literature
Whether written centuries ago or just last year, literary couples show that love is timeless.
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Cracking the window created a nice balance to the heat that began smothering her. Foot steady on the gas cruising at an easy 65 mph. Her mind wandering excited as she headed to her new job. Beaming with new perspective and high energy Sam couldn’t wait to get started. Focusing on the last six months she got her finances in order, marked out goals, assess relationships even start a workout regimen. Determined not to let the last months of quarantine hold any space in her mind. A short twenty minutes later, she arrives at the Hope Memorial Center. The walk to the front door presented her with the opportunity to check out the well-manicured grounds. As the people passed she took notice of everything, mannerisms, fashion style; the accents different from her norm. Sam was a NY native, where the people spoke fast, moved fast, after all time is money and it’s not called the city that never sleeps for any reason.
By Shatrese Williams6 years ago in Humans
On the Case
Thumbing through shirts hanging on the rack, I heard Kerry call something to me from an aisle over. “What?” I shouted back. Our masks muffled our voices and combined with the shink-shink of metal sliding across metal I couldn’t hear anything. I stopped moving hangers as she came around to the other side of the rack I was at.
By Julia Wagner6 years ago in Humans
Heartfish
H E A R T F I S H “Greg Potts” says his ID, Sarge’, said PC Ben Clement to his commanding officer, Sergeant Barry Dyke. A murky dawn was breaking over the two policemen, who were standing over a fallen, murmuring, human form on the bank of a small duckpond in Rowbridge Millenium Park. Clement shone his pen torch onto a laminated pass spooled around the prone form’s neck on a mid-blue lanyard.
By jamie harding6 years ago in Humans
Extraordinary Forgiveness
Princess Tia of Egypt was born into a proud family of Grand Pharaohs. Their status was mighty across the desert sands of the East. They garnered trust through their strength, courage, and a slight drop of fear. Princess Tia was aware of this even in her crib. During her first birthday, still suckling at her mother's breast, Tia saw with open eyes the joy that her father beamed when he boasted of the size of the crowds in the village, and how they grew in numbers as he promised just a hint of gold in exchange for a life of sweat. He would sweeten the deal with promises of succulent lambkin at the planetary feasts, offering just enough so that the juices would flow in their palettes. The Pharaoh would later rejoice about the broad spectrum of support from the local villagers, proud of his decorum and strength as the root of their love for him. Princess Tia could see he was lying to himself.
By Elizabeth Marguerite De Galles6 years ago in Humans
Covid Kindness
Jen tapped her finger repeatedly on the desk as her eyes darted over the words on her computer screen again. One last quick check for spelling. She leaned back in her chair and brought her finger to her mouth as she nibbled the nail. One last check for grammar. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, then she opened them and clicked submit.
By Rhea Thomson6 years ago in Humans
Another Day, But More Dollars
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, I start each workday being groggily awoken by my alarm clock that goes off two hours later than “normal,” but still feels like a slap in the face. Once I’m awoken I always depressingly mutter “another day, another dollar.” Since I’m only waking up to work so I don’t get fired and to get those rent and fancy sweatsuit dollars.
By Michelle B.6 years ago in Humans
The Greatness of a Nation
The sun did not come out on Wednesday, and people had begun to whisper. It was becoming increasingly difficult, for some, to ignore what we saw and what we heard. Nevertheless, today was Thursday, and the sun did come out, as was told to us. I was coming home from work, after stopping at the store, carrying the cranberries and the green beans. The turkey would be almost done by now, I knew. I walked to punch in my code for my building, which was guarded by thirteen armed escorts, and, as per mandate, carried my bags on my left arm in case my right hand was needed for fingerprint identification at any time.
By Rose Rossi6 years ago in Humans
Scratchy Scarf
The faint beeping in my ear and hushed voices around me confused me. Where was I? Where was the sound of my fiance snoring beside me. The comforting weight of my cat on my legs. Wait, why couldn't I feel my legs at all. I opened my eyes to a searing bright light and gave my eyes time to see what was around me. My heartbeat sped up and a buzzer went off. I was surrounded by people all covered in hospital blankets and unconcious. Some looked normal. Some didnt even seem human. I felt the blanket across my arms and saw I wasnt an onlooker. I was one of them. The ICU UNDECIDEDS. The shadow people. The people all having the worst day they'd ever had. So muchfor being special. We always think we're better, and then life stomps us into the dirt and we realize we're no better than the rest of humanity.
By Jordan Parke6 years ago in Humans
Expensive Misconceptions
‘Morning Hugh’ ‘Morning Felicity’ ‘The usual?’ ‘Cheers.’ Felicity pays at the counter and waits patiently for the coffees to be made. She leans against the bench beside the coffee machine, flipping through the pages of a newspaper, feigning an air of nonchalance. Every few moments, she sighs loudly at something she reads, then looks over to see if the barista is watching. He’s engrossed in his work, pouring the drinks with precision. When he’s finished, he reaches over the machine to hand the two takeaway cups to Felicity. One with a lid, soft tan foam bubbling out of the sipping hole, the other lidless, nestled in two cups so that Felicity doesn’t burn her hand. As she takes the drinks, Felicity smiles and nods to thank the barista for this thoughtful gesture, taking it as a sign that he recognises her, notices that she’s wearing makeup and styled her hair, notices that she’s buying a coffee—like she does every day—for the lonely old man who sits outside the café writing in his notebook.
By Alexandra Svoboda6 years ago in Humans
A Night of a Thousand Stars
I remember when I was alone and cold. Especially in freshman year of college, you were there across the hall from me, wearing your baggy sweats, with your imperfectly perfect bangs, complimenting your beanie. There you were, listening to that song, KANON. The way the chords complimented each other, how peace transformed into thunderous harmony. Every key turned into you. The look you gave me. The look you saw from me. Was it the same look? I don’t know. I remember how the song complimented your blue eyes, how it rushed and flowed like the ocean, never ending, never standing still. How can one possess the power of the ocean? How can one like this exist? How beautiful how tranquil, how never ending.
By Joshua Alejandro6 years ago in Humans
Dollars < Sense
She was at that corruptible age where duplicitous friends and family were not yet revealed to her in their adult form, yet their sugar-coated malice could be faintly detected along with some bitter note on the tongue. This was the bitterness Faye Holbrook soured her petite and beautiful—if not somewhat precocious—face at, along with the sweet, sweet liberty that a $20,000 inheritance can bring to a 13-year-old girl from a low-middle-income family, if used properly. Of course, the dollars she inherited were trivial compared with the good sense passed down from her industrious parents—who respected the teenage hunger for responsibility to equal parts fun—colored with their own impoverished, naïve worldview when it came to the serpentine dwellers of the inherently wobbly branches of the family tree.
By Greg Evenden6 years ago in Humans
