The story of the week for November 9 to 13 is…
The Last Day I Wore My Wedding Ring by Guy Preston
We’ve come to expect this kind of quality from Guy. It’s already his third Story of the Week award.
All posts by Tim
AC BALDWIN: We Will Meet Again
Helm in hand, the knight revealed himself. A dying man deserved to know the name of the adversary who’d bested him. He gripped the cold, spiraled hilt of his father’s blade.
The old man’s eyes widened, not because of the pain, but because of the ghost in front of him.
AC Baldwin wrote this story.
KATYA DUFT: Skin Deep
“You have beautiful hair and amazing figure.” He thought his pick-up line was charming in its sincerity.
She flinched and sneered. “This is a wig, and I lost weight because of cancer.”
He froze in his seat, unable to speak.
The train stopped. She got off, and burst out crying.
Katya Duft is a translator, interpreter, and language teacher who enjoys writing short stories, poetry, and her travel blog “Tales from the Bus.
LEE DeAMALI: Millenial Migrants
They converge in NorCal every August, scruffy in their outdoor encampments, recharging devices between candy and coffee shops, each waiting for texted directions from secretive connections. They share granola, vague tips, and legends, sizing each other up, moving under the radar, keeping journals to document how the West was lost.
Lee DeAmali resides in the Los Angeles area.
ELIAH MEDINA: Choices
The “DO NOT DISTURB” tag was hanging on the doorknob.
His wedding ring sparkled on his left hand. The gun gleamed on his right hand.
Muffled moans echoed through the motel door.
Still sobbing, he slammed the back of his head against the wall in time with the creaking bed.
Eliah Medina is a Legal Studies major in Texas who also enjoys creative writing.
MARK FARLEY: One In, One Out
When my mother fell pregnant, I wished for the baby to die.
My sister’s looming arrival changed us all. I pretended to busy myself with my toys as my parents discussed their problems. Another mouth to feed was too much.
When labour pains kicked in, I’d already packed my bag.
Mark Farley’s nose is to the NaNoWriMo grindstone. His zombie novella “Grans & Ammo” is available on Amazon.
STEPHANIE AMARGI: Along For the Ride
We would be the first family to fly to the moon. I don’t know why they chose us. Dad hates flying, mom fears open spaces, my sister needs too much space, and I get severe motion sickness.
At least I’ll find out if the moon really is made of cheese.
Stephanie Amargi lives in Oregon with her husband and some house spiders. Her poetry is forthcoming in Foundling Review. She writes about her love for food, words, and being human on her blog.
BOB THURBER: Her Last Autumn Evening
(In Memory of Kay, 1923-2015)
The plan was to shut all the windows after the first drop, but the clouds passed over us and no rain fell. The wind driving the storm left a crinkling silence in its wake. The air stilled, the curtains stopped moving, and it was like the house had stopped breathing.
JANE DANFORTH: Rollercoaster
I rode the roller coaster with him
Over and over again
We were searching for the same thrill
That we felt the first time
But after every ride
After the twists and turns and loops
We would disembark,
Forget the unsettled feeling in our stomachs,
And get back in line.
Jane Danforth is a high school senior who would rather be writing fiction than college essays.
GUY PRESTON: The Last Day I Wore My Wedding Ring
We’d spent a rare afternoon rummaging among leaves to find them, so it pained me to see my daughter throw the conkers from her window.
“Don’t you want them?” I asked.
“I want to let them grow,” she said. “When you love things, sometimes it’s best to leave them behind.”
Guy has no notable literary accolades, but once beat a retired Indonesian pirate at chess. This is his fifth 50-word story.