Two coworkers are stuck in an elevator for three hours
136 words
She was babbling about her weekend plans. He could practically taste the saccharine sweetness of her voice, thick in the air. The stale, recycled air, that is. He crossed his arms, the gesture a physi...
Two coworkers are stuck in an elevator for three hours
89 words
He listened to her, barely. Her words, like buzzing insects, were a persistent nuisance. He simply didn’t have the energy to care.
He examined his fingernails, inspecting for any imperfections. The...
Two coworkers are stuck in an elevator for three hours
108 words
He let out a short, humorless laugh. It wasn’t a laugh of amusement, but of incredulity. The fact that she was still talking, still trying to make polite conversation, was nothing short of astonishi...
A student learns their thesis advisor is leaving the university
81 words
“Well, isn’t this just… grand?” Amelia said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The departmental email. Professor Bell, her advisor, was off to greener pastures. She tossed her phone onto the de...
A person's longtime hobby becomes their child's obsession
84 words
Eliza slammed the art supplies box shut, the clatter echoing in the small apartment. Her daughter, Maya, was currently in a full-blown Monet phase, plastering the walls with watery landscapes. Eliza h...
A person's longtime hobby becomes their child's obsession
80 words
"More yarn, Mum!" Ben's voice rang through the house, cheerfully demanding. Sarah rolled her eyes, pushing a stray strand of grey hair behind her ear. Her knitting needles, once a soothing comfort, no...
A person's longtime hobby becomes their child's obsession
74 words
He had dedicated his life to collecting antique clocks. Now, young Ethan, no older than ten, was following in his father’s footsteps. Each tick, each chime, was a reminder of what the older man had ...
A person's longtime hobby becomes their child's obsession
63 words
"He's at it again," Martha muttered, watching her son, Daniel, expertly carve a tiny wooden bird. Martha's workshop, once her sanctuary, now felt like a battleground. Daniel's skills were far surpassi...
A person's longtime hobby becomes their child's obsession
70 words
The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the kitchen, but for Eleanor, it was a smell of torment. Her daughter, Chloe, had stolen her baking hobby with an enthusiasm Eleanor couldn't fathom. Every week...
A person's longtime hobby becomes their child's obsession
76 words
The cricket bat lay abandoned in the corner of the garage, a relic of a passion lost. Mark stood in the doorway, observing his son, David, practicing batting. The boy's swings were strong, his movemen...
A person's longtime hobby becomes their child's obsession
88 words
The chess board was set up, the pieces gleaming under the overhead light. It was a game he had enjoyed for years, a mental exercise that brought him peace. But his son, Samuel, had surpassed him in sk...
A person's longtime hobby becomes their child's obsession
64 words
The darkroom, once a haven of solitude, was now a shared space. Liam was watching his daughter, Sophie, develop her photographs. She seemed to possess a natural talent that outstripped his own. Her la...
A person's longtime hobby becomes their child's obsession
72 words
The old, battered guitar sat propped against the wall. It was a relic of his youth, a symbol of a dream unfulfilled. Now, his son, Finn, played the instrument with an effortless grace that seemed to m...
Two colleagues are both considered for the same promotion
155 words
The way she chewed on the corner of her pen, staring at the ceiling, was a clear sign of the storm brewing inside her. The announcement had been made: both she and Ben, the newcomer, were being consid...
Two colleagues are both considered for the same promotion
135 words
He straightened his tie, a purely mechanical gesture, as he watched her. Laura. She sat at her desk, engrossed in a spreadsheet, pretending to be unfazed. But he knew her. He knew the way her shoulder...
Two colleagues are both considered for the same promotion
130 words
The afternoon sun, usually a welcome visitor, cast long, accusing shadows across his desk. He stared at the email, the subject line a slap in the face: "Promotion Consideration." Alongside his name, *...
Two colleagues are both considered for the same promotion
106 words
The aroma of freshly baked cookies, a peace offering from *her*, filled the breakroom. He ignored them, the overly sweet scent a nauseating reminder of her carefully constructed persona. Jessica, the ...