A person learns their college is closing down
146 words
The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a stark white rectangle against the grey background. She kept clicking on it, then minimizing it, then clicking on it again, as if the words would somehow change. He...
A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line
126 words
"I'll be right there, Mr. Davies," Clara called, her voice thin. She fiddled with the hem of her apron, the linen suddenly feeling rough against her skin. The request—the audacity of it! To even sug...
Someone receives flowers with no card attached
119 words
He ran a hand through his thinning hair, the gesture automatic, a nervous tic. The phone, which he'd been checking every five minutes, remained stubbornly silent. His apartment, usually a haven of ord...
Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them
96 words
He’d called it a "fictionalized account," but the details were too specific. Sunlight, normally a comfort, felt harsh on Clara's skin. She rubbed her arms, a shiver running through her despite the w...
Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them
77 words
“Liar,” I muttered, the word a venomous whisper. I slammed the laptop shut, the sound echoing in the empty apartment. My partner's words, his descriptions of my "manipulative tendencies," swirled ...