Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Fiction.
The Busboy part III
Monday, 1 June 1981 “Hey Tracy. You ready for your last book report of the year?” “I am, Cy. Let’s go,” she responded as she took his arm and walked out to his car. She waited a moment while he opened the door. She slipped into the seat, setting her supplies down on the bench between them, as she always did.
By L. Lane Bailey3 years ago in Fiction
Stupid Girl
He passed the small blue pipe to her, and she took it, making sure to brush her fingers against his in a lingering touch. She wanted his eyes on her, focused on the way her lips closed lightly around the base, how the fire from the lighter danced in her eyes, adding even more heat as she stared deep into his own.
By Megan Stewart3 years ago in Fiction
Not Safe For Work. Top Story - June 2021.
It is a Tuesday and on Tuesdays I feel strange. I once read an article of a man in Ireland who died “of a Tuesday”. He was in his eighties, old enough to die of old age but still too young to die without a more detailed explanation. Except the doctor gave no other reasoning, other than dying of a Tuesday, which still perturbs me to this day. Apparently, dying of a Tuesday is supposed to mean the man lived a full and peaceful life, an Irish expression... but James Joyce once wrote the actual words, “he died of a Tuesday” in a piece about hanging. Maybe it’s a quirky Irish saying I just don’t understand. Or, maybe, the fact that I notice it is some underlying sign that, I myself, will die of a Tuesday.
By Jess Sambuco3 years ago in Fiction
Theoracism: It Starts. Top Story - June 2021.
The young man rejoiced. He had passed the test. Though the material he had spent long hours studying differed significantly from the material on the test, he’d still managed to earn an A+ with extra credit points beside. A thick green 110% had appeared on his tablet screen, and he’d had to curb his excitement to keep from leaping out of his seat and cheering like a sports fan in an arena.
By Skyler Saunders3 years ago in Fiction
Husk. Top Story - June 2021.
Husk The birds don’t come here anymore—not since the burned-out husk appeared in the woods. No one knows how it came to be here. The grass in the clearing is green, the surrounding trees unmarred. Yet the car’s innards are scattered about like this was a crime scene someone tried to obliterate.
By Svetlana Sterlin3 years ago in Fiction
By an Illusion's Fickle Thread. Top Story - June 2021.
I sift through the panels of prospective partners and wonder just what the hell my mother was thinking with this charade. The pictures don't matter—women showing off their teeth in white arrays, hairstyles that defy the imagination (and gravity), too little or too much make-up from the Generation Markets—but I find myself searching for something. That something, well, perhaps I don't exactly know what it is yet.
By Jillian Spiridon3 years ago in Fiction
The Winning Game. Top Story - June 2021.
The décor of the Summit Centre was just as pretentious as the awards show itself. Everything had been meticulously chosen in the same shade of cream; the lighting, the tablecloths, the dishware, the flowers. Ruby sat at her assigned table staring at her nameplate in front of her place setting. She wished that Joel had come with her, at least it would have been someone to talk to. Instead, his nameplate and empty seat beside hers would be a reminder of how alone she really was. She was surprised he hadn’t at least called or sent a text. After 10 years of marriage, one would think he’d have wanted to say good luck, for the moment put the divorce aside, especially since it was so new. Ruby awkwardly scrolled through her phone even though she had been told not to do that at events like these. She hated these things.
By Christina Hunter3 years ago in Fiction
A Twisted Deception
"Marisol Fuentes, will you marry me?" Those six words coming from Isabel Cruz, Marisol's girlfriend, were what Marisol had dreamed of hearing ever since she was a little girl. Marisol and Isabel had been dating for nearly a year, having met during their freshman year in college and hitting it off instantly. They never really discussed marriage during their time as a couple, so Marisol was stunned by Isabel's proposal, though she was very elated over the thought of spending the rest of her life with someone she loved dearly.
By Clyde E. Dawkins3 years ago in Fiction
Melody
Melody Jenkins wasn’t normally a big consumer of newspapers, but as she made her way through the market, she dropped a fresh copy of the afternoon paper into her basket. She made her way to the front of the store with the few items she needed, and quickly paid the cashier. Luckily, the rain had stopped, and it was a short walk home.
By L. Lane Bailey3 years ago in Fiction