Romance Short Stories

Unlikely Savior

Today began as many other summer days had. I pulled myself from my night’s rest and looked down from my cat tree to observe my charges. Mother and Babe are…[...]

The rooster’s dream

The rooster was standing tall, up in the dying tree. The remaining crimson leaves were flowing alongside his golden feathers. His claws were grasping the branch below, excitedly, but not…[...]

Crickett, the Squirrel and the Tree

“I am never listening to Oscar again!” Crickett, the tri-colored Corgi says as she sits up in a tree. She’s not mad but she is scared. Thankfully it is a…[...]

Unfamiliar love

Nadi had finally accepted that her situation was no longer sustainable. She was dashing through the tall grass as fast as her legs would carry her, and yet the sound…[...]

A Summer’s Tale

A Summer’s Tale A balmy summer evening - powder blue skies, a manicured garden and a quietness that pervades the senses and rests your soul. It's that part of the…[...]

Gigi

I loved this time of year, when Gigi would come and stay with us from around Thanksgiving and through Christmas and into January! Gigi was my Great Grandma, Dad’s Grandma.…[...]

Sunset

Life began suddenly. I was swept from my mother's arms at her death, before I could walk. I spent 178 days with my mother (including the days I was in…[...]

Prism Walk

It was getting dark between the houses as we rushed through the borough for the last time this week. The shadows hiding in the concrete pavement came to life beneath…[...]

I often ventured

I often ventured Out on a snowy dayFreely and with no qualms.Big outback hat.Boots of course, andA long floor length black raincoat. That was the only thing big enoughTo cover…[...]

Ouija board

Thunder rumbled. Lightning danced across the sky. A gale wind beat against the house. Sarah, Tina, Maria, and Beth were warm and dry inside.It was Sarah's tenth birthday. Sarah and…[...]

The Winter’s Vigil

The Winter’s Vigil In the beginning there were Kindness, Beauty, and unconditional Love. God had blessed the Animals with so much of these gifts that very little was left for…[...]

The Old Man’s Sword

Once upon a time a boy ventured so deep into the forest that he realized he no longer knew how to get home. The boy was so focused on exploring…[...]

The Poison Garden

Once upon a time, there was a princess who grew herself a poison garden. It was a garden she had created as a young lady in training, a fledgling still…[...]

Aunt Mira’s Pancakes

In this village, in a now largely lost world, it almost never rained in summer. A blessing for the spoiled city folk, a curse for the villagers here.“Eee-eee-eee! How can…[...]

A snowstorm in summer

When the last feelbinder was burned, my parents were my age. I wasn't born yet. Grandpa died in the Book War. When I ask Dad about it, he says charged…[...]

No Rest for a Sick Momma

They say that mothers never get a day off. They weren’t lying.I am currently under the weather, and yet here I am, stirring a pot of grits to feed three…[...]

The Boy and the Man

The boy looked up at the bluff, then down at the man lying at his feet. Up at the bluff once more, then down at the man again. He wondered…[...]

The Man Who Danced With Pixies

The Man Who Danced with Pixies There was once a man named Leo who lived in a small, charming village nestled between rolling hills and whispering forests. The village was…[...]

Fit For a King

Fit For A King I was eight years old yesterday. After my birthday party, when all my friends left, I was so tired that I barely remember flopping into bed.…[...]

The Fireflies of Freedom

“Heads up, everyone! As I have told you every day since your arrival on my plantation, the woods are off limits. Don’t even think about escaping through these woods because…[...]

The London LibraryCordially invites you to the 150 year anniversary sleepover,an incredible and unforgettable adventure.2 April 1991 - 7pm - 14 St James's Square, LondonBring nothing but this ticket and…[...]

Bedtime Teatime

A pink-mouthed yawn stretched open as the little squirrel sat in her cozy nest high above the soft needled carpet below. Her home in the Ponderosa pine tree provided everything…[...]

A Day in the Life of a Baseball Bat

I’ve always known I was born for greatness. Crafted from true-straight, fire hardened ash wood, worn smooth and gripped tight by eager hands. The Louisville Slugger of dreams - the…[...]

Greyhound Trilogy

GREYHOUND TRILOGY – early reader series. PART 1: How my greyhound got his name. – By Billy Mum and Dad have decided we need a dog.‘At last,’ I say.But they…[...]

Babylon’s Littlest Lion

Babylon’s Littlest Lion It was a normal day in Babylon. Hot. Dry. Dusty. The sun had just peeped over the horizon but the palace already felt like an oven. I…[...]

The World of Foxy Patch

For weeks I was hanging out at the Takapuna Market on a long metal rack with dozens of friends and acquaintances. “Hey, zzzzip!” we called out to each other. There…[...]

Hollow Cravings

Hollow Cravings Walter was hungry. He was always hungry. The hunger drove him. The hunger lived with him at all times, all he could think about while swimming in endless…[...]

Percy’s Plan

Percy was having the worst morning of his life, and absolutely everyone would be hearing about it. In fact, according to him, he couldn’t possibly meow too loudly for the…[...]

The Metal Man

At the midnight hour, in a home no bigger than a shoebox, there lived a small metal man.He tick tick ticked away as he diligently worked. He was fashioning new…[...]

The Enormous Pressure of Impending Despair

Around a month ago, I found a lump on my son’s wrist. After his bath one night I was drying him off and we were having our usual post-bath giggles.…[...]

“Three Minutes and Twenty-seven Seconds on the Scoreboard Clock”

Three Minutes and Twenty-seven Seconds on the Scoreboard Clock“Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments.”-Rose Kennedy It is one of the things that makes us human; a child’s…[...]

Coda

As it turns out, it doesn’t really hurt to die.This is a feast that can’t possibly satisfy me. The crisp attar of pine and brilliant, ethereal sunbeams mesmerize me, not…[...]

Wish You Weren’t Here

It was the day of my 13th birthday. I had invited nine of my best friends to celebrate with me at the small park down the lane from my little…[...]

The Great Wizard War. . . according to whomever tells it.

The Wizard War (According to Whom You Ask) I was warming my old bones by the hearth when the hatchlings burst through the door, all long limbs and elbows, screeching,…[...]

Sorry about her

There are seven cherry trees on the walk between our house and the park and they are all in bloom. We walk the same way to the park, always the…[...]

Field Trip to Ko Ma

This is the story of the day that didn’t happen.It began like any other day, with Emily’s breakfast. She went to breakfast right away after waking up from bed, not…[...]

Lucy Turns 6

Lucy packed Paulina, her favorite doll, in her suitcase. She had already packed her birthday dress, her pajamas, her favorite shirt, one pair of shorts, a Pull-Up, socks, and a…[...]

Railway memories

07/03/1995Dear diary,today I would like to talk to you about how precious memories are and how they are never in vain. Edith Arbour has always been a girl who cherished…[...]

The Hamster, The Wizard and the Cat-flap

Although it’s true that Hamsters usually live in some sort of cage. You won’t be surprised to hear that Trevor chose to let his Hamster have the run of the…[...]

Pickles

The humans named me Pickles. Honestly, I don’t know what that means. Is it a common human name? Why is it plural? Is there something about my appearance or personality…[...]

The Prank

“I saw this on TikTok and it totally works.”Marcus shook his head. “It doesn’t. It’s a legend. They faked it.”“No for real, come on,” I insisted, and we snuck up…[...]

Again & Again

5:00 A.M. The alarm rang softly in the dark beside the bed.A hand reached out from under the blanket and pressed the button on top to turn it off before…[...]

An Adventure with Bob, Fred, and Doctor Dill Pickle

Once upon a time in the land of Snackville, Bob the Cheeseburger, with his cheese self and Fred the Taco with his spicy salsa, and their wise friend Doctor Dill…[...]

Embrace Every Moment

“Brrrrr”, I shivered as we stepped forward on the crunching snow laid across the sidewalk. It was January 17 and -15 here in Strathroy, Ontario. My sister and I were…[...]

Hidden Hound.

Another week had finished for Oliver and Henry. They were both 11 years old, and lived in the same street, only two doors away from each other. They had long…[...]

Fair Game

FAIR GAMEby Judy McSweeney Corn on the cob must be eaten like using a typewriter—line by line, twisting the ear mechanically, until every butter-soaked salty pearl is stripped from the…[...]

A Light in the Darkness

Day 1 “They’ll come for me, Total Eclipse!” I shouted at the super villain, my kidnapper, who led me through the halls of his mansion. “My team cares about me!…[...]

Hole

“Everyone, everything, is just a pattern of molecules,” he told the children. “Even the most different things you can think of. Like peanut butter and a big fire truck. They’re…[...]

Unholy.

Strangely, by the time Oliver and Henry had finished breakfast the next morning, the early fog had been wafted away by a sunny breeze. Saturday was for tennis. Oliver's coach…[...]

Innate Fears

I always believed that most kinds of fears were learned. Mostly passed down from parents. My son's pediatrician confirmed this. Children are born afraid of only two things, she told…[...]

The Witch’s unwilling apprentice.

The witch’s apprenticeNope. She couldn’t do it.Merliah had ripped off the legs of a locust, scooped out the guts of a bunderlout. But she could not – would not gouge…[...]

Pinky Promise

I stretch my arms above my head, allowing my spine to crack one vertebrae at a time. I am sleeping on the floor on a thin mattress pad, with bunched…[...]

SHADOW SYNDICATE NO KING ALLOWED

This is the story of the Shadow Syndicate, a group of elite thieves living in the neon crime city of Nebulon Noir—a place where even shadows don’t trust each other.…[...]

Satchel

We got a magazine in the mail today. Mama gave it to me after school. It’s one of those that sells lots of different kinds of candy, which means big…[...]

Motownphilly Girl Scout

“Five more minutes, girls.”Finally!For two hours my friend Teal and I had been craning our necks at every exit sign, anticipation dancing in our eyes, as we kept watch for…[...]

The Blue Alien

Hello friend. My name is Emma. I want to tell you the story of my friend Blue. I call him that because he is blue. He is also an alien.…[...]

The Blue Alien

Hello friend. My name is Emma. I want to tell you the story of my friend Blue. I call him that because he is blue. He is also an alien.…[...]

Hungry Eyes

I don’t remember being adopted. It’s just a story, part of the family folklore to make me feel special and wanted. When I was a kid, I never got tired…[...]

A Red Suitcase in Vonitsa

A Red Suitcase in VonitsaIt was one of those days when the midday shadows feel thick and heavy across the narrow alleys of the Mediterranean. The eucalyptus trees still held…[...]

Life Cycle of a Crush

I am sitting, sandwiched in between my best friend, Alexa “Lexi” Tran and the 5th grade class gossip; Joselyn Wu. Lexi is trying to trick Mack Mcleod Spence into giving…[...]

Operation: Lunch Break Hostage

I’ve been going to this place for a while now. These ladies are telling me to “choose the work I like” and always stopping me from doing the fun stuff.…[...]

Blue Bear

The best part of Saturday morning is going to Grandma’s house while Mom is at work. Her house always smells like apple pie. Last week she made us French toast…[...]

It’s not my fault

Write a story from the point POV of a monster, infected creature or lone traveller. IT’S NOT MY FAULT “It’s not my fault that I was born this way, and…[...]

The Tricks of the Hidden Hound.

Mysteries evolve and need solving. The lads enjoyed their trip to Eastville Shopping Complex. After Simon bought some late lunch for Oliver and Henry, they all went to the sports…[...]

Sneaking out to the woods at night

Fluffy white clouds floated in an aquarium sky. Bluejays flew overhead, singing. Dogs rolled in the grass barking. The smell of roasting meat, cooked on a charcoal grill filled the…[...]

AUTHOR

Writer block that's what they called it; when a writer creativity goes on a freeze.But Arnold Mouse 🐭 wrote children books about a little girl named Alexis Couch and her…[...]

The Blank Page

The notebook had been open for two hours.Mira knew this because the clock on the wall made a sound on the hour, a small hollow tick and she had heard…[...]

Being Brave with Mr. Lavender

„I have to arrange a few more things, but I’ll help you unpack them later, okay?” my mom said, pointing to five large boxes in my new, bigger room. We’ve…[...]

Welcome to Red Creek.

"This is supposed to be Spring in the country!" Candice groaned silently, as the ribbon of dull grey asphalt road ahead seemed endless. Her sister, Montana, asked again, "Are we…[...]

The Land Without Color

When Marcel Deneuve was born, everyone knew there was something just not right about him. Walking awkwardly into the classroom on his first day of school, with his large nose…[...]

Loneliness can Kill You

This poor old lady named Lucy lived alone. She raised 8 children and loved them very much. She would do anything she could to help them, but one day, before…[...]

The B-Word

1.“Alright, class, let’s finish up our artwork so we can move on to snack time,” Ms. Johnson says. “We need to finish if you want to have time for show…[...]

Where is the diaper? – A toddler’s report

One Saturday afternoon my day was like any other Saturday. I woke up, I chatted with my stuffed toys and eventually my dad came to get my out of the…[...]

They’re Multiplying.

Back in the classroom, Oliver lifted each page of a torture test, and stared in horror at Page 4. One of the girls raised her hand, and Mr. Zeke asked…[...]

Final Draft

Delilah dashed through the tangle of wildflowers in the meadow before hesitating at the edge of the dreary forest. Her father had asked her to stay within the borders of…[...]

Queen of Tarts

Background MADOOREE in the human world, and KARA the guardian in the world of Klim and Marec Meet the cat of two worlds. Nosy Madooree finds the new magical world…[...]

Still Life, Moving

Chloe awoke to the caress of morning light on her face that beckoned a slow, contented yawn, savoring the quiet comfort of the moment. Her eyes fluttered open, and she…[...]

Ad Astra

Theo always had trouble sleeping— too many thoughts at too fast a speed for the elementary student to process. His inner monologue would only be halfway through a sentence before…[...]

The Wizard on 114th

Late Summer afternoons had always painted the buildings along 114th Street in a haze, and there was a particularly orange hue today. Sumaya, swinging her legs over the edge of…[...]

Minzy The Star Cleaner

Minzy glanced out at the emptiness and shivered. All those stars and planets were so terribly far away. It was one thing to see the night sky from home with…[...]

Near and Far

A bagful of popcorn kernels, three ripe tomatoes, three wire coat hangers, and six marbles. That’s all it’s going to take for me to be able to see without glasses. I…[...]

Beowulf: A Guard Dog’s Tale

Dedicated to my furstborn, who thinks he is much braver than he is, but really just has the sweetest and most tender heart, and often gets the short end of…[...]

Dad Errands

These days as an adult, I cannot even convince myself to get out of bed unless I know there is coffee waiting for me. When I go on vacations, I…[...]

Inshallah

04/02/2022Mama has been to the hospital quite a few times before, but she always comes back home eventually. So, when she went to the hospital this morning I thought this…[...]

Mouse!

(This uses a triangular sequence to determine the number of words per line, and per paragraph https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangular_number. A couple of the longer lines seem to wrap as well - not…[...]

Resurrection

Sonoran summers… Eight lanes of pavement boil and pop across the Mexico–United States border, and eight lanes of vehicles crawl slower than a walk, halting for several minutes at a time.…[...]

The Angels Kissed Her Heart

She awoke to angels kissing her heart. A flutter of eyes, the peck of soft lips, a skip of a beat. Flutter, peck, skip. It sounded like a rhythm. A…[...]

The Tarot Reader

Stephanie Gutierrez stared at the neon sign in the storefront window, barely breathing.INTUITIVE TAROT CARD READER, it announced. Squiggly lines bordered the words, while stars and moons adorned the empty…[...]

Poetic Blindness: Looking Over The Rose Colored Glasses

Have you ever sat and watched the book of you as it repeated, page by page and chapter by chapter; then realized the names and faces changed but the characters…[...]

The Holes Game

Warning: Mentions and implied domestic abuse. A daughter is her mother's representative in the playground. She is her valiant stand-in when someone means to insult the absent elder. And praise…[...]

Last Minute Fadeaway to Win the Game

Back in high school, I was a player, a basketball star. In the sport of love though, I keep putting up bricks, it took until my last day at Vic’s…[...]

Resolutions and Social Networks

It was April already, and his New year’s resolutions were nowhere near to be completed: meet somebody new, exercise more, try something that scares you. Scratch that first one, won’t…[...]

A San Miguel Roadrunner

Maria could tell almost before waking that Santiago was sleeping next to her. From the street came the sound of distant sirens, a noise that had become a comfort to…[...]

The Grand Illusion

Jose Garcia is watching the movie, “Scarface”, with Al Pacino for the fifth time. He is an impressionable young man of 20 years old. He likes the concept that a poor immigrant…[...]

La Celda de la Muerte

Before the tent crashed in, the arguing voices had already woken him up and Juan's skin prickled with apprehension, how could he protect his sister and himself? Looking out into…[...]

The Hummingbird

“I’d be an atheist, but then I’d have no one to be angry with,” Horacio lisped. His delicate fingers brought the cigarette closer to his face, then back near mine…[...]

The Second Room

“And over here is the master bedroom,” the realtor beamed, gesturing dramatically with her left arm towards the bedroom’s alder door, “Isn’t the natural light marvelous?” she asked. Franky and…[...]

Keeper of La Giraldilla

The front gate of La Giraldilla was about what I expected after glimpsing it in the worn-out pamphlet given to me by Papá, right before he passed. This was it.…[...]

The Difference

"There she goes. Thinking she's so perfect just because she has a nice body." "I can't stand her, she's always so happy, there's nothing to be that happy about." "Why…[...]

The Great Madame Espy Der

The fortune teller’s parlor hadn’t looked this creepy from the outside. Sure, the light on the tacky, pink—The Great Madame Espy Der—neon sign had been sputtering and shooting out some…[...]