Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Wander.

Funland
My mother is a serial mover. She reminds me of Vianne in the movie Chocolat who leans out of the window and lets the winds of change ruffle her hair. It’s time to move, the winds tell her. I hated those stupid winds.
By Han Eliza5 years ago in Wander
Once, my hometown.
When growing up in my hometown, I was in a bubble that I created myself but looking back I can see that the place I grew up in, created that bubble instead.
By Matthew Grantham5 years ago in Wander
An Indian Town And An English Town
As one says: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Intelligent people, charitable towns. Benevolent people, two beautiful towns.
By Rajaroy Joseph Alphonse5 years ago in Wander
For a Moment, I Felt the Pandemic Took the Life Out of London
1. It was supposed to be an assignment like many others. I’ve been a TV journalist for many years, filmed in some of the craziest locations and situations. Never have I thought, when asked to film a day of walking around in the empty streets of locked-down London, that this would be a story that would affect me as much.
By Elad Simchayoff5 years ago in Wander
The Snake Island Curse
Part 1 The Necklace There was George, whose parents died in a car crash. Now, he’s an orphan. In his despair of losing everyone he loved, he trashed his parents home. Then he found a necklace, it was gold with an emerald stone in the middle. Underneath the necklace was a little black book. But George didn’t care about the book, he cared more about the necklace. It was gold. Ever since his parents died, he faced so many financial problems. The bank is foreclosing the house, and bills are piling up. George thought of his future. He took the necklace and went to a pawnshop. He met the pawnshop owner who gave him a warm smile. ‘’What can I do for you today friend?'' ''Hi, how much can I get for this necklace?’’ George was pleased. He sold the necklace to the pawnshop owner for twenty thousand dollars. He went home, packed a bag, and bought a ticket, off to somewhere far. He wants to start a new life away from all the pain and problems. He packed just the essentials and the little black book he found. He thought maybe it’s a diary he could read for the trip. It would be nice to know more about his parents. As he was riding the bus, he opened the book and to his surprise, he hurriedly stopped the bus and went back to the pawnshop. He tried to buy back the necklace, but the pawnshop guy refused to sell him back the necklace. He said that after the necklace was sold, a gentleman in a nice suit came and bought the necklace. George asked if he could take a look at the receipt. And the pawnshop guy said- ‘’What receipt?’’ So George put fifty on the counter. The pawnshop guy took out the receipt and left with the money. He found out that the gentleman’s name was Michael Bruchard. He left the store and started to search about Bruchard. It turns out he was a history professor. George went to the university where Bruchard was teaching. He waited for him until his class was over and spoke to the professor. He offered to purchase back the necklace, but the professor said it was a gift for his wife so unfortunately he can’t return the necklace back. But George knew he didn’t have a wife or kids. ‘’It was nice meeting you George. I’m sorry I can’t give you back your necklace, I hope you understand...wife and all you know..’’-Bruchard laughs.. ‘’I get it’’ -George smiled and left. He followed the professor home after his work. He planned to steal the necklace back, but the professor caught him. He told George he can’t have the necklace back and he knows very well why. They both fought. During the fight, they knocked over an ashtray with a lighted cigar on it, and it started a fire. The fire quickly grew, there were smoke everywhere. And it was getting harder to breathe. The professor lounged at him, and George fell. Mr. Bruchard, very angry and hyped told George how he envied his parents and how stupid they were to not use the necklace to their advantage. The boy was filled with rage. He kicked the professor with both his feet. The professor fell back towards a cabinet and a vase fell on his head, dropping him unconscious. George quickly scanned through the professor’s desk. He found the necklace and quickly left the scene. The firefighters, police and ambulance came. There were a crowd of people trying to leave the building. It was a perfect getaway. He went straight to the port together with all of his belongings, stole a boat and drove off to the open sea...
By Tricia Parrenas5 years ago in Wander
Secret owner of the lost ranch at Pine Creek
Three quarters of a mile off the Scenic Loop in Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area, hikers come across the remains of a structure, which today is not on the map. A concrete basement foundation of a home suddenly appears in a clearing, as the trail meets Pine Creek, in the afternoon shadow of the massive cliffs of Mount Wilson and Bridge Mountain.
By Jonathan Warren5 years ago in Wander
To Live in a Rainbow
I was born and raised in the Midwest, but my heart and soul have always belonged to the sea. Maybe it's because I am a Pisces; I was twelve years old when I told my dad out of the blue one day, "When I turn eighteen, I'm moving to California and I'm never coming back."
By Jenny 5 years ago in Wander
Night in the woods
So my story begins on Sunday at 7 am. Now I’ve never been camping before (let alone hiking) and I was excited to experience something new. So my buddy calls me to pick me up at 6:30 and tells me we are going to be going to Myakka state park. Now I’ve only been to Myakka one time before for a few miles in, and was fairly confident in my ability to brave the wilderness, (me being an athletic individual and all) but little did I know that I was about endure a night of terror I have never dealt with in my life. Now my buddy is a pretty enthused wilderness expert right, he shows up to my house with a bag filled with supplies to last us the next 5 days all the way down to flint and steel for a Firepit. We only planned to be out for 2 days, (safe to say we were overly prepared) we only stayed for one night however.
By Leonardo Silva5 years ago in Wander
Rochester, MN
Ah yes, the Midwest! Currently -6 and we aren’t even close to done with winter. Yikes. Not the best-selling point admittedly for my hometown. Funnily enough, I wasn’t born here and haven’t spent the majority of my life here. Yet I call this my hometown because I plan to make my life here. I even encouraged my mother to move here so she could eventually be close to her grandchildren (whenever that day comes). I spent 15 years down south so moving to the Midwest was shock, especially the winters. For the first few years many made fun and poked at me for whining about how cold it is here. Of course, in the summertime I would poke fun at my Midwest friends for complaining about the heat. What I can tell you is that this place does have some friendly folks once you get to know them. Despite popular belief it does actually warm up in the spring and summer. It can actually get humidity comparable to the south and then some. Many come out to play in the summer and you will be hard pressed to find anyone really staying indoors on a Saturday night. Yes, they love their bars just as much as anyone else! We live an hour and a half away from the twin cities. You can travel to the Mall of America one weekend day and enjoy a concert at Target Field. For those who love baseball, you will find they love the Minnesota Twins.
By Tara C.5 years ago in Wander
Finding Myself in a New Hometown
Hometowns are more than a Mainstreet and a local grocery store, library, and park. Hometowns are places we never walked alone. We step in time with the past, so the future can step to its own throbbing rhythm, a rubato undulating with life. Where we built friendships, shared memories of parades, birthdays, and football games, heart-stopping snowstorms, and floods. Those are the memories that over embellish tiny spaces into larger-than-life experiences.
By Gerardine Gail Esterday 5 years ago in Wander
Hollywood, FL
Have you ever been to Hollywood, Florida? I had never heard of it until a few months ago. My family and I booked a cruise back in March of 2020 RIGHT BEFORE the pandemic hit. Ultimately, we weren’t worried... I mean.. Coronavirus? This will last a few months and be done, right? WRONG. Our cruise was booked for the first week of February 2021. We had a 7 day cruise in the Western Caribbean booked through Carnival. We planned on driving 2.5 hours to Nashville, TN to fly directly to Miami, FL. We even had a hotel booked for the night before the cruise departed so we didn’t feel rushed.
By Vanessa R. Powell5 years ago in Wander
I am from Gary, Indiana
I am from Gary, Indiana which is the birthplace of thousands of great people who make positive contributions in the world. There is good news that continuously happens in my hometown because of all the resilient people who make it happen. I am from a hometown with deep roots that produce strong fruit. I stand on a firm foundation built with the wisdom of my ancestors who invested so much in me that I can never give up on my dreams. As a result, each day that I rise I choose to write and speak life, no matter how difficult it seems.
By Tavetta Patterson5 years ago in Wander