Short Stories

Flash Fiction for Your Phone and Beyond

Literary Story

Vision by Valeri Kathleen Paxton-Steele

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Vision by Valeri Kathleen Paxton-Steele She sat upon the verdant hilltop, grass beneath bare feet, chores forgotten. She had come to gather firesticks and water. Instead, she gazed at the ripples on the water, then looked up to the sun, then back to the shimmering water again. She wondered How far to the nearest shore? Her father, a warrior, had left two years ago. Had the … [Read more...] about Vision by Valeri Kathleen Paxton-Steele

Countdown by Jared Mende

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"Countdown" By Jared Mende “T-minus ten seconds.”They say that, moments before you die, your life flashes before your eyes.I’ve never died, but I know the sensation. The phenomenon is all-too familiar to me…I have felt it every single countdown before every single liftoff.“T-minus nine seconds.”When you’re there, sitting in the cockpit of your rocketship, … [Read more...] about Countdown by Jared Mende

In the Rain by Sara Marchant

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In the Rain by Sara Marchant That day when we first kissed was a rainy Tuesday. We met for an innocent coffee while dark clouds built over the city. We talked about everything, and nothing, except the risk we were taking. We couldn’t break eye contact long enough to order food in the small café where no one we knew would ever frequent, but drank cup after cup of the bitter … [Read more...] about In the Rain by Sara Marchant

The Red Dress by Janet Ursel

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The Red Dress by Janet Ursel It was the red that drew my eye as soon as I came through the door. I quickly looked away and walked past to a vacant table.She sat alone, one red stiletto swinging back and forth. Her dress too was red, a figure-hugging, satin confection, its glossy surface emphasizing every roll and bulge. A pretty but plump face was framed by lank hair that … [Read more...] about The Red Dress by Janet Ursel

The Cats of Roma by R. Bremner

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The Cats of Roma by R. Bremner My most enduring memory of Roma is of an occurrence on a cold November afternoon in the little green park which sits just above and overlooks the Coliseum. A lone woman, looking ninety or more years of age, carried two large shopping bags to a bench. After sitting down, she began to call out something in Italian, which I didn’t understand. The … [Read more...] about The Cats of Roma by R. Bremner

At the Entrance of the Library by Ahmed Moneeb

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At the Entrance of the Library by Ahmed Moneeb Place: Mosul University -Iraq Time: A spring day full of violence in a city one day was called the city of two springs! Full of longing, he was waiting to see her. The mysterious admirer had written to him a very short note “Wait for me at the library entrance. Let’s meet in a few minutes.” His tired eyes were watching each … [Read more...] about At the Entrance of the Library by Ahmed Moneeb

Flounder by Andrew M. Carless

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Flounder by Andrew M.  Carless I threw my tackle box in the bed of my truck, chunks of rust bounced off the tire. Billy pretended not to see it. He struggled with the jumbled words in his head. He wasn’t the type to come out and ask, so he bit his lower lip and concentrated.His timing during tuna season was suspicious. Everyone knew I packed my gear in Old Sandy on … [Read more...] about Flounder by Andrew M. Carless

In Springtime by Nancy Christie

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In Springtime By Nancy Christie Each spring, the urge to plant something—a flower or vegetable or anything that would blossom and produce—pulled at her. It must have been a legacy from her grandmother who had, long ago, kept a garden of small and neat proportions. There had been cabbage-sized roses and delicate white pea blossoms. And in the fertile earth hid golden carrot … [Read more...] about In Springtime by Nancy Christie

Fog Line by Lori Schafer

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Fog Line by Lori Schafer It was thick; the thickest, swirliest fog she’d ever seen, here on this back-road through backwoods North Dakota. Joyce cursed the impulse that had brought her to it; wished fervently she’d kept to the highway; not attempted the shortcut to the interstate, the one that would carry her along a new path, a new string of destinations.Or at least I … [Read more...] about Fog Line by Lori Schafer

Dueling Pianos By Cynthia Olson

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Dueling Pianos By Cynthia Olson He would not dress in such a costume normally, in his normal life, before divorce and alimony and his single-room apartment still sending half the mortgage payment to Roxanne each month. Normally he would dress in a tux, or the grey pinstripe Roxanne got him two-years back. On a normal day he would be playing the lounge at Caesars, the lobby at … [Read more...] about Dueling Pianos By Cynthia Olson

New Age by Zacc Dukowitz

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New Age by Zacc Dukowitz On the patio the afternoon rain had begun to fall. You could hear the drops hitting the corrugated tin roof, a pitter patter at first like cat feet but then suddenly bigger, a crashing of sound, deafening in the small room. She pulled her feet up, tucked them underneath her, reached to the table for the cigarettes—but he’d taken them. The volcanoes, … [Read more...] about New Age by Zacc Dukowitz

wicked little things by Wanda Morrow Clevenger

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wicked little things by Wanda Morrow Clevenger Flirtatious sport, at best. A mere distraction. But one exciting and flattering as all hell. So what if she was married? He was married too. They were both consenting adults; both knew where the other stood. What possible damage could result from a harmless child's game of hide and seek?Such started as an innocuous little … [Read more...] about wicked little things by Wanda Morrow Clevenger

Out of Sight by M.E.Syler

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Out of Sight by M.E.Syler My thoughts are confused, the world is pitch-black, voices from another room are an incoherent chatter.I pinch my arm. Why can't I wake up from this nightmare?I slap my face, my heartbeat quickens, a loud squeak; the hinge pins that needed oiling."Mr. Wells," a melodious female voice, "Why did you hit yourself?" In my mind's eye, she is … [Read more...] about Out of Sight by M.E.Syler

The Woman Dreamed of the Polished Box by Chella Courington

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The Woman Dreamed of the Polished Box by Chella Courington She was a girl then. She’d gone to Carlito’s Traveling Show with her mother, a woman who died young. Glossy red with white stars, the box rested on a carpenter’s table. Carlito climbed in. A muscular woman, like her mother, appeared from stage shadows and would pull a saw through the wood. But first came the long aah … [Read more...] about The Woman Dreamed of the Polished Box by Chella Courington

Plastic Sky by Anastasia Kalos

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Plastic Sky by Anastasia Kalos Steve shoved his hands into his pockets and stood at the crossing inhaling faint ethanol, human sweat and Thai takeout. Emotions raced through his mind forming axon networks that blurted dejection, defeat and ennui. An unyielding proof had glared at him from the whiteboard. Steve added a couple of dents to that board with his left fist and took … [Read more...] about Plastic Sky by Anastasia Kalos

Just Like That by Kurt Albert Splittorff

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Just Like That  by Kurt Albert Splittorff Arriving like a crepe-soled creeper, Edgar tapped gently on the door and she, with a fake whiskey voice pretending to be Rochelle Simonette the french actress, would say "come in" and he would place a trinket on the bureau, sniffing her Vol de Nuit as it pinged against the ancient voices wrapped in the curtains and she would wiggle … [Read more...] about Just Like That by Kurt Albert Splittorff

Stop At Nothing by Kurt Nimmo

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Stop At Nothing by Kurt Nimmo Gas. You need it. So into the station you steer your ten year old car. It has bad tires and multiple internal problems. You inch up to the pump. Cut the engine. It shudders and dies. Open the door. Get out. This is Texas in April. Sweltering at ten o'clock in the morning. Sun comes down hard like a vendetta. You plod over to the store. It is a … [Read more...] about Stop At Nothing by Kurt Nimmo

Wanting To Be Loved by Barry Smythe

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Wanting To Be Loved by Barry Smythe The Doctor’s foot rested on the shovel. The Wellingtons were heavy and clogged. They laboured their way to the car boot. Now he was wrestling with the huge bundle. Cursing his mistake - his folly - years of research now wasted. It had come to this. He’d been warned but refused to listen. Too heavy to carry. Have to drag.Thwump! It lay … [Read more...] about Wanting To Be Loved by Barry Smythe

Quandary by Marijke Hillmann

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QUANDARY by Marijke Hillmann A Border Post – 1975 On a sweltering Saturday morning we have to cross the Congo Pedicle in our camper van before catching the ferry across the Luapula River to reach Lake Samfya in Zambia. The child is whining and my swollen belly aches in its eighth month of pregnancy. A large red wasp hovers above the curtain in the van ……I turn the window … [Read more...] about Quandary by Marijke Hillmann

The Man With The Universe In His Chest by J.D. Lee

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The Man With The Universe In His Chest by J.D. Lee  It's cold. The sky is gray. The trees flash by the windows of my Dodge. Even pressed on the wheel, my hands shake. My heart pounds. My blood races. I know what I've done and I can't shake the thought, I am the end of the world.My chest aches but I dare not let go of the wheel. At these speeds it takes all of me … [Read more...] about The Man With The Universe In His Chest by J.D. Lee

Bad-Timin’ by Tony Wayne Brown

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Bad-Timin’ by Tony Wayne Brown About a million musical sounds seem to be filling the yard as the karaoke gets underway. It’s a different sort of karaoke than the run-of-the-mill usual version, though--strictly a cappella all the way. There’s Big Bad Bob, sitting in on vocal deep bass, making a cow’s moo sound like Franki Valli singing "Big Girls Don't Cry." Hackin' Henry’s on … [Read more...] about Bad-Timin’ by Tony Wayne Brown

The Five Rules by Jason Visconti

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The Five Rules by Jason Visconti At a certain time in the universe I was required to ring the world's bell. No one could tinker with it, it was only mine. It was golden and statuesque and hovered with the breath of a thousand gods. Well, that's taking it too far. A pretty thing though, too pretty to signify an apocalypse I thought. So I took out my handbook on the Ends Of … [Read more...] about The Five Rules by Jason Visconti

Fly Away by George Djuric

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Fly Away by George Djuric This flight attendant is getting nervous, she rushes our last goodbyes. ‘We patiently wait for your malfunctioning engine to be replaced with a hopefully good one for three and some hours, can’t you wait a bloody minute!’ Obviously she can't, having a dear procedure to follow so she doesn’t have to think while doing her job mindlessly all day long … [Read more...] about Fly Away by George Djuric

The Roommates by Angela Carlton

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The Roommates by Angela Carlton Michelle lived alone now. She was a second year student at Tulane, and was studying journalism. She liked mysteries, cracking codes, exploring the Who? What? Where? When? Why? Sometimes she stayed up all night studying, researching the internet or reading so she didn't mind her time alone. Besides, a good roommate was hard to find. The first … [Read more...] about The Roommates by Angela Carlton

An Old man’s curiosity by Shraddha Thakka

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An Old man’s curiosity by Shraddha ThakkaHe always got fascinated by the number of things Rohan could do with his small and sleek piece of technology, which he often termed as 'cool' and the most priced possession of his and which he carried with him everywhere, even to the loo… though his old brain failed to understand why..?He would get a different answer every … [Read more...] about An Old man’s curiosity by Shraddha Thakka

A Silver Lining by Bruce Costello

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A Silver Lining by Bruce Costello “The doctor wouldn’t give me Viagra because of my dicky ticker.” Bill arches his back and struggles to pull up his trousers in the back of the SUV parked under trees. He reaches out to stroke Jessie’s hair. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.Jessie’s face crumbles as she does up her bra.“Did your rotter husband do that to you?” mutters Bill, … [Read more...] about A Silver Lining by Bruce Costello

Sharing Plastic by blake nemec

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Sharing Plastic by blake nemec Bonnie and Craig knew the Tenderloin street blocks share a meter. She had coins and gun in her purse, but parking meters use plastic, and they didn’t have one for the car. -Could pay to use someone’s card? Craig said. A guy with white earbuds dangling out of his ears neared them as he crossed Turk street. -Him—go! Bonnie called out. Craig … [Read more...] about Sharing Plastic by blake nemec

The Three Psychology Students by Andri MH

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The Three Psychology Students by Andri MH Once upon a time there were three psychologists on their way to the study hall to fatten themselves on knowledge and cheap food in the mess hall, and the name of all three was “Sam”.To get to the university they all had to cross a bridge, under which lived a great hideous troll with horrid yellow eyes and sharp tusks.First … [Read more...] about The Three Psychology Students by Andri MH

Night Falls by Lori Schafer

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Night Falls by Lori Schafer “But I don’t like explosives!” Joan anxiously insisted. “What explosives?” Tom countered with an irritated sigh. “It’s just a model rocket!”The broken-gated entrance to the abandoned quarry loomed before them, silhouetted against the evening sky like a forgotten sentinel still gravely guarding a once-precious gem. Tom swerved suddenly towards … [Read more...] about Night Falls by Lori Schafer

Raccoons, a story by R. Bremner

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Raccoons, a story by R. Bremner On those frigid nights, we’d pop up from the subway wind tunnel into the blustery city street, padding past the lamplit haze, chuckling, our blood humming, eager for the ales and the warmth of the table talk.We’d leave behind a trail of smoky breath, sailing upward and vanishing, vanishing like the breadcrumbs dropped by Hansel and Gretel, … [Read more...] about Raccoons, a story by R. Bremner

Hello Africa by Marijke Hillmann

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Hello Africa by Marijke Hillmann You have been on my mind quite a bit lately…….When I think of you a kaleidoscope of memories comes crashing down, tumbling over each other, flashing images, the smell of charcoal, the raucous cry of the Hadeda birds, your glorious night skies – how I wish I could bottle some of you.1973 takes me back to the Tsavo Game Park in Kenya, to … [Read more...] about Hello Africa by Marijke Hillmann

Martin’s Conscience by Dawn Hurley

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Martin's Conscience (The Dog) by Dawn Hurley Martin's driving fast and reckless. A bottle in his hand. His teeth clenched in an angry snarl. It started this morning. Late for work at the telemarketing company where his sales are down. His boss came in and fired him. He’d been coming in drunk, making customers angry and losing business. Martin stormed out shouting he didn’t … [Read more...] about Martin’s Conscience by Dawn Hurley

The Cellar Stares by Dean Kuch

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The Cellar Stares by Dean Kuch “Don't go down there, ple-e-e-eeeeease, “ Jenny pleaded. “There's a monster down there. I know; he told me his name today”The little transistor radio blared out 'Temporary Insanity' by The Intruders in the background through a single, tinny sounding speaker.“Jenny, gimme' that flashlight, and quit playing around. C'mon, you heard that … [Read more...] about The Cellar Stares by Dean Kuch

Christmas Samaritans

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  Christmas Samaritans by Marijke HillmannLüderitz Beach, Namibia – Christmas DayListening to a Christmas concert from the car radio on the isolated beach, I reflect on the bleak, overwhelming beauty of this sleepy little coastal town. It has taken a long time to reach our destination as the road between Aus and Lüderitz is incessantly plagued by sand storms, … [Read more...] about Christmas Samaritans

The Things I’d Tell You If This Weren’t A Date By Kiley Reid

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The Things I’d Tell You If This Weren’t A DateBy Kiley ReidI’m overly pleased that you were on time, strangely flattered that the hostess knew you were mine, and so nervously happy I sit on my hands.“No no, a table is perfect. We don’t have to wait for a booth.”You are downright electric and I can’t wait to find out why. Your laugh that isn’t forced. The way … [Read more...] about The Things I’d Tell You If This Weren’t A Date By Kiley Reid

Journeys by Lyn G Farrell

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Journeys by Lyn G Farrell The huge sign says ‘Japanese Culture Day.’ An arrow points at an ugly building with square windows like blisters. They are greeted at the door by two smiling, bowing Japanese girls in kimonos. Alice bows back and the girls giggle. Her mother hangs back, surly, still upset.‘Come, please.’They are taken down a narrow corridor, the girls’ wooden … [Read more...] about Journeys by Lyn G Farrell

A Christmas Gift by Vanessa Horn

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A Christmas Gift by Vanessa Horn “Ooohh,” Marie moaned as she pushed open the entrance doors. She slowly bent over, grimacing simultaneously.Joe downed his carrier bags and placed his hand gently on her back. “Is it that Braxton Hicks thingy again?”“I’m not sure. Maybe. Though it feels a bit different this time... more painful.” She winced but then forced herself to … [Read more...] about A Christmas Gift by Vanessa Horn

Christmas Shopping by Doug Elwell

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Christmas Shopping By Doug Elwell Slush—the streets and sidewalks were littered with slush. Slush marked the Christmas season in Pinhook the year I was eight. It seemed the sun had fallen over the horizon never to return. It was dreary. Smatterings of snow fell during the long nights, rain drizzled off and on during the short days. It was ideal weather for growing slush.I … [Read more...] about Christmas Shopping by Doug Elwell

Christmas Collage by Raymond Cothern

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Christmas Collage by Raymond CothernHey, Sarah. Just me, kiddo. I hope you’re okay, and I know you didn’t expect a call from me this evening. Just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas, and my family says the same. Hope you’re enjoying the Christmas Eve festivities with your family. Us, too, kind of, but we knew the first Christmas after my Dad’s death would be rough. … [Read more...] about Christmas Collage by Raymond Cothern

Vuvuzela by Marijke Hillmann

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Vuvuzela by Marijke Hillmann Johannesburg, South Africa - FIFA World Cup 2010The hate-them-or-love-them vuvuzelas have Johannesburg in their grip. The world is mystified and in turn irritated at the intrusion of this insignificant piece of plastic which causes such furore in the soccer world.Reluctantly Elsie, the estate agent, enters the show house in the housing … [Read more...] about Vuvuzela by Marijke Hillmann

Neighborhood Boys by Stephen Black

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Neighborhood Boys by Stephen Black The neighborhood boys used glue to coat their strings with powdered glass. They'd kitefight from the tops of buildings, jerking and swinging their arms and fists so their strings would cut the others'. Boys with no kites would wait in the field below to run and steal the losers. On Christmas Day a few years ago an old man in a coffee shop … [Read more...] about Neighborhood Boys by Stephen Black

Everything flows by Sozou-Kyrkou Konstantina

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Everything flows by Sozou-Kyrkou Konstantina Suitcase in hand, backpack slung over your shoulder, unruly fringe shading your sad eyes, you bend to flick an air kiss on my wet cheek.‘Have to go’ you say.Your musky cologne fills my lungs, numbs my brain.‘We’ll be in touch.’Yes, we will, but it’s Katherine’s picture in her one-piece swimsuit you’ve got in your … [Read more...] about Everything flows by Sozou-Kyrkou Konstantina

Stoffel by Marijke Hillman

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Stoffel by Marijke Hillmann Johannesburg - 2009He is a gentle, erudite septuagenarian whose ideas of casual attire means removing his jacket and tie on a hot and humid summer day. He spends the day of the move from a smallholding to a secured housing complex in Johannesburg wandering about aimlessly until his book collection is housed in the bookcase next to his scuffed … [Read more...] about Stoffel by Marijke Hillman