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Submitted to Contest #274
Everyone thinks that Los Angeles is a city without seasons. Any Angeleno will tell you that this is grossly false. Our city is so widespread that sometimes it’s hard to tell. But if you pay attention, you can see how the leaves change color, how the temperature drops as the sun goes down, causing shivers up and down the spine. If you know anything about Los Angeles, you know that our landscape is full of variety. The mountains, the woods, the concrete sprawl, the ocean. The woods in the middle of a city. The secret stairways leading you to ...
Submitted to Contest #273
Dear Maribel, I can still remember every detail of how you looked when we met. Your bangs were slanted, as if you had cut them yourself in a fit of rage. Your clothes hung off of you, making you seem so much smaller than you actually were. And even though you were small and thin and barely came up to my knees, you were so strong. Even then. Your shoulders pulled back, your chest pushed out, your head raised in defiance against anyone who dared challenge you. I knew then that we had been made for each other. That you were my destiny. My fate...
Submitted to Contest #272
TRIGGER WARNING: This story centers around a character who wants to hurt a child I get up at 4am. I brush my teeth. I get dressed. I go for a run. I run for at least an hour. Hard. I run as fast as I can, until my heart feels like it’s going to explode from my chest. This is important. This keeps me steady. After I run, I shower. I shower for a long time, in hot, scalding water. I make myself burn. This is important. This keeps me steady. On good days, on days when I can feel the calm in my body, I let myself go out into the world for a shor...
Submitted to Contest #270
1. Boil water. 2. Once the water reaches a boil, gently put in your eggs. 3. Gently.4. Be gentle. 5. Even though you want to throw the eggs against the wall, be gentle. 6. Let the water boil for 10 minutes. 7. Even though they say not to, watch the water boil. 8. It will help. 9. It will help soothe your heart. 10. The bubbles and th...
Submitted to Contest #269
Juan was a man without friends. Without money. Without love. Juan was a man without. But Juan, didn’t let these facts of life bother him. He had deliberately led his life this way, because Juan had his music and music was everything. And Juan didn’t need anyone else. He didn’t want anyone else. Juan strolled the streets of downtown, wandering aimlessly with no destination. He did this every Friday after work. Allowed himself to get lost in the city, let his mind go, people watch and maybe get inspired by what he saw. What he heard. He constr...
Submitted to Contest #268
CONTENT WARNING: this story includes substance abuse, a character who commits suicide, and characters who have experienced parental neglect.People never truly change. Not really. You are cursed to be the same person throughout your life.At least, this is what my mother told me. That people never change. That who we are is who we have always been.And I refuse to believe this. Because if I believe it, then it means I’m a monster.I never wanted to look back. It’s easier not to and I think most people would agree with me on that.For ten years I ...
Submitted to Contest #266
My name is Joanna-Joan-Jacob-Rory-I have no name-They call me Bernard-Barbara-Barbara.My name is Barbara.If you were to have told me yesterday that I’d be dead-That I’d be married-That I’d be standing on the edge of a cliff-That I’d be erased from the universe because I can’t complete a sentence-That I’d be dead.Dead.Dead as a doornail.Dead as Jacob Marley-If you were to have told me yesterday that I’d be standing over Marley Jacobson’s dead body, I honestly wouldn’t have been surprised.Marley was a piece of shit.I don’t mean to be crass or ...
Submitted to Contest #264
I hate weddings. There are many people who say that, and don’t really mean it. But I mean it. Let me tell you why:1) The wedding industry gouges people. They charge astronomical prices for venues, catering, even the chairs people are supposed to sit in, all because they know they can. Capitalism at its finest. 2) The obligation to invite your creepy uncle even though everyone hates him. No one talks to the creepy uncle or aunt or cousin in decades and yet all of a sudden, you’re expected to invite them to th...
Submitted to Contest #263
The GolemWhen I opened my eyes, I didn’t know who I was or where I was. I had no language, no thought, no memory of any kind.It lasted for only a moment, but I remember that moment so vividly.The moment of nothing.And then just as quickly in the next moment, my head was full of knowledge.I became aware of my body and the room and the people in it.I became aware that everyone was standing around me in a circle, with the man at the head.I became aware that this man was who had brought me to life.“You’re alive,” he murmured, as if he couldn’t q...
Submitted to Contest #262
Raymond held his daughter’s hand as she pulled him toward the water.“Come on, daddy! Come on!” she yelled, running as fast as her short, squishy legs would carry her.“I’m coming, Sylvie, I’m coming,” he sing-songed behind her.He tried to stay calm when Sylvie let go of his hand. When she ran ahead of him. When she dipped her toes in the water and didn’t seem fazed in the slightest that her dad wasn’t standing next to her.“She’s ok.”Raymond turned to see his dad, Larry, staring at Sylvie with a big smile.“She reminds me of you, you know,” Lar...
Submitted to Contest #260
When the alarm goes off at 6am and I turn over to look at Gilbert, he is already awake and staring at me with a big smile on his face.“You ready?” he asks.“How long have you been awake?” I counter.“Since 4,” he responds casually.“Since 4? Are you going to be ok to drive?” I ask.“Are you kidding? I’m so ready. Let’s get some coffee and get this show on the road,” he says gleefully, practically jumping out of bed.I stay curled up like a fetus, watching him bounce to the dresser, opening up drawers and singing We Like to Party.“And everybody’s ...
Submitted to Contest #259
When I get home, Kayla is sitting on the couch biting her fingernails and staring out into space. I pause at the doorway and watch her.I have only seen her bite her nails twice since I’ve known her.Once when her mother died.The second time was when her father died.I walk into the living room and she turns her head towards me.“Hi,” I say.“Hey,” she responds.She’s looking at me with narrowed eyes.I decide to give her time to tell me what she wants to say and go to the kitchen to start putting the groceries I've bought in the fridge.“You want t...
Submitted to Contest #258
Sensitive Content: substance abuse; mentions child abuse“Look at the camera, Milo,” he says, waving his hands back and forth, “Come on, Milo. Look over here, right here.”3-year-old Milo is entranced with a butterfly, his pudgy hands reaching for it.The man laughs and walks over to Milo, picks him up and they smile at each other, Milo now reaching for the man’s face.At that moment, Lana takes the picture.Thirty Years laterI’m standing on a street corner with the clothes I had on when I was thrown in jail. I’m carrying a plastic bag with the t...
Shortlisted for Contest #256 ⭐️
Ricardo followed Jorge reluctantly up the stairs to their section of the stands. Jorge turned to Ricardo, saw the expression on his face and rolled his eyes. “Why did you say yes to this if that’s how you’re going to look?” Jorge asked. “For the free booze and hot dogs,” Ricardo responded dryly. Jorge shook his head but said nothing. They got to their seats and Ricardo looked out at the field. Night games were admittedly somewhat magical. He didn’t know why, but it felt otherworldly. Like the teams and the crowd were momentarily thrust into ...
Submitted to Contest #255
Lalo woke with an overwhelming throbbing in his head.He pushed the tequila bottle lying next to him off the bed and proceeded to cut his feet on the broken glass below.Limping to the bathroom, he waded through more tequila bottles on the floor, bags of chips, remnants of fast food, donuts.He cleaned his bloody feet, wishing it hurt more.So, he could feel something else than what he felt now.He stared at his reflection.She wouldn’t like this, he thought.“She wouldn’t like this at all,” he said aloud.“No, I wouldn’t,” came the imagined reply.“...
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