Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Fiction.
The Child
Tessa jolted awake and looked around her. There was a camo net inches above her head, she was outdoors and the ground beneath her was damp and cool, making her minimal clothing dirtier and damper than they already were. She rolled onto her stomach to get a better view of exactly where she was. The air was acrid with the aftermath of the bomb, piles of rubble smoldered. Now she remembered. She had crept in close last night when she saw the bomb go off. She needed food and a recently bombed out village was the best source. She wasn’t the only one who would be thinking this. Many people her age were doing this as well. They were basically running for their lives as fugitives because they had broken away from the insurrectionists.
By Julie Buchy5 years ago in Fiction
Supernova
I'm forced to wonder this barren planet that was once full of lush forests and seemingly bottomless oceans. All thanks to humanity trying to play god. They almost destroyed earth two centuries ago, until they decided to move to Mars. I knew then Mars was doomed to the fate earth had narrowly avoided, which is the reason I had decided to remain here when my family took the last shuttle to Mars. The terraforming turned out to be to much for that planet. It had gone supernova pushing earth closer to the sun and slowing our rotation to a mere crawl. Half of the earth frozen and the other half set a blaze in the immense heat radiating from the sun.
By Zachary Lencioni5 years ago in Fiction
Escape
We didn’t know what to call it, so we just called it The War. It was the last war of our world, and it happened roughly 100 years ago- according to our parents at least, but they were already dead and they heard the story from their parents. All we had left to remember them was a golden heart shaped locket I wore around my neck containing their picture and our father's rosary bestowed upon my brother. The world they knew was a wasteland now, and we’d been living in this bunker since the day we were born. We knew nothing of the outside world, other than what we saw in the magazines and read about in the old newspapers our grandparents had kept as memories. This underground bunker contained our entire 18 years of life. My entire 18 years of life. We were twins, but not the sort who look the same. We were both unlucky enough to be born in this miserable hole at the same time.
By Kelson Hayes5 years ago in Fiction
The Paradox Epiphany
A short story by Shaun Cooper. A Paradoxical Epiphany I've decided to think of a story. If I could hold a pen to paper I would write it down. Or if I could manipulate a typewriter or one of those computers but alas that is not the case so I will just tell myself this over and over until it's like I have memorized a story. Why? Well, lack of much else to do and reflection I suppose.Twenty years ago this was fun. I used to travel all over the world. I can remember standing in the Pope's study at The Vatican, I've stood in The Lincoln Bedroom and watched The commander-in-chief work in The Oval Office. I have even watched The Queen study her own aging body from her private bathroom in Buckingham Palace. These days are not the same. It never occurred to me the importance of human connection. That's not true. I knew, of course, it was important, just I thought it was not so important for me. I feel like I'm losing my mind. It's not just that no human being can see me is the problem. I think that I no longer have any ambition. Why would I? I CAN HAVE ANYTHING I WANT! No that's not true, is it? I want to be seen and heard. I can't ever get that back.When I landed the job at the lab it was… well I guess it was my dream realized. Is it not funny that dreams can turn into nightmares? Twenty fucking years I have been invisible. That is not a metaphor, I am invisible. No one can see me and not like in the movies either. I cannot be heard, I do not eat, I cannot touch or feel anything. I do not sleep. I simply am.It is not with me though that my thoughts are occupied. It's him. It would not be true and right to even consider him a friend I guess. He never knew me, never saw me. Never even knew existed. And yet I loved him dearly. What a shining beacon of a human being. So damn funny So talented. I am getting ahead of myself here.I'm not sure what brought me there, It was during the time I call the great wandering. It was somewhere on the backside of the 80s. I remember it was summer and a lovely evening and I would even venture to say on that particular night was a cool breeze and the smell of the ocean.Of course, maybe I am romanticizing as the truth of course was I could not feel the breeze or smell the ocean but that's how I remember it anyway. It was Venice California and I was simply strolling along as I do and taking in the sights and sounds of the people at that time. There were jugglers, singers, joke tellers, screaming preachers, beautiful girls, and muscle-bound strongmen. Venice Beach in the 80s was quite a sight and what it was then is gone now. Things always change and that makes me sad. On this night though it seemed quiet and peaceful and in the distance, I heard the most beautiful piano music playing. It drew me, It called me. I followed the sound. I approached the source of this enchanting melody. It was coming from the inside of a restaurant. A sign out front read 72 Market Street Oyster Bar and Grill. As I entered this charming place I could see that it was not only I who was enchanted by this music but everyone's eyes were locked on the man at the center of the room under the spotlight and though every table was full of food and drink it all went untouched and people seemed to be transfixed on not only the music but the man himself. This seemed a bit of magic and I decided this is where I shall be for now and just see where this all goes. He played that song for a bit more and I thought to myself here is a genius, what I would not give to make music such as this. He must be some great concert pianist visiting from perhaps England or France I thought. Then just when I thought my heart would swell to a level of emotion that I simply wasn't sure I wanted to feel... he stopped. The room erupted in applause and he smiled, stood, and took a little bow. He said “Oh Thank you very very much” He spoke in an English accent and I am not sure why It surprised me but he was very short, maybe just 5 feet tall or a bit more. I guess it surprised me because something about his presence was so large and commanding. Just then someone shouted, “play the Arthur song!”He said, “what's that?” He smiled “oh these people don’t want to hear the old stuff do you?”Oh please, Dud” someone screamed. Dud… who the hell is this person I thought.The restaurant erupted in applause again and he said “Alright alright keep your trousers on!”Everyone howled with laughter and this struck me as interesting. It just seemed this human being could not help but be funny. I could tell that people simply loved this man and I decided right then and there that I would spend some time around this human being. Then he sat back down and said, “Arthur has a particularly terrific theme” his voice was so friendly and for lack of vocabulary to describe was sweet and pleasing to the ear. He went on, “Very melodious and haunting I think, and it was sung by Christopher Cross who made a rather meteoric rise to fame with his album in America, he won five Grammy awards with a spectacular album, which I love and the rest of the world love and we are very lucky to have him here in the audience tonight”!!!Just then another man stood up and approached the stage during thunderous applause. “Dud” satback down at the piano and this man Christopher took a chair with a microphone. And I'll never forget the lyrics to this song which went like this. “Once in your life, you find her, someone who turns your heart around. Next thing you know your closing down the town. Wake up and it's still with you. Even though you left her way across town. Wondering to yourself, Hey! What have I Found? When you get caught between the moon and New York City, I know it's crazy but it's true. If you get caught between the moon and New York City, The best that you can do, the best that you can do is fall in love.” Now, of course, my words won't be able to capture this moment but it was beautiful and heartwarming and I suppose it affected me deeply. And just then it came to my realization this was the theme song for the film “Arthur” starring Dudley Moore. Oh my lord, this is a movie star I am watching tonight. This talented piano player is in fact, Dudley Moore!!!!!After that night I stayed with Dudley and it was magnificent. He was so witty and funny and kind to everyone he met and I was just in awe of this person who seemed forged out of light and goodness. I traveled with him to interviews such as Oprah and Joan Rivers and movie sets such as Arthur 2 on the Rocks and Crazy People, Like father like Son, and other projects he did.However whatever films and Tv shows he did his passion was always music and the piano...always the piano. That time was so thrilling and amazing. I loved to watch this person work and I admit to being starstruck by the company he kept. He was fantastic and amazing in all these roles and I was flabbergasted to enjoy his talent and wit for those years. Things always change. There came a time I started to notice something about Dudley. He did not seem quite himself. It seemed more difficult for him to grab a thought when in the previous years his brain was razor-sharp. Suddenly that blade had dulled and at first, just occasionally he would lose his balance. I of course felt completely helpless. I could not communicate to him my worry or concern as he could not hear me and he did not know I was even there. He continued to work but it was a growing concern between himself, friends and family, and even those professionals like his agents and managers. Then he was having trouble remembering lines and was fired from a very big motion picture called The Mirror Has Two Faces. They believed that Dudley was drinking and this was the most devastating thing that ever happened to this kind, sweet and talented man. This was the point that Dud realized he was sick. He went to Doctor after Doctorand for a few years could not get a diagnosis. Around this time I watched it become more and more difficult for this genius to play his beloved piano any longer. He braved on so courageously and came to understand that what he was suffering from was called PSP or Progressive
By Shaun Cooper5 years ago in Fiction
The Other Side of a Promise
It happened on my way home from work. The day was like any other—I’d risen with the sun, prepared for the day, and left my publicly assigned dwelling right at seven to stride to the northwestern spire and arrive for my eight o’clock shift. I spent the day denying citizens’ requests for dwellings located closer to the central spire, stopping only for a half-hour lunch break and two 5-minute bathroom breaks.
By Stephanie Michelle Fitzhugh5 years ago in Fiction
Desolate
Dear Diary, Silence. The silence is golden. For days, the screams had echoed, tore at our eardrums. Blood had caked the ground, patches dotting flowers and tufts of grass. Red sprayed across trunks of trees and car horns blared, abandoned in their owners haste to get away. Traffic had ensued and blocked the cars. The only way out was to either wait or run.
By Kristy Perkins5 years ago in Fiction
The Love She Gives
For a long time, I searched for what could fulfill me being disappointed in myself if it didn’t work out or if it just plain didn’t seem like what I thought it would seem like. But early this week I had a discovery within after doing much self-discovering especially after I was forced too in order to get over a mental illness, I had subjected to a couple of years back. I realized that someone like me searches and searches for something to fulfill us only to find an emptiness in trying to fit into the world around us. What I mean by that is we expect something to fulfill us only to find that it isn’t that something that can fulfill us but what rather what can come from within. Within, what does that even mean? I realized that for so long I was escaping myself trying to be someone else because I didn’t like who I thought I was or what I saw in the mirror. Losing myself completely in a mental illness that brought me into such a dark place I can’t even begin to describe the agony that comes with it. Then, I realized only recently that the only way I can overcome this is if I learn to find ways in which the little things, I’m able to do. I’m able to fall in love with about myself. So, I realized I was a pretty good writer when I was able to complete essay after essay in college and get good grades on it. When I was younger, a teacher told me that my ability to describe something at such a young age was remarkable and I’ll never forget that. It’s not just writing where I find myself feeling happy to express myself in a way that is presumably better then when I’m speaking but my ability to listen to someone and give them my best short affiliated advice to help them in their life. My ability to understand someone is the best part of me and that is when I find myself most fulfilled. However, it is my greatest weakness because I tend to forgive very easily sometimes in an instant I forgive. Which can cause me more hurt then justice in life. But I rather not focus on that fear. Instead I would like to tell a little story where I saved a life by understanding them. My best friend had the greatest most complicated mother and she had an impeccable physical illness where the lungs start to slowly collapse. She was so afraid of COVID-19 that she stayed couped up in her room all day. My best friend worked at amazon for a living and while he was there his mom fell and couldn’t pick herself up, so the paramedics came broke the door down and took her to a rehab. She was having trouble breathing and there or at the hospital they sent her too is where we believe she got COVID-19. She unfortunately passed away from it not too long after. Me and him where so devastated we cried for hours while he told me on the phone that she was gone, and he couldn’t believe it. It was when I understood his pain from losing my aunt years ago when I was young. That I told him, “I know this pain it’s unlike any other pain in the world”. “There is no way to fix it but the only way to get through it and allow your feelings to feel”. That was the best advice I could give him. We all experience trauma differently and while he went out with a new friend one night and drank his life away. While, swallowing pain pills and the attempt to put the push the pain away with alcohol and drugs lead to him almost dying. I went to the hospital and luckily, they let me in. I held his hand and I told him I understood why he tried to take the pain away and to please come back because I needed him. He woke up and the guilt he felt was all over his face. I told him not to feel that way we all make mistakes and ever since I’ve known him, he’s always been strong. This time it wasn’t something that he could be strong about and I understood. He recovered thankfully and now he calls me every week, or I call him, and we talk about his pain before he does something mistakenly. It has been six months since then and I have thankfully been able to get through to him on many occasions. It’s a hard task but I know pain all too well not to feel it with him.
By Cerina Galvan5 years ago in Fiction
The Girl with the Last Strain
The valley around the girl is a stage with no actors. She stands alone, dressed in a ratty, moth-eaten sundress and a hood the color of flint over it. Her hair is long and matted with grease, but still, she ties it up in a bun to stop it from webbing across her face.
By Briar Esterline 5 years ago in Fiction
