Kalina Xiong
Bio
When you engulf yourself enough in other people's worlds, you eventually fantasize about your own.
Stories (18/0)
The Secret at the Royal Festival
Jay furrowed his eyebrows in front of the mirror as he examined the hand-knitted cardigan sheathed around his slender body. The grand royal feast begins in two hours, and while he'd prefer to dress fancier, his parents barely had the money to afford anything of the sort. Originally from eastern Europe, the Chong family only recently moved into Norway. Considering cash doesn't grow on trees, the desperate time it took Jay's parents to find a stable, permanent job consumed much of their lives being here.
By Kalina Xiong3 years ago in Fiction
A Promise Kept Forever
Mariah literally swore on her best friend's grave that she wouldn't shed a single tear. You gotta be strong. Crying is for babies, Mariah. She can imagine Sam saying those exact words in that whimsical little voice that never seemed to switch off. The days Sam frisked across the grassy fields, the thick breeze that the chatty birds would sway alongside felt warmer, and the everblooming flowers were far brighter than the feeble blossoms this new spring had to offer. Mariah carried the little cremation urn all the way over to the still beautifully standing orchard less than a kilometer from her home. What was meant to be the reminiscence of a loved one further transformed into a hefty burden. From all the similar-looking trees, there laid only one tree that was different from the rest. As a virgin sprout, it hadn't quite reached its prosperity yet, but Mariah knew this tree would soon foster pears of all unique sizes and colors. It only took time.
By Kalina Xiong3 years ago in Fiction
Unconscious
The day after the next, things would gradually change—either small enough to be unnoticed or something extravagant. Just this morning, the whole village witnessed a blinding, purple sunset for the first time. Really sets apart from our once lifeless grey city. This was the start of our flourishment.
By Kalina Xiong3 years ago in Fiction
Glimmer
I sprung out of my bed so quickly that I almost knocked myself hard onto the ground. Crap. Crap. Crap. I couldn't believe that I forgot about the plans I made with Sarah. We were supposed to meet up at the park at exactly 12 o'clock midnight, but instead, I was snoozing my head off the whole hour. My eyes were still adjusting, so I was practically walking like a chicken without a head in my room for the first few minutes.
By Kalina Xiong3 years ago in Horror
Amigo
"Why're you asking me? You were supposed to be watching him while I was here with the girls." Lesley kept giving me that evil glare she does whenever I'd screw up real bad. We were searching for our son, Leonel, who had somehow run off into the streets. This was only the first day of Día de los Muertos, and here in this city, it gets pretty crowded—making the hunt even more stressful. I started feeling embarrassed from the number of looks we were getting as we were unintentionally shouting in some people's faces. It made no sense why Leon would just run away like that; he doesn't usually commit that kind of behavior.
By Kalina Xiong3 years ago in Fiction
Sweet Dreams
I rambled up a story about yet another dream I had; the one with the pretty flowers. Aunt Nat, like always, messily munched on her almost burnt buttered toast while scrolling through her phone with the merest attempt at listening. I shot myself out of my seat and shouted like a crazed madman.
By Kalina Xiong3 years ago in Families
Press Play
I leaned my head against the window of the passenger seat. Of all days, my mom decided to go clothes shopping today. The inevitable and dreaded upcoming year of school was slowly creeping its way towards me; I would be a 12th grader soon. The only positive thought that caressed my mind was how this would be my last year doing stuff like this—but then I'd remember college.
By Kalina Xiong3 years ago in Fiction