The soldiers made him pull the trigger, bury a bullet in his mother’s forehead, watch his village burn.
Some day, he thought, I’ll kiss a girl and see skyscrapers.
His knees collided with now-sacred ground. He gagged on the ashes of his soul.
Through smoky tears, he prayed. Some day.
Salena Casha’s work has appeared or is forthcoming in Stymie Magazine, Bete Noire, The Quotable, Silver Blade and others. Follow her on twitter @salaylay_c.
“Yes. Night thoughts are nothing.”
“Usually.”
“How do I work, now that she’s gone?”
He thought for a moment. “Start with the truest sentence you know. Then it’s easy.”
Jack Blair is a biker, triathlete, cowboy, dropout, and writer in Seattle. His blog on writing, training, eating, and playing is at www.jackblairdaily.wordpress.com.
Evan paid the rose-tattooed toll collector and sped ahead.
Just released from the psychiatric hospital, he smiled. The prescriptions had subdued the demons. This beach weekend with Jennifer would surely salvage their relationship.
Seventy miles later, he entered the last toll and froze as the rose-tattooed girl asked, “You again?”
Bryan Joyner is a middle-aged banker who read about 50-word stories in Daniel Pink’s book “A Whole New Mind”, and began using the concept to connect with his two college age children. Each of them write stories and send them to each other for feedback.
She was a tall, attractive, hazel-eyed brunette with perfect posture. He felt intimidated by her accomplished and confident demeanor.
Nevertheless, he approached her, but as she turned, he knew it was over before it began.
He was disappointed. Why does she have to be chomping on a wad of bubblegum?!
Bo McGuire has over 25 years experience as a community corrections professional. Now, she is a freelance writer and recently completed a manuscript for a young adult book. She has an M.A. in Social and Public Policy and a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Duquesne University. She is a member of Writer’s Ink, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the SM Writer’s Critique Club.
Outside the bridge rail he edged away. River, rocks, and eternity loomed below. Spectators shouted, “Jump!”
“Stay back, cop.” His tired young eyes showed fear.
“I can help.” I reached out.
He jumped and I grabbed his arm. The law required I enter the shirtsleeve into evidence at the morgue.
Gary Clifton, forty years a cop, has several pieces published or pending with online sites.
Moira dropped the unopened letter from the Gas Board into the bin. She knelt, weary knees aching, to turn up the oven’s temperature dial as she peeked inside. “Filthy.” She wiped away crumbs and debris. House unkempt? Never.
Sorted now, she thought. Her sigh masked the hiss of escaping fumes.
Dawn, a stay at home mum, likes to write as a release for her busy life.
Fending off hordes of little goblins was certainly not her preferred way to start the day.
The buggers quickly swarmed, dragging down her sword arm. Hot breath everywhere, gnashing little forks for teeth. The clank of gate levers could only mean reinforcements. Not good! Not good!
“Welcome to Lincolnville Preschool!”
An amateur writer since the 8th grade, Joseph Knoop is currently attending college & maintaining a weekly review blog in the hopes of one day becoming a journalist for the video gaming industry. Find his work at K.O. JOE.
When I was three, I learned how to read.
Today, I learned that, even during something as joyous as a graduation, your mother will still cry.
I have never had a day in my 21 years when I didn’t feel compelled to learn something new. I hope that day never comes.
Brandon King is a volunteer for Leading Edge Magazine, an awesome sci-fi/fantasy publication that will publish and/or edit your short stories, poems, or artwork.
Whose idea was it to begin the school day with recess?
Mine.
How’d it go?
Not too well. A game of hide and seek was over within minutes when my siblings found me in the basement.
I’ve learned my lesson. Playing hooky is a bad idea.
Especially for the homeschooled.
John H. Dromey has had flash fiction published in a number of anthologies (print and electronic), as well as online at The Fast-Forward Festival, Liquid Imagination, three minute plastic, and elsewhere.
First day and I’m in hell. Crunch. Crunch. Ugh, does she have to chew so loudly? I can’t concentrate.
She screams.
The apple rolls along the floor, stopping beside my foot. A tiny green head pops out of the core. Wriggling out, it crawls across the linoleum.
“Thanks, li’l worm.”
Emily Ramser is a high school author living part-time between North Carolina and California. She’s been published in a few small online journals such as Vox Poetica and Spinozablue. Her story Sins of Murder will be published in Wolf Craft Anthology this coming fall as well.