We Grow from our Graves
Do we have the will to lead us where we want to go? Or does life often provide circumstances and obstacles that derail us from where we intend to go?…[...]
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The Heartbeat Collector
We inherit more than genes from our fathers. Mine passed on his love for heartbeats. Together, we’d cruise into the city to scour used record stores to find them. Although…[...]
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The Last Prayer
According to the Internet, belief is the acceptance that something is true or real, often without requiring complete proof or evidence. In other words, it is the feeling of certainty—trusting…[...]
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My Mothers Lies
My mother once told me that my dad was an alien. I was six when she told me that. Now, my parents were born and raised in another country, Peru.…[...]
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Autumns Wish
Autumn’s Wish Autumn waited until the house settled into its soft evening quiet—the kind of quiet that made the lamps glow warmer and the walls feel closer, as if the…[...]
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One More Mug: Father’s Ale
"How many cups does it take to drown a man?"The stranger asks the man with an empty cup and a missing leg"Bartender, one for me."Requested by the stranger, and as…[...]
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Chasing Hope
I wouldn’t say that I’ve been tossing and turning and that’s how I ended up feeling the need to get out of bed. It’s deeper than that. Something is pulling…[...]
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Close to Home
They sat around the pond, Lake Mini-Ha-Ha, and listened to the story of when Kyle got a fishing hook pierced through his cheek through the inside of his mouth and…[...]
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Longing for my Reason
“Good Morning Handsome”… “Good Morning Handsome”. I’m tempted to play the recording one more time, but I’ve been indulging in this for 25 minutes now and if I continue, I…[...]
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The grave tree
The bare November trees were hard and cold as Billy knocked his head back against one to keep from snapping at Robin. She had stopped her slow pace to stare…[...]
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Awkward Silence
Ever since Abraham killed his son Isaac, things have not been the same between them. They talk less, for one. There used to be more free-flowing, spontaneous discussion about any…[...]
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The picture of the cat
Brown fur. Which one would work? Lea’s fingers stroked gently over the neatly arranged coloured pencils in the box. Seeing the colours, she waited for the right feeling. A light…[...]
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Debris on the seashore.
When is it too late to tell someone that you love them? My love only ever found its shape through loss; i bid every love farewell in the hope it…[...]
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An Uncle’s Eulogy
“Well I’m serious, fuck this guy. Honestly, I didn’t even like this guy and I’m crying. He sucked and was a racist piece of shit” Megan said. “I spent the…[...]
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A Timeless Tale
From within that great house, the greatest in the neighborhood, came the tensest of tickings from the strangest of clocks. The girl who lived in the house was only sure…[...]
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The School Topper
Initially, I’d held my head high in the deep green, silver-bordered saree I was wearing. But walking through the gargantuan crowd of hundreds of students in the school lobby, every…[...]
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Never Been Kissed
What is it to have been kissed?I have never been kissedAnd I never knew why.But I am now saving itFor later on in lifeI hear it is all in the…[...]
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The Wrong Way Around
The first time they noticed, it wasn’t dramatic. It was a quiet correction. A worksheet returned with small red circles around letters that leaned the wrong way. A note at…[...]
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When Will Someday Come?
The engine of the pretty blue car was loud and I ran my hands over the smooth leather seats. “I like your Chevy ballet, Grandpa.”Grandpa’s laugh was warm and always…[...]
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Chapter 1: The Lunchroom
It was early Monday morning and an announcement from the intercom interrupted my nap. “Good morning students! This school year has been off to a great start so far. Today…[...]
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Le duel pour l’amour de la ballerine
Three is the perfect number; all sides are even, and it's the strongest shape. For Kerr, Dwain, and Cecily, it was their whole childhood. They did everything together, but, like…[...]
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I’d Give Almost Anything for Her
I love Ella. I don't think I understood how much until now, until there was something real on the line, and I can feel it stretching between us like it…[...]
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Nevermind the Spiders
*note* while there are triggers and mention of violence there is nothing graphic. Only glanced over as reference. Never mind the spiders, they are good luck. It is the bird…[...]
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Smith and Wesson
That scorching sun wasn’t lying. It made every blistering moment of my torment feel intentional. I looked up at it, squinting like always. That made me frown and wonder if…[...]
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Matzah Brie
Mother breaks another cracker into jagged bits and stirs in the egg mixture, leaving it to soak while the burner heats up the pan. Her elbow grows a shade pinker…[...]
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Second Place is First Loser
INTRODUCTION: Everyone searches for value and self-worth. And while our worth really isn’t something we should tally by success, a little winning goes a long way. Is it so much…[...]
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A Car for Clowns
I thought my father owned this house, but I’ve been wrong about better things. I was wrong about how long a tomato can stay in the fridge. I was wrong…[...]
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Father Said
Father said fear was a test.If your hands shook, you prayed harder. If your stomach turned, you knelt longer. If your heart beat too fast, it meant the Adversary had…[...]
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Party in the desert
There was a sweet atmosphere that morning. Sunshine, with a light cool breeze. The windows were open and the white and purple kitchen curtains, were moving back and forth, creating…[...]
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Garden Knight
Not all heroes carry swords—some carry watering cansThe wagon beneath Arken rattled over the ruts of the old road. But his mind was not on the road; it was up…[...]
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Platold Ore
The High Elf toppled to the ground, his battle axe slipping from his grip. He attempted to stand, but with no strength left, he collapsed. “Why have you done this?”…[...]
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Rhyming with Daisy
The clothes had to have been too big.Rango repeated that same sentence in silence, in the form of both an observation, and a plea, dozens of times during the drive…[...]
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This story is about tomatoes
Like every other Sunday, three contours sit on the table. The round cherry wood piece I bought at a flea market last month, is covered in dishes of baked potatoes…[...]
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About the Colour Pink
Sally had always loved the colour Pink. The walls in her room were blush Pink; her pillows were coral and raspberry, and most of her clothes were too, in fact,…[...]
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Beneath the light of the comet
The summer ET was released on video I was first in line at the rental store - itching to watch it - having been deemed too young to see the…[...]
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A Matter of Time
Hey. My Mum’s dying. Wanna date me? Yeah, it’s not one I’d start with either. So I haven’t. Mum told me, anyway, not to put my life on hold just…[...]
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By any other name
First of all, it's the loan of a pen.The kid is a transfer in, a scrawny bag of knees and elbows deposited into 10PT by the hands of fate. Jacob…[...]
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Cookies to Share
This story talks about the horror of war, bloodshed, rape, and violence. Mid December 1914 near Ypres, Belgium It was still dark when Helen and her mother Mary stepped outside…[...]
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Civil Twilight
Loudly, the door slams shut, shoved by a sudden gust of wind. It had been a long week and Jim was glad to be home. Wearily, he crosses the stained…[...]
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Cookies for Santa
I leaned against the end of the stairwell, watching my mother guide my younger sister’s hand to stir the bowl. Flour dusted the countertops and Dakota’s curly hair, her giggles…[...]
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For the Halibut
The waiter swept away Conrad's empty plate then questioned if I was finished with mine. At this point I was only pushing the remaining halibut around my plate so relinquished…[...]
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dear santa
Santa Clause hi! i am charlie from the brik house at the end of my road. i have never righted a letter before but i heared that santa clause and…[...]
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Secret Santa.
In a land far, far away, it was supposed to be that most magical time of the year. But it was on-trend to browse online for lifehacks, even for grey,…[...]
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Beware the Zwetshgenkuchen
Beware the Zwetchgenkuchen Winter had arrived, and Christmas day was approaching, and there was going to be a big Christmas celebration thrown by one of the biggest companies in town,…[...]
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STUFFED SQUID
New home, new country, new Christmas. I was determined to make a good first impression. Christmas Eve dinner should be based on fish dishes, in the Italian tradition. This tradition…[...]
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Vanilla Biscuit Nights
Silver Song never went a Christmas without setting out treats for the Windsnap faeries. And this year was no different.She ignored the gossiping whispers from the maids and ignored her…[...]
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“Snowfall Shift”
The first flakes fell just as Benny turned the key. They drifted lazily out of the December sky—soft, round, delicate—twirling as they descended toward the quiet city streets. From our…[...]
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Family Christmas
Josh stared out of the window as his train left Runcorn Station and began making its way over the Mersey River, heading towards Liverpool. The morning light struggled to filter…[...]
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In the Quiet of a Winter Night
A plow lumbered down the road, breaking the silence of the late winter evening. Clearing the last of the slush and spraying salt behind it in preparation for the coming…[...]
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Before I Lose You…
One winter secret might finally thaw—or shatter—the most important relationship Shayla has left. Per usual, Shayla calls and I come running…willingly every single time. The guys never miss an opportunity…[...]
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Over the weather
In Sweden, we call it The Wall. To ”crash into The Wall” is to be burnt out, exhausted, needing to rest and take time off from work and friends, the…[...]
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The Storyteller
Two scarred hands carefully parted the branches of an old tree stump, the hood pulled low, only the rise and fall of the person's breath visible. The figure looked toward…[...]
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Moon Over Miami
“Honestly, Officer. I didn't intentionally moon all the residents on Miami Street. It was an unfortunate accident. A comedy of errors, actually, you might say. An innocent incident spinning out…[...]
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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…[...]
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Silent Keys on Christmas Eve
The freeway stretched black and endless beneath the starlit December sky, its shoulders rimmed with snowdrifts that gleamed under the moon. Swirls of snow from the north wind slithered like…[...]
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The Memory in the Magic Bars
Sarina Turner pushed open the heavy fellowship-hall door with her elbow, balancing a wide glass tray lined with foil. A wave of warm, cinnamon-tinged air hit her immediately; the Oklahoma…[...]
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Tails of Healing
It was Friday, November 28th, or what is known as Black Friday, the hectic shopping day after Thanksgiving. For James and his wife, Anna, it marked the beginning of their…[...]
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The Age of Innocence
Year 2045 – December 24th in the evening I know what hell is. I’ve been living in it for the last ten years. Ever since the grandfather clock in my…[...]
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The Old City Bar
Let me tell you a story that you won’t believe, even if I told it twice, in case you didn't believe me the first time. It all started at the…[...]
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Bathroom Saga
Christmas 2024 – December 24th, 25th, and 26thHey there Diary,Haven’t been around much lately, I know. But I need you now.Not only do I have very young puppies shitting on…[...]
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Candy Cane Cookies *TOP SECRET*
Grandma & Lizzie’s Candy Cane Cookie *TOP SECRET* RecipeIngredients1 cup softened butter1 ½ cups sugar1 egg3 cups flour⅛ tsp baking powder¼ tsp cream of tartar1 tbsp heavy cream1 ¼ tsp…[...]
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Winter is Coming
by John Britto Standing in his dusty closet, Corbin Beeson steadied himself on his cane with his right hand. With his free hand, he grabbed the hanger holding his wife’s…[...]
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Questions for Christmas
Snow fell onto the ground outside, covering the earth in wintry white. The chilly air outside attempted to bite its way inside, but didn’t succeed. Homemade hot chocolate was bubbling…[...]
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The Secret
James was sitting at the table in his gift-wrapping room, which really was his guest bedroom with a folding table. Listening to Christmas music and humming along.Jasper, the big orange…[...]
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GLASS DOLL
I should have been strong enough to kill my kidnapper. Instead, I was made of glass. They say everyone has their Christmas traditions, and so I have mine. Return to…[...]
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Brownies in the Boat
Christmas is wrapped up in a mishmash of flavors, textures, tinted hues, and bright surprises. It smells of pigs in blankets, sounds like sleigh bells ringing for tiny hearts beating…[...]
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The Pine Who Knew Too Much
I’m not your average pine tree. For one thing, I’ve been around since before the town of Elmswick even existed, and I’ve seen more human shenanigans than I care to…[...]
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If Only I Could Speak
Deep in the indigenous mountains of Mexico, the small town of Izamal gets ready for the fast-approaching Christmas Day. Despite the cold season manifesting as bare trees, dry grass, snowfall,…[...]
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Christmas at Tinsel Town
Trying to find a gift during the Christmas season can be a daunting task, but when you’re twelve and trying to buy your mother the perfect gift with your own…[...]
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The Boy and The Man
A trick of the light, I say.Just a trick of the light.But my whole body tingles on edge.That feeling of falling or about to fall.A feeling I haven’t felt in…[...]
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Willow Always Stayed
The bright curtains were drawn back, engulfing the diner in a brusque pale December light. The waitresses moved swiftly, placing cups and plates between plastic carnations. Willow sat alone in…[...]
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Patient Zero
I opened the email about the annual Family Christmas party for Susan’s side of the family. A little bile rose in my throat. I thought back on the party over…[...]
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Christmas is for dogs
(Sensitive content -swearing ) CHRISTMAS IS FOR DOGS By 3pm the grown-ups, fed, warm and mellow, lolled on the settee and chairs like so many overstuffed turkeys. The Queen’s speech…[...]
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A Season For Secrets
Serena hadn’t meant to snoop.After dinner, her mom gave her the go-ahead for her to bring the Christmas ornaments down from the attic. As she climbed the wooden ladder, her…[...]
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Memories, Past and Present
“This is what I want,” her daughter said excitedly while pointing to a photo on her phone.Lucia looked at the picture, it was of an elegant lady’s wristwatch. It brought…[...]
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Everywhere is an Exit
The station clock turns 22.36. Four minutes until the last train home.I look around my things, check I’ve got everything. Suitcases, backpack, phone. I see the train guard throwing me…[...]
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Marty Learns the Truth
On the outside, Marty’s home was the picture of Christmas cheer. Lights trimmed the gutters, glowing through the dusting of snow. Inflatable reindeer rippled in the freezing winter gale. A…[...]
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Merry Cruisemas
Sarah had dreamed her entire life of taking a cruise. At age sixty, she could scarcely believe she was finally stepping onto the second largest cruise ship in the world,…[...]
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In Conclusion: 33 Dead & a Turkey for Dinner
In the gray twilight of the hour that precedes the coming of the sun, forms are difficult to make out. Sight seems dimmed and untrustworthy. The whole world appears to…[...]
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Dear Satan, I Have Been a Very Good Boy
It isn’t often that Lucifer Morningstar received a letter. When the envelope came across his desk, the King of Hell was intrigued. He held it, examining the childishly scrawled words…[...]
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An Imperfectly Perfect Christmas
Although I was heading out of the country for ten days, I determined Christmas 2024 would be stress free—not the usual last-minute mad dash. My sweet potato casserole and other…[...]
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What Happens In The Closet
The tulip champagne glass sitting in Darlene Atwell’s hand was filled to the rim with creamy eggnog. The eggnog, sweetened with nutmeg, vanilla, and spiced rum, had been one of…[...]
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VERSION 2.0
I would be lying if I said the cacophony downstairs isn’t getting to me. It feels like they are smugly rubbing it in. “Look, we are down here enjoying our…[...]
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The December I Used to Know
It’s December again. I hate December. The twinkling and the flashing Christmas lights. They make you dizzy when you stare too long or try to follow the lighting pattern. And…[...]
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Alone on Christmas
Daniel sat on the edge of his couch, staring at the blinking lights of a small, artificial Christmas tree he had purchased from Walmart the week before. It wasn't much—just…[...]
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A Night of Tricks
Tomorrow would be Christmas, her favorite holiday. Full of delicious food, gifts, and most important to Gwyn, family. Gwyn always looked forward to creating new memories with her family and…[...]
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