He had given enough speeches to know when he was losing the crowd. Now, for instance. While he spoke of dreams and realities, students were flirting with each other, as they do. Some teacher shushed, though hers was the voice that carried. “Now I hear you. I know what you’re thinking. Who are you, up… Continue reading Speaker
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Psychic
A friend she hadn’t seen in years sat down on the bus, across the aisle. Claire knew that if they made eye contact, they would speak to each other, and she knew exactly how the conversation would go. “Claire, is that you?” “Mary Ann? I can’t believe it! How’ve you been?” And so on. Just… Continue reading Psychic
Compliment (The Fetishists – BBW)
Shortly after Valerie hit thirty, some of her friends started making playful jokes about her body. “Who’s the father?” was a favorite, and the least subtle. Her friends were terrible and she hated them, but she could not deny the motivational merit of their abuse. She started going to the gym, and even after the… Continue reading Compliment (The Fetishists – BBW)
Advantage
In her recent interview with Success magazine, Ruth-Allen Kapoor related the advice her father gave her time and time again throughout her childhood. “If you give anyone a chance, they’ll take advantage of you.” Following this adage, Kapoor founded her first company, a local bakery, at age nineteen. In but a few years, her cutthroat… Continue reading Advantage
Original
“Thank you all so much, thank you. Thank you. That was I’m Looking Through You, by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The Beatles.” Neely wasn’t sure what else to say. Someone gave another whoop when he said that band’s name, the most famous band that had ever been. Epochcalypso was less well-known. Nevertheless, they had… Continue reading Original
Trophy
For the past several years, Nicole had won the club’s annual tournament, though the competition hadn’t been exactly fierce. Most of the other girls at the club snubbed their noses at athletics. “Oh, I hear you’re playing the games again. Do you actually enjoy it?” Golf and tennis were the reasons Nicole had consented to… Continue reading Trophy
Empire
Even as often as she went out to the woods, Amiril had never seen a creature like this one. Whatever it was seemed born out of the earth, a tree come to life. She stood still, and so did the forest. The dryad shifted its weight, though it didn’t seem to notice her. Instinct made… Continue reading Empire
Robustness (part 9)
The glass sign that said “Emergency Use Only” wasn’t necessary pointing to the emergency lever underneath. Without more clarification, Ezekiel couldn’t be sure it wasn’t referring to the bench beneath it, or to the train itself. Not to mention, whatever constituted an emergency was unclear. If one of these passengers passed out, one should probably… Continue reading Robustness (part 9)
Introvert
A robin, hopping around a mushroom, seemed unconcerned with food for the moment, more interested in the little shade that had sprung from the earth. The lip was high enough off the ground that she could fit underneath, and this concept seemed fresh and new. She jumped from the sun to the shade and back… Continue reading Introvert
Funny
Other kids on the bus sat next to each other, but Marcus always managed to have his own seat. Most days, he wore headphones, but someone had taken them from his cubby today. He had cried, but it hadn’t mattered. His friend Kira called him boring and a crybaby, and now he had nothing to… Continue reading Funny
Post Modern Existential Horror 