Tag Archives: Short Story

Forget the Rules (ThreeMinuteFiction)

This story was my submission to Round 8 of ThreeMinuteFiction on NPR. The first sentence was given to the writers, and the rest was up to us. Enjoy.

She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. The flashbulbs exploded immediately as she crossed the threshold, blinding her eyes to the assembled mob. “Over here,” shouted the crowd, echoing off of the red brick facade of her home. She carefully took a step back, questioning her decision to abandon the memoir, but she had not seen the sun up close since yesterday morning, and she was beginning to feel restless.

A French voice cut through the chorus,“Ms. Reynolds, do you really believe you can compete?”
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Flirting with the Night [NSFW]

The following short story contains adult themes and suggestive writing, though it does not contain sexual intercourse. The story is not recommended for individuals who are not aware or comfortable with the topics of sex, seduction, or intimacy.

She slipped her driver’s license into the slim pocket of her purse, zipping it closed quickly before following the rest of the girls into the club. A few heads turned to stare at the small group as the lights danced across their white dresses. They headed towards the bar to order a new round of drinks, but by the time Meredith joined the group, the predictable batch of guys were already swarming, their wallets open on the counter.

“Hey baby, what can I get you?” Meredith smiled politely and pushed her gentle curls behind her ears. “A cape cod, please.”

“Right away sweetheart.” Her smile dropped away as soon as his gaze turned towards the bar. She hated it when the creeps called her cute nicknames. She already had a name that she liked; why couldn’t they just call her that?

“Thank you,” she said as she grabbed the clear plastic cup from his hand. His lips flexed as he formed a thought, but she spoke again before the sound could escape his lips. “We’re going to go dance. We’ll see you later.” Meredith’s smile grew large as she moved past him and scooped her arm under Sarah’s. The group fell into step behind them, leaving the boys at the bar, unable to decide on their next course of action.
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Bonus Short Stories – Em D’s Eyes & My Wings II

These two stories were written for artists on DeviantArt, as a personal challenge to create a story for their favorite piece of art. They are both shorter (~250 words), but just as wonderful.

Em D's Eyes by Nanosichi

Em D's Eyes by Nanosichi on DeviantArt

Em D’s Eyes

She was use to long days and strange outfits, but Emily could not have imagined today’s gig. She had been modeling all over New York for a few months now, and when her agency said that there was a photo shoot just off of Times Square, she knew it was going to be big. When she walked into the studio, the large windows overlooking the square had the drapes pulled back completely, letting the room fill with the light of all the electronic billboards. The room had mirrors, prisms, and all sorts of colored glass dangling in front of the window.

She was handed a vibrant pink coat with small mirrors covering it and instructed to put it on while they, “finished setting up the room”. When she walked out again, the room was awash with every color of the rainbow. “Just stand on the X over there and let’s get started,” said the photographer.

Emily moved from the darkened hallway to the spot, and immediately her outfit exploded with color. I’m a professional. I can make this work. She tried to ignore everything and focus on just the camera man, moving in and out of the shadows with every click. She grabbed a bit of her sleeve and put it between her teeth and stared at him, the blue of her eyes resisting the room’s fragmented colors. The camera clicked three times in rapid succession, and in that set of pictures, Emily had moved from struggling model to Em D, supermodel.

My Wings II by 3wyl

My Wings II by 3wyl on DeviantArt

My Wings II

The apartment tiles were small on the patio, leaving marks on his heels as he pressed his weight against them. It had been 6 years since he had been back at his parent’s place, and it brought back ill memories.

He stood on the other side of the railing, his toes dangling over the edge. As he glanced down at the world below, he could see the courtyard was empty, save a few trees and many more stark white tiles. His hands were gripping the railing behind him as he leaned forward, shifting his weight out into the open air. He thought it would make him nervous, but instead he was content. It was 6 years ago that he stood at this exact same spot and thought about ending his life.

Today wasn’t going to be the same. Some words a friend shared with him that day had brought him inside, and today he wanted to come back to the same place where so much pain had gathered and let it free. He could feel the weight of it lifting away from his body, guilty wings soaring into the open air. He tightened his muscles and pulled his body back toward the railing, his heels bearing his full weight on the edge.

“When you can’t run, you crawl, and when you can’t crawl, you find someone to carry you,” he said to himself as he looked out on the sunset falling behind the opposite building. He had found someone to carry him for a while, and now he could run again.

Christmas Morning (Day 30)

The window fogged up slowly, the haze growing with each breathe as Sansa stared out into the yard. She shifted her weight onto her right arm, lifting her left sleeve up to the window, giving it a vigorous rub. The snow had stopped falling early in the morning, but the tree branches and bushes still had a dusting of snow covering their tops. Sansa swore that this year would be different; she would stay awake all night if the need arose.
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Bad Listener (Day 29)

Buck paced back and forth on the white tile, moving between the living room and the dining room at an accelerated pace. He was nervous, because he was told to just chill out and behave himself. It wasn’t often that he was left alone in the house, but if it was longer than a casual nap, he usually got antsy and needed to entertain himself. This entertainment usually lasted until something laid shattered in a million pieces, and today was no exception.
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Revenge (Day 28)

Marcy had always loved the movie Home Alone, where a young boy, abandoned by his family when they left on vacation, holds off a pair of dimwitted robbers who break into his house. Hijinks ensues. It use to be a simple source of enjoyment, but in the last month it has shifted to being a source of inspiration. Ever since she found out that her husband had a mistress, she had secretly been planning her revenge.

She spent the first few nights crying, wondering what she did wrong that lead her man astray. She still kissed him on the cheek when he left after dinner to, “head back to the office and wrap up a few things.” After feeling sorry for herself, something snapped on the inside and she began plotting. Luckily, Brad had never wanted children, so there were no distractions when she starting setting her traps.
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Coma Patient (Day 27)

The stark white room was filled with the beep of the heart monitor and six people all holding their breath: 1 doctor, 2 nurses, his parents, and his wife. Xavier opened his eyes slowly, letting in only the slightest bit of light to his underused retinas. One of the nurses moved back from the bed and flipped one of the two light switches on the wall, dimming the room. Xavier opened his eyes a little bit wider and tried to focus on the smiley face stuck to the ceiling above his bed.

He groaned and tried to lift his head, but his body was weak from inactivity. “Try to relax Xavier,” said the nurse still at his bedside. His wife’s eyes were red and puffy as the tears welled up inside them. His mother’s hands were wrapped around her husband’s arm, but she managed to hold back tears as she gripped him tighter. Xavier tilted his head towards the woman speaking with a relaxing tone. His mouth opened and a cough escaped, “Where am I,” he asked with a scratchy voice.
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