fact or fiction

Is it a fact or is it merely fiction? Fact or Fiction explores relationship myths and truths to get your head out of the clouds and back into romantic reality.

"Madison"
Rob is a regular at the café on the edge of Madison. Madison is a small town at the bottom of the Appalachians. It’s residents typically grow up and grow old here, but the cities around are bustling with tourists and investors looking to find the best vacation spots to expand their wealth. Rob sits at the café in his usual spot by the window, overlooking the mountains.
By Danna Lee5 years ago in Humans
This Bookie’s Fortune
When I think back to the moments that lead me to this one, three things have become resoundingly true. The first is that fortune cookie fortunes are by divine guidance of the universe, precious tools of miraculous happenstance and cosmic advice.
By Abbey June Schwartz5 years ago in Humans
Sonar
Michael wasn’t much of a father after his wife passed a few years back. He didn’t intentionally become wrapped into his own world, he was just a sad little man, praying that the horrible nightmare he replayed time and time again in his mind would end. Kenny was his savior. He was his light and hoped that her innocence still existed in the world. He could see her smile on his face along with other memorable features. He was a quiet boy with a love for books and skating. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Kenny would volunteer at the local library just so he could hide himself in a corner and read in peace. He would only come out when his help was needed or, when his favorite helper arrived. Her name was Sonya. Sonya was a beautiful brunette with a slender frame. She was a little older than him too, but shorter and this made Kenny laugh every time he thought about it. “If you’re older than me why do I tower over you?” Kenny poked at Sonya and she immediately became annoyed. “You're not oblivious to genetics Kenneth. I am still older and don’t forget, with less years of school left.” Kenny groans remembering the few years of school remaining. Sonya shouted with triumph when she beat him. Kenny, feeling the defeat, decided to retreat back to his corners where he had been reading the same article for twenty-minutes. A yawn overpowered him, alerting him of his sleepiness. Before he knew it, he was out like a light. He awakened quite quickly hours later,coming to terms with his long nap. He stood up, stretched his legs,and began to pace the library. Sonya calls him over to books he has never seen before. He looks at her in confusion, but before he can speak she begins to clarify. An older woman donated them to the library due to her grandchildren growing older. She gave them the option to choose the ones they would personally like, and the rest belonged to the Blue County Library. Sonya had already picked the books that spoke to her. One looked as if it belonged to the Sherlock Holmes family, and the other was a romance.Two different genres but, she never had a favorite. Kenny had yet to find one that caught his eye. He would glance at their covers but would not pick them up. Just before he had given in, he spotted one. It was an odd little book, a little older than the rest. He picked it up, examining the cover. “The Calling”. That’s all it had said on the cover yet he was intrigued. He flips the first few pages slowly analyzing the words on the page. The book was nothing too special yet, so he continued. As he carried on, a smaller book fell out of the big one. A day full of surprises. The book was no bigger than his palm. A small black book with a blank cover. Now why would there be a book inside of a book? He opens it up to see a short little message. “To whoever finds this I hope to bring you great fortune”. Whatever that meant. Kenny begins to turn more pages. He begins to discover foreign symbols. They looked as if they were sign language but how would he know? His knowledge of the language was of bare minimum. Just as he was about to study the little black book more closely, Mrs. Cherry the librarian called out for him. It was his turn to return the lost books to their proper places before the library closed for the day. He hurried through his task, made sure his remaining daily chores were complete, said goodbye to the ladies, and headed straight for home.
By Jada Smith5 years ago in Humans
Larry Cain and the Strangers
Larry Cain and the Strangers Larry Cain was down to his last $36.50 in his checking account. He was quite aware of this after ordering a Chinese takeout for $13.50 when an alert on his balance rudely interrupted his food daze. Two minutes later, the phone rang. However, Larry let the phone rang out, then on the 4th ring, he picked it up. He didn’t speak immediately, but he didn’t have a chance to either. The voice on the other end of the line sounded far away in the distance as he said “hello,” faintly. Hello, said Larry, raising his voice loudly as though to cue the stranger to speak up. Is this Larry Cain? The voice echoed. “Who is this?” Larry questioned, suspiciously. He had been screening his calls because the barrage of phone calls from bill collectors has been absurd. However, today Larry was expecting a call from a friend of a friend about picking up some work on the docks by the waterfront, in Cambridge Heights, an artsy neighborhood in downtown Chicago. He was in desperate need of some serious cash since moving to Chicago from New York 2 months ago. Hence, that call meant everything to him and his livelihood. So, he swallowed his nerves and anchored himself to push back the knots that had formed in the back of his throat and said, “Yes, this is he!”
By LJ5 years ago in Humans
A lonely man and the little black book
It was odd to think that a little black book got me into this situation, twenty thousand dollars and being questioned by a god-like creature on the morality of humanity. If I knew this was where I would be finding myself on a Sunday afternoon, I doubt I would have ever taken that first step towards an unknown end, but alas my curiosity grabbed me by the collar and dragged me to find the answer. No logical man would walk down a dark hallway towards a glowing pedestal and expect anything good to come from it, and yet for some reason, I did. I suppose this all started this morning, a regular Sunday for one living alone. I wake up to the sound of doors banging and the once quiet street starts to distinctly get louder. The apartment block in which I live is filled with three distinct types of personalities, personalities of which I had studied since my moving here five years ago.
By Isabella Campbell5 years ago in Humans
Serendipity Kills
It was only a small story at the back of the Wall Street Journal but it was still a title-bite that grabbed immediate attention. Investment Bankers had birthed a variety of badly behaved children, but stabbings were not generally part of the play book. I mentally flipped back to the day I first met Lucian…
By Merry Adams5 years ago in Humans
A Little Black Book
A little black book. Untouched and ostensibly ordinary, its cover was bare. The glossy black leather was unfettered with any etchings or imprints of any kind. On the top-right corner, however, was plastered a bright green star of a sticker with the words “GUARANTEED BESTSELLER” bursting in white. What would be a bold claim in a bookstore was a whim of fortune in this unassuming garage sale you have found yourself meandering by.
By davidseever5 years ago in Humans
A Penny For Your Thoughts
September 29, 1922 “Mrs. Becker, come in.” From behind the heavy oak door of Dr. Oliver Harvey’s office, Mrs. Elaine Becker had been nervously waiting to hear the doctor’s gentle voice permit her entrance. She slowly pushed open the door and was hit with the strong aroma of old books, burnt out cigars, and freshly polished wood. The room was rather large, enough for a small family to live in, kitchen, bathroom, and all. And yet with all this room, its grand vastness was reduced to a cluttered cave, a collection of newspaper clippings, books, and empty wine bottles that littered the floor and surfaces of outdated furniture.
By Aquarian955 years ago in Humans
One or the Other
One or the Other Speculations ran high as the seven people sat in deafening silence. You could almost hear the dust fall that is if there was any dust in this room. Everything was polished to perfection. A large mahogany table set center of the room with seven ergonomically correct chairs for the seven attendees. Only three people knew the purpose of this unusual meeting. The other four had no idea why they were there.
By Gloria Prichett5 years ago in Humans
Worth Saving
A storm came on us with no warning, our boat had no chance. The captain screamed at everyone to put on a life vest and go below the deck. The fear made me sober and very alert. Tying my vest on as fast as possible a window shattered beside me, water flooded the floor and people were pushing each other down the steps. I gripped onto the bar, the next wave hit tilting the boat sideways, my body lifted and slammed back down. The windows were bursting and the wind rushing in sounded like a scream. Maybe someone was screaming. I was frozen and could not go below deck with the others. The boat rocked again and another massive wave hit. The cabin filled with water, my grip of the bar was ripped away and I was sucked out through the window opening. I kicked and flailed my arms not knowing which way was up. My head spinning and my lungs begging for air, finally popping out to the surface I could barely take a breath before another wave pushed me down. Slammed again and again, I thought that it would never end. I fought the water until the waves slowed, my limbs hung lifeless from exhaustion, all I could do was bob up and down. It was very dark, the rain slowed, I closed my eyes and prayed myself to sleep.
By HH5 years ago in Humans
Zoom Out and See the Possibilities
“Lily? Are you there?” “I don’t see you, but I can hear you…” “Good morning, everyone!” Lily watches her screen as squares pop into the Zoom room, one by one, listening to the cacophony of voices overlapping as they enter simultaneously and yet still, somehow, not in sync.
By Hanah Chang5 years ago in Humans
The Joy of Appreciation
It was a mixture of curiosity and an electromagnetic pull that brought me over to the unassuming black book. It was out of place on a small wire display stand, like you would see on a bookshelf, in the middle of the crush and run parking lot. Picking it up and turning it over, the only interruption in the smooth matte finish, was the word MoleSkine embossed in the middle of the bottom on the back cover. Sliding the elastic band back a shimmer emitted from the elastic and my eyes rested on a page that simply said:
By Holly Yandle5 years ago in Humans