She stood there, anxious about her first day at work. The training had been scant, at best.
Max had said everything would be fine, but as he placed the blindfold over her eyes her confidence dwindled.
Moments later, metal impacted around her. When the clapping began, she could finally relax.
David likes to write and his ego likes the likes.
Many expressed concern when she departed for Costa Rica. Like going out at night alone, traveling solo is a way to get yourself in trouble.
People worried about her safety and felt a twinge of pity. Some looked at her with admiration and awe.
Living up to that exhilarated her.
Emilie lives in Toronto, Canada and works at a bank. She seeks to discover her creative and expressive side through writing and finds 50-word stories the perfect medium.
I’m late for the lesson.
Old Crouch the Grouch smiles pleasantly. I sit down.
Why isn’t he screaming at me for being late? What’s all this coloured Plasticine for on the desks? Why’s that music playing? Why’s he wearing a suit? Why’s everyone working?
Then I notice her. Ofsted inspector.
Arthur Brown had a long career in teaching. He saw a lot of changes and never did really get used to them. He draws comfort from the fact that no-one else seemed to either.
The story of the week for October 13 to 17 is Snowbound by Ruby Ray.
There’s a lot of art in communicating an idea indirectly, the way that this story implies a discussion of beauty and gender roles/expectations without actually bringing them up directly. This is a story that is larger than itself, and that’s always a mark of success in the 50-word format.
y=x³-4
This stuff on the page would never mean anything to her. And history: names, places, dates… What was the point?
Glancing into a mirror, she saw snow-blonde hair, river-blue eyes, cute ramrod nose. Remembering other eyes, other glances, she knew that these fixed constants would circumscribe her entire life.
Ruby Ray has worked as a barmaid, cleaner, kitchen porter and gardener. After that she had a career in teaching. Now she wonders what will be next.
Sitting upon my luggage by the front door, noises of their lovemaking and giggling wash over me through the walls.
Smiling, I stand, heft my belongings, and leave, closing the door gently behind me.
My paraplegic brother will be happy now with a woman to love.
I am finally free.
Nora is a writer from Iraq. She enjoys writing novels, flash fiction, and poetry. In her spare time, she likes to take short walks or spend time looking through articles and documentaries.
Martha was never sober anymore.
This former beauty queen climbed out from the florist’s dumpster holding a bouquet of various rotting flowers, a slightly tilted crown of baby’s breath atop her head, eyes watery and red.
Her weekly floral baptism gave her newfound courage to ask the bartender for credit.
Kevin is a visual artist who creates sculptural works in fabric when he’s bored. When he is very bored he writes short stories. See what he has recently done in his studio.
It could have been a beautiful day. Sunshine, no clouds, a nice breeze blowing through my hair.
You could see farmland for miles. You could smell it, too. I’ve always loved that smell. The smell of crops, animals, and even manure all mixed together.
Too bad my parachute never opened.
Jackson Brock is an aspiring writer and current student at Full Sail University. Jackson wants to write horror and bring real fear back to the genre.
The man shouted, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”
They were off! They turned left at every curve; his carrot was in reach.
There was the finish line.
One car stood between him and his dream.
The opponent finished first with him only half an inch behind.
He was the first loser.
Linda McMahon works as a Transaction Coordinator for a California multi-office real estate company. She is constantly busy pursuing paper by day and words by night.
The story of the week for October 6 to 10 is The Mapmaker’s Calligraphist Daughter by Bob Thurber.
It’s a great world-building piece with awesome characterization. The story absolutely goes beyond the 50-word limit to communicate setting, character, and plot. Great work, Bob!