In a parallel universe,
he would ask for my heart.
But this is here, this is now.
Not fantasy, where we walk hand in hand.
Fearless.
And he sacrifices everything for me,
while always wondering,
what if-
Now I sit alone,
even when I’m not alone,
always wondering, what if-
Sharon is a nurse-attorney and writer. She lives in the midwest and her works have appeared in Flash Fiction Magazine, Dying Dahlia Review and 50-Word Stories.
She found the teacup on a dusty shelf as though it had been waiting. It was the one he’d set down between them that morning, steam unfurling, his face unreadable. The clink was small yet carried the weight of the truth he finally spoke.
Lisa Leinberger is an emerging author who writes under the name of Pippa Alder and focuses on flash fiction and short stories. Born in New Jersey, she now resides in Pennsylvania. When not writing, she enjoys photography, reading, and embroidery.
Every evening after eating, Eve walks. Her feet scatter geckos at random intervals, the sound of crows warning in the warm air. When she reaches the gate of the cemetery, the sight of wrought iron against the pinkening sky reminds her of leaving Paradise. She has been falling ever since.
Emily Ryan received her MA in French Literature from Middlebury College, where she was awarded the Bombas Prize for Literature. She currently lives in New Orleans, LA, where she enjoys live music, stray cats, and multiple book clubs.
The story of the week for February 9 to 13 is…
The Modern Brometheus by Joe Pearson
Fresh from Mount Olympus, the Gods’ new matchmakers dove straight into mêlée.
Hapless grasshoppers huddled in harmony. Rabbits hoarded their lucky feet. Lone wolves packed dens.
And humans? They shacked up, too, fleeing flexed claws and rustling feathers.
The switch from bow and Eros to falconry was swift and cruel.
Nicholas De Marino doesn’t trust pigeons, either.
I built a man from discarded parts, mostly found online. His brain was an alt-right podcast; his heart, an incel chatbot.
I charged his phone with a lightning strike. He scrolled with borrowed thumbs, demanding I build him a female. When the battery died he sat forlorn, staring into darkness.
Joe Pearson is a British fiction writer living in Paris. He’s trying to use his phone less. You can find more of his writing at joepearsonwriter.com.
I was once considered a monster.
They used to scream from terror, not adoration.
They used to wait with pitchforks, not cameras.
They used to hide when I killed, not watch.
Now when I drink blood, I quench their thirst more than mine. I am no longer the monster here.
Berkeley Turner is a wife, a mom, and a follower of Jesus. She has been published in Liberty University’s LAMP Magazine, 2020.
“Good boy!”
Spot bounded from the forest, the disc clutched between his teeth. His tail wagged as he dropped it at my feet.
It wasn’t mine.
This disc was silver, metallic. And what strange markings…
The glass and the tiny, frantic green specks inside caught my eye.
“What on Earth…?”
David Albano enjoys reading, LSU Sports, and being involved in his church community. David has previously been published in 50-Word Stories, as well as Frontier Tales and Dark Moments.
It was crazy talk I wanted to believe. My sister had sources. Quotes from the bible. And Grandma. “She says we fly from heaven when we’re born. After we die, we fly back to heaven.” She was moving Christmas Ornaments around.
“Help me look. We’ll go together.”
We searched everywhere.
Bob Thurber is the author of six books. Regarded as a master of Flash and Micro Fiction, his work has appeared in Esquire and other magazines, been anthologized 60 times, received a long list of awards, and been utilized in schools and colleges throughout the world. He resides in Massachusetts. Visit his website at BobThurber.net.
Ruth looks much older than her 70 years. Infirmity shrinks her flesh, leaving a canvas of taut skin, applying time like sallow make-up around her eyes and neck. She brushes her hair before getting into the bed – in case of visitors. But until they come, she will sleep a little.
Dave Bradley’s words have appeared in publications such as Best Of British Science Fiction and Dorling Kindersley’s The Screen Traveller’s Guide, as well as various pop culture magazines and websites.