Magical Realism

The Orphans in the Woods
After Rohan filled the bag with all the batteries, flashlights, and candles he could find he zipped it closed. Then he walked around the house again feeling a combination of tired, stressed, and worried. His thoughts were racing. He peeked from behind the curtain out of the living room window and saw the darkness of the night. Mom's 65 Mustang was parked in the driveway. He hadn't even noticed that the car was there when he and Gertrude got home from school. He saw the full moon and the light beam glaring from it. He remembered his mother talking about the names of faces of the moon. He remembered his sister talking about werewolves who go crazy when the moon is full. Then he started thinking about the money they had put together so far. He sat back down on the couch and re-counted.
By Shanon Angermeyer Normanabout a year ago in Chapters
Between the Last Breath and the Next. Content Warning.
The wind carried her words like whispers through the trees, scattering them into the open, empty sky. She sat on the edge of a worn gravestone, her fingers tracing the faint etchings of a name long eroded by time. The stone was cool beneath her touch, grounding her as her thoughts meandered between questions and confessions.
By llaurren's readsabout a year ago in Chapters
The Orphans in the Woods
Gertrude was sitting on the couch watching her brother sort through tools and place items in bags and clothes in his suitcase. She was trying to see what he was packing so that she could pack properly also. She started drifting off to sleep feeling exhausted, and finally she passed out on the couch. When Rohan noticed that she had fallen asleep, he stopped packing and went to her, nudging her gently.
By Shanon Angermeyer Normanabout a year ago in Chapters
The Orphans in the Woods. Top Story - January 2025.
Rohan washed the dishes and put them away. He was grateful that his sister had cooked dinner. It wasn't as good as Mom's cooking, but for her first try it wasn't that bad. She'd get better. Gertrude had begun looking around the house for money as Rohan had told her. After Rohan was done putting the washed dishes away, he double checked the front door to make sure it was locked. He glanced at the telephone on the wall in the kitchen. No one had called yet and he was glad. He wondered if he should disconnect the phone or leave it alone. He decided to leave it alone for now. He walked through the living room to his bedroom to find his large suitcase. He had to pack the suitcase carefully with his best camping clothes.
By Shanon Angermeyer Normanabout a year ago in Chapters
The Orphans in the Woods
While Rohan was in the living room sorting through various supplies in the wheelbarrow, Gertrude was in the kitchen straining spaghetti noodles. She opened a can of tomato sauce and found a jar of parmesan cheese in the refrigerator. She set the table for her and her brother the way she had always done every night for her mother. They had chores. Her chores included setting the table, clearing the table of the dishes, putting the clean dry dishes back in the cabinet, and sweeping. Her brothers chores included taking the garbage out, helping Mom bring groceries in and put them away, cleaning the bathroom, and general maintenance when Dad wasn't around like changing light bulbs or making sure the grass or snow wasn't blocking the driveway. They were good obedient children. They believed in God and they loved their parents. They had been taught well at home and in school even though Rohan had only begun 4th grade and Gertrude had just started 2nd grade. They were intelligent children, excelling in their school studies without complaining about the various disciplines they were being taught.
By Shanon Angermeyer Normanabout a year ago in Chapters
The Orphans in the Woods
Rohan was 9 and his sister Gertrude was 7 when they lost their parents. The year was 1970 when the tragedy happened and the siblings became orphans on the run. They had been living in Branchville, New Jersey in a lovely 3-bedroom house with their parents - Stefan and Gretchen Hamberg. They were a happy family. Everything seemed just right. Stefan had a good job as a trucker. Gretchen took care of the home and children. Rohan and Gertrude rode the bus to school Monday through Friday. On Sundays, Stefan was always home for morning church and evening dinner. Life was good. Until the dreadful August day. It was the last date that Rohan would remember for any significant reason. August 18th, 1970. That was the day when Stefan and Gretchen were murdered.
By Shanon Angermeyer Normanabout a year ago in Chapters
It Eats the Light
In spite of the tired she could feel deep in her bones, sleep would not come. Klara lay on a rolled-out sleeping bag on the floor, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, wondering if she was still awake or just dreaming that she could not sleep. The latter was worse than no sleep at all. It happened sometimes, more frequently in the last six months. She would lay there, looking at the different shades of blue created by the mix of moonlight and darkness, feeling like she was floating through the depths of the ocean, and wonder whether she was asleep and dreaming or dreaming of sleep.
By Adebisiabout a year ago in Chapters
There is Still Life
A meeting at the bench in a park in Wilmington, Delaware occurred every 28th day of the month out of a calendar year. They never arrived late. One man, sartorial and demure dressed in staid colors and kept a cane. The other wore loud, vibrant clothes.
By Skyler Saundersabout a year ago in Chapters
Crow & Raven
Daybreak came. It arrived with no empty promises of spring warmth, only the winds off the ocean. They were warmer than the fronts that sometimes came from the Northwest, but that was only so much better; ice vs ice water. The ocean brought a damp cold. It hits you up front, sinks its salty teeth and cuts down to the bone. It can get through just about anything.
By Adebisiabout a year ago in Chapters
Crow & Raven
Mid-winter before dawn, when the warmth of summer is furthest away. The north is desolate. The forests are cleared as the animals are down for their long sleep. The skies are clear. The
By Adebisiabout a year ago in Chapters
WHISPER OF THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN
Chapter 1: The Letter Lily Parker was never one for surprises, but her 25th birthday came with a twist she could not have foreseen. The day had begun like any other—morning coffee, work emails, and the dull hum of the city outside her window. By evening, she was seated on her worn sofa, unwrapping a modest gift from her best friend. A simple silver necklace with a charm shaped like a leaf—a thoughtful gesture that warmed her heart.
By Alex Import Hubabout a year ago in Chapters
Ghost Stories of The Bermuda Triangle
There are many rumors and stories about airplanes and ships that have disappeared in the region known as The Bermuda Triangle. Photographs of sunken vessels, people who had reportedly gone missing after traveling through the area, and images of strange weather and ocean phenomena can be found per research. However, there is no absolute factual information that can be agreed upon regarding the mysteries within the stories about The Bermuda Triangle; Therefore I have decided to interview and consult with a very powerful medium (Belinda "Mary" Propper) who has agreed to share what she knows since she has been receiving messages about these mysteries since 1999.
By Shanon Angermeyer Normanabout a year ago in Chapters