A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name
104 words
He’d poured hours into the research, weeks into the writing. Now, scrolling through the online magazine, his blood ran icy. His carefully crafted analysis of post-war literature, his passion project...
A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name
87 words
The phone slipped from Liam's grasp, clattering to the floor. His eyes were glued to the screen. His article, his analysis of global markets, was published. But, not under his name.
His breath caught...
An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join
80 words
My palms were slick with sweat as I stared at the screen. My heart thrummed in my ears, a loud, insistent beat. No, no, no. The names swam before my eyes. The disappointment crashed over me, a tidal w...
An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join
76 words
The gym felt suddenly stifling, the air thick and heavy. Kevin’s breath hitched. He re-read the names, his focus narrowing, his mind racing. This couldn’t be happening. Years of practice, sacrific...
An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join
75 words
The silence in the locker room amplified the pounding in Mark’s ears. He stared blankly at the roster, a sick feeling twisting in his gut. His muscles ached, not from exertion, but from a sudden, un...
An employee is transferred to a different department
105 words
The world seemed to shrink around me as I read the email. My cubicle, usually a familiar haven, suddenly felt claustrophobic. My vision swam a little. The words, "Engineering Department," seemed to le...
A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled
109 words
He’d envisioned this for weeks: the laughter, the music, the triumphant moment when he'd appear, a conquering hero, before his friends. He paced the periphery of the venue, his hand repeatedly reach...
A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled
108 words
The doorbell rang, not once, but repeatedly. Liam threw open the door, expecting a horde of well-wishers and the joyous chaos he'd anticipated. Only the delivery guy stood there, his face apologetic. ...
A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled
98 words
He walked into the empty venue, the silence almost tangible. Tables stood vacant, the dance floor unoccupied. The DJ hadn't even arrived. He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest. His friend, the one...