One Man’s trash is another Man’s… Demon?
Come on Imogene! This thrift store is supposed to have the best stuff!” I was not as excited as my sister, Kathy, as she tried to drag me to yet…[...]
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Every Type of Cabbage
“They hate me, don’t they?” The burn of the kimchi jigae still coats my tongue in fire despite the ginseng tea I try to douse it with. I feel a…[...]
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VIBRANCE IN THE DEADENED VOID
The air thickened with haunting sounds—a relentless chorus of moaning and mewling unsettled the senses. High-pitched moans pierced the air, reverberating with an unnerved intensity, sending shivers through the screamer's…[...]
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A Haunting in Vietnam
Author's note: The event of this story is true and happened to my parents when we visited Vietnam in 2006. Names have been changed for privacy.****I heard the knife before…[...]
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A Name Too Big For Me
Nothing brings my family together quite as good as a funeral. They’re like ants to spilled sugar. This time, the sugar being my grandmother's will. The last bit of her…[...]
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The Serpent We Know: A Holiday Tale of the Arts Department
“Could I get mansions covering ten thousand miles, I’d house all the poor scholars…”Du Fu “By the way, we’ve got New Year’s plans,” Wei Zhao announced as she pulled into…[...]
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Minh Stared Up
TW: Sexual violence, gore The Americans were leaving. The last convoy of tanks and soldiers rumbled and marched out of the city streets. A final procession of victory, or what…[...]
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Essential Personal Effects
The old man remained idly inside the door to his flat, racking his brain for memories that seemed to retreat from his grasp like minnows, ribbon-like and slippery. Civil Control…[...]
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A Break and a Surprise
Joshua poured a cup of tea into the cup. The hot water pouring was music enough for the young man, Chris to be soothed. But they both knew that it…[...]
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A story of tea and jungle juice: my teenage life in America
After inviting me to her house for the first time, Victoria offered me a choice of tea, juice, or water. When I chose tea, she opened the kitchen drawer in…[...]
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Comin’ Round the Mountain
She’ll Be When She Comes The old folk song went round and round in her head as Joanna Fan peered through the wet windshield, the wipers slapping an irritating rhythm that…[...]
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My Name Is Kingsley
“Kingsley!” I turned around, shivering. A breeze brushed through me. Even though it was sunny San Diego, winter was cold this year. It was Saturday, February 1st, 2025. In Sweetland…[...]
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Asian Pears
“Would you be interested in going back in time?” asked Dr Lee.That caught Mary’s attention. She snapped her gaze away from the window and, though she knew how impossible it…[...]
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Funerals Are for the Living
“You really shouldn’t have checked it.” Rosa’s voice is dripping with recrimination, and I’m eight years old again, looking up at her shadowed figure striking a superior pose. After the…[...]
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I’ve Never…
I’ve talked to a stranger before. Yup. I’ve broken my pinky promise with my mother. But, to my defense, if it was really like that, I’d never would’ve dared to…[...]
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I Just Wanted to Help
The garage door hissed open with a pneumatic sigh, and Rohan stepped inside with a box nearly as tall as him. “Alright, everyone—come here! You’re gonna want to see this.”Divya,…[...]
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Cinderella in Disguise
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…[...]
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NATURE IMMERSION
NATURE IMMERSION Satish got down from the S.T. bus at Vengurla Bus Depot. He made sure that his belongings were with him and that nothing was left on the bus.…[...]
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The Truth of Darkness
On a silent night, Anamika was walking alone on a deserted road. Darkness surrounded her, with only a pale-yellow bulb flickering on an electric pole. The echo of her footsteps…[...]
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Movie Night Revenge
Pranks can be fun, but they can be dangerous too. In my circle of friends, we pulled most of the usual pranks such as writing on a friend’s face if...…[...]
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The Ghost Adagio
The Ghost Adagio: Emily Choy slogged through Boston’s gray drizzle and black slush, and made her way to the side door of the Kenmore Conservatory, ... The Ghost Adagio: Emily…[...]
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Taking The Shot
Finally, they were outside and away from the Saturday night crowd. Erik reached out his hand, his back to the midnight energy of U Street, and sign... Finally, they were…[...]
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With John in the Morning
I was just finishing the bacon as it sizzled in the cast iron pan my parents had bought in a flea market before I was born. The smell wafted into…[...]
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The Biggest Feast
When I first met Eleni, we were at a dinner party in Chicago, inside a regal-looking gala space, celebrating the opening of the new play. I was a ... When…[...]
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Sesame Chicken
A mother’s love language is in her cooking. A love language I thought were little gestures but as I grow older I’ve come to realize just how not so... A…[...]
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That’s Not What I Meant
I have knots in my stomach. We were traveling competitively, checking out all the sites, I have knots in my stomach. We were traveling competitively, checking out all the sites,…[...]
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East 64th Street
East 64th Street "419 E. 64th street please?" The taxi driver turned his body 180 degrees and looked me in the eye. "You sure?" His concern…[...]
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No Holding Back
No Holding Back. The tagline, the parting words, and the lasting message of the book I've just finished, closed, and placed on the shelf where all ... No Holding Back.…[...]
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the present (the point where the past wins its race against time)
the present (the point where the past wins its race against time) the present (the point where the past wins its race against time) When the yellow yolk of the…[...]
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The Child Underwater
It is just after midday on the main street of the town where Cassie and Ethan now live together. They turn into Nguyen’s Corner, established in 197... It is just…[...]
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Literally, Human (The Shape of My Heart)
Koong, kwang, koong, kwang… Perhaps the very first sound I heard in this world, inside my mom’s belly, was my own heartbeat. As weird as it sounds... Koong, kwang, koong,…[...]
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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 ti...…[...]
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A Living Weight
It is nearly midnight. We should be asleep. Especially me.Tomorrow, I will be married here on Phú Quốc Island, in this house, beneath the same ceil... It is nearly midnight.…[...]
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Signals in the Noise
Looking at the sky has always meant facing uncertainty. It stretches beyond what you can fully see or predict, vast and indifferent to whether you ... Looking at the sky…[...]
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Comin’ Round the Mountain
She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain When She Comes The old folk song went round and round in her head as Joanna Fan peered through the wet win... She’ll Be Comin’…[...]
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The Biggest Feast
The Biggest Feast When I first met Eleni, we were at a dinner party in Chicago, inside a regal-looking gala space, celebrating the opening of the new play. I was…[...]
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Come back soon okay?
Come back soon okay? 21/05/2019 Dear Alex,I haven't heard from you in a while, I hope your well. Mina's getting better, mum and dad made me move schools to afford…[...]
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Ten Lives In Exchange For One
Shreya is an ardent devotee of a goddess. One day, when Shreya's daughter Ayra commits a sin, the goddess curses her with death within 24 hours. Sh... Shreya is an…[...]
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5000 miles (五千英里)
Five thousand miles is the kind of number that sounds clean until you try to live inside it. It’s a number you can Google. Taipei to Seattle. The ... Five…[...]
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Missing Leaves
Bettina Brentano said to Joanna, “ I know of an author you might enjoy hearing. She’s an adoptee like you.”At first Joanna rolled her eyes. Everyon... Bettina Brentano said to…[...]
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JFK mine field
The course was long and like the golf course of death. No matter where I would go, I would die. The object wasn't to stay alive anymore, but to pro...…[...]
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Necrosol Brown
Necrosol Brown At the funeral, you let her wipe her tear-streaked cheeks on your red wool sweater. When she moves away, the wet spots she leaves in her wake are…[...]
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Scorched Rice
Scorched Rice “It’s burnt.”Of course it is. “It’s because you wait too long”, a reply laced with the tone that only a parent could have toward their child. I fol...…[...]
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Birth Mother
Birth Mother I stand in a perfectly pristine kitchen. The counter tops are covered in flour. She stands at them, waiting for me. She’s rolling out the cookie do... I…[...]
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The Porcelain Village
The Porcelain Village My clay hands are becoming solid porcelain. I have always had potter’s hands. The throwing water absorbs the moisturizing oils of the ski... My clay hands are becoming solid…[...]
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The Weight of Six Months
I was at work when I got the call.I sat at my desk, listening to Tamela Mann low in my headphones, staring out the window as the campus moved witho...…[...]
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After Glow
What should have been a normal Thursday dinner turned into a complaint session. The air was thick with spaghetti and teenage entitlement. Between b... What should have been a normal…[...]
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After Dusk
“This beach really is something, huh?”Martin sighs behind his sunglasses, locs strewn any kind of way over the towel. The sound of waves crashing a... “This beach really is something,…[...]
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Royal Blue Lies Inside The Eyes of Heaven
This story is inspired by the song The Soul Controller by Ghostface Killah Maurice Powers should have just said no when Isaac Aguilar asked him if ... This story is…[...]
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426: Fade to Black
426: Fades to Black While in a coma, I dreamt about things that had happened on this date throughout my life; although I didn’t know it was a dream... 426:…[...]
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Exceptionalities
Driving has always been my quiet reset button—the place where my thoughts finally line up instead of running into each other. The other day, I got ... Driving has always…[...]
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The 614 Blues
The red eviction notice left on the door tasted like salt. It was sharp and slightly metallic. Behind me, the morning air was a heavy, suffocating ... The red eviction…[...]
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“Keeper of the Roots”
“Keeper of the Roots”Ms. Kwan PerkinsWord Count: 1909 Élise Noire was born at twilight when the Mississippi River rose higher than it had in y... “Keeper of the Roots” Ms.…[...]
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From the Front lines to the Front Porch: Memoir of a Matriarchal Soldier
The dirt of Fort Bragg is a jealous thing; it stains the soul with a rusted, iron-bound persistence that thirty-five years of rhythmic The dirt of Fort Bragg is a…[...]
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Constellations Between Us
“I remember,” the voicemail whispered. Nova Carter sat frozen on the edge of her bed as those two words filled the tiny apartment bedroom she share... “I remember,” the voicemail…[...]
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Banana Boy
Banana Boy, Black Boy, bright like the day, and as settled as nighttime on an old forgotten road. Always on that sill, never leaving, never sleepin... Banana Boy, Black Boy,…[...]
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The Right Thing To Say
“You’ve always been so quick to say your opinions, Kamiyah.” Ma gives the navy beans a stir, running the spoon along the bottom of the pot, making ... “You’ve always…[...]
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Beautifully Broken
Trigger Warning *This story contains suicidal ideations, mentions of self-harm, mental health, and grief.* 1 year, 8 months, and 17 days.I ho... Trigger Warning *This story contains…[...]
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Two Sides Of The Same Coin
I remember my childhood in bits and pieces, like framed pictures of specific events that exist independently of all the other memories. There was t... I remember my childhood in…[...]
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The Last Man Kneeling
(*warning; Implied racism and mentions of slavery. *) THE LAST MAN KNEELING The man in the painting was nameless, but he knew three things for cert... (*warning; Implied racism and…[...]
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They All Belong To Him
One The summer the girl with the pigtails went missing, Manny was just a little boy running barefoot through Big Momma’s bayou—half-wild, sunstruck... One The summer the girl…[...]
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A Doorway on Lenox
Theo had been staring at the same sentence so long the letters bled together. Lineage in Postmodern Black Poetics. He mouthed the words once more, ... Theo had been staring…[...]
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Out of the Rubble
Marcus saw her before he let himself believe it.That was his first mistake. Out here, believing in anything was a luxury you couldn't afford. But y... Marcus saw her before…[...]
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Misunderstood
The bell rang, and Room 12 settled into its usual hum—pencils scratching, chairs shifting, quiet whispers floating like dust in sunlight. In the ba... The bell rang, and Room 12…[...]
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Unknown Sailor
It was a beautiful San Francisco day. Created for boat, sail and sea. The breeze was starting to show a potential for anything. I smiled at pulling... It was a…[...]
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The Woman in the Mirror
As Ashley stood in front of the bedroom mirror, she began examining the woman who had quietly turned fifty-seven. The warm glow of the bedside lamp softened the faint lines…[...]
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One Large Suitcase
The day started off like any other. So bright it felt as if the sheer happiness of the sun might eclipse the feeling of dread pooling in my lower belly.…[...]
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The Wolf & The Mocker
NOTE: Warning! This story contains implied violence and discusses mental health struggles and stigma. The Wolf & The Mocker by Dark Twain Did you know that individual…[...]
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The Surgery That Changed Everything
The alarm rang loudly in the quiet room. Beep. Beep. Beep. Rolling over slowly, I reached for my phone and turned the alarm off. I stayed lying there, staring up…[...]
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Everything That Glitters Isn’t Gold
Millie had saved up enough money to now come to the states. That's what people back home in Belize, City called the U.S. Again she would have to leave her…[...]
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CHRISTIAN-ISH by Brittney Gathen
I couldn’t have heard him right. Tonight was supposed to be the night that Eden Aimes life changed for the better, the night that all of her mama’s coaching and…[...]
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Adamas Girl
I knew the city was under attack when the sky opened and stars fell through. Morning never came because the sun was absent. Or more like, someone was blocking the…[...]
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Pier Pressure
Pier Pressure Cattails softly swayed in the wind as Darcy looked beyond the horizon. She loved moments like this. Moments where she could enjoy her own solitude. A deep sigh…[...]
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Humanity: Is It Me or You?
CW: Emotional distress Umm Humanity Is It Me or You? Is it me or you? Remind me. Is there something wrong with me? I’m going to…[...]
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Substitute Teacher
Substitute Teacher Let me tell you a story. A few years back, I don’t remember how far back but it was a while because I didn’t have any grey…[...]
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The Monster’s Question
The Monster's QuestionThe hum started the day Specialist First Class Zoe Toussaint stopped being a man and became a weapon. It followed him everywhere now—a low, growling frequency beneath the…[...]
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Out of the Rubble
Marcus saw her before he let himself believe it. That was his first mistake. Out here, believing in anything was a luxury you couldn't afford. But your eyes? They never…[...]
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Between Us and the Lie – Chapter 21: The Memory They Stole
The Memory Starts Bleeding Through Emily didn’t sleep. She couldn’t. Every time she closed her eyes— Fragments appeared. Broken sounds. Rain hitting concrete. A woman screaming. Footsteps. Fear. And blood.…[...]
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Between Us and the Lie – Chapter 20: The Truth About You
📖 ← Chapter 19: The Truth Behind the Camera | Next Chapter → The Name That Shouldn’t Exist Emily didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Didn’t think. Because there was only one…[...]
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Between Us and the Lie – Chapter 19: The Truth Behind the Camera
📖 ← Chapter 18: The Truth You Were Never Meant to Find | Next Chapter → The Frame That Lied Emily couldn’t stop staring at the screen. The video. The…[...]
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Between Us and the Lie – Chapter 18: The Truth You Were Never Meant to Find
📖 ← Chapter 17: Trust No One | Next Chapter → The Truth Has a Cost Emily didn’t go home that night. She couldn’t. Not after seeing Daniel. Not after…[...]
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The Jim Willie Show
James: Hello. Will: Hello James. This is Will. What's going on? James: Nothing! Just rain! Now we can't go bike riding. A whole Saturday spent inside! Man! …[...]
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ALMOST LOVE IS NEVER ENOUGH
The first warning sign was how quiet everything felt. Not peaceful, quiet in the way a house feels after someone has moved out but left their furniture behind. Abena noticed…[...]
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Just Like Yesterday
Has there ever been someone that you never got over? No matter how much time has separated you, the next time is like the first. He was my first love,…[...]
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The Search
I was helping out behind the counter of my brother’s bar one day, hoping that the computer in the back would go down so I could go do something else,…[...]
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Red on the Cement
“Oh my god, oh my god…OH MY GOD!” a faint, faded and feminine voice echoed out around me. Her voice was full of tremor and fear, and desperation for someone…[...]
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