access to their arms makes them forthcoming. If anything, it incensed me. Though I was not in a situation to allow my darker nature to overcome me.
By Joseph DelFranco4 years ago in Criminal
The Truce
King Raïm of North Sayfair stared at the wall of the luxurious anteroom. The vacant castle, reserved for meetings in the neutral territory of Middle Sayfair, was given a deep clean and polish in time for such a monumental occasion. The torchlight bounced off of the lustrous golden walls giving the room a rich, warm glow. Queen Maisie stared at the king, his blonde beard was neatly trimmed to a point. He seemed transfixed with the wall. She cleared her throat.
By Joseph DelFranco4 years ago in Fiction
