Microfiction
Hallowthankmas
Jeremy blinked, wondering if he'd heard correctly. "Halla-who-da-whatnow?" Jasper, his best friends since they were crawling, groaned. "Hallowthankmas. That bastard time of year where you don't get to breathe between being bombarded with corporations trying to sell themed junk you only need once per year, celebration preparations, Hallmark movies that are the same plot with different window dressing, and attempting to juggle conflicting family commitments without starting a family feud."
By Natasja Rose2 years ago in Fiction
Quirkasaurus
"OMG, Grandpa, don't be such a Quirkasaurus!" Emmet Swann didn't stop dancing, even as his grandchildren tried to pretend not to know him. There was a fine-looking dame, a grandmother or great aunt giving the parents a respite, smiling in his direction, and it put him in mind of the dance halls of his youth.
By Natasja Rose2 years ago in Fiction
Astralprojecringe
Honestly, all James wanted to do was have a coffee after work and wait for peak hour traffic to die down. Instead, he was stuck with an involuntary front row seat to possibly the cringiest thing he'd ever seen. A surprise public proposal, complete with marching band, balloon shower, and a bunch of the soon-to-be-single idiot's cronies on standby to take pictures.
By Natasja Rose2 years ago in Fiction
Voluntold
"Oh, by the way, you volunteered to cater for Talia's school bake sale this weekend." Maria, in the middle of a valiant battle against ten classes worth of Final Essays and a list of who needed extra credit work to graduate, looked up long enough to raise an eyebrow. "I don't recall doing anything of the sort."
By Natasja Rose2 years ago in Fiction
Everything's Scantasktic
When you finish a task with a breath of relief of accomplishment. Take a second to commend yourself for the job done. Despite having more to do and yet to celebrate one’s successes. It is a nice thing to feel accomplished. So, despite all hustle and bustle of the day, to think that life can be scantasktic and move on to the next item in the day. Each day can be so mundane and quickly overwhelming. Looking at the positive side and enjoying the small victories to get through this life. Each time you finish a chore or an assignment at work, remember to feel good about being productive in your life.
By Sarah Danaher2 years ago in Fiction
Soulhulk
They lie fallow like an unploughed field. Immobilised, never fulfilled. Like abandoned ships on the beach waiting for their turn. It will never come in their shallow lives. They never fully realise their disadvantage as a dredge. A sweet monetary deal is the best reward for all their hardships. That will be all. That is enough. On weekends, they roar and rampage, repine and reciprocate. For all the malice they encountered during the days spent in the shade. They want to be prominent; they want to rule. Due to the lack of royal reality next to them. The only veracity they accept is the zoo. Despite the stormy weather and hateful faces around. They need to have fun, no matter the time. They don’t pay, government funds wasted on education fuelled by alcohol and drugs.
By Moon Desert2 years ago in Fiction
A Treasury of New Words and Terms for Burned-Out (Adult) Children. Top Story - November 2023. Content Warning.
Greetings and Welcome, language lovers. Following the Neolomicro Challenge, I was left with a lot of bizarre definitions that I thought might give some of you a chuckle. These are the offcuts that I ran out of time / inclination to pursue. I hope you enjoy them, and that they can be the start of a glorious new dictionary for these beleaguered times.
By Conor Darrall2 years ago in Fiction
The Serendipitous Cafe
Ella had always been a creature of habit. Her life was carefully planned out, and she rarely ventured beyond her comfort zone. One exception to her routine, however, was a cozy café on the corner of her neighborhood. It was known for its delicious pastries, aromatic coffee, and charming ambiance.
By Mahnoor Siddiqui2 years ago in Fiction
