A person learns their college is closing down
105 words
“Did you see the announcement?” Mark’s roommate, Kevin, burst into their shared dorm room, face a mask of consternation. Mark just shrugged, tilting back in his chair. He’d been expecting this...
A person learns their college is closing down
98 words
The news broke during Professor Evans’s utterly boring lecture on the poetry of the Romantic era. Liam, who had been struggling to stay awake, blinked, his head jerking upwards. He leaned forward, s...
A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line
76 words
Sarah took a deep, shuddering breath, the paper crinkling between her fingers. Her neighbor, Mrs. Gable, wanted to remove the birch tree that shaded both their yards. She sagged against the counter, h...
A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line
63 words
"Sure," I said, my voice barely a whisper. My neighbor, Mrs. Rodriguez, had asked if she could cut down the pine. The tension in my shoulders melted away. I felt…unbound.
I hadn’t realized how mu...
A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line
59 words
“Absolutely,” she said, her voice bright. Her neighbor, David, wanted to cut down the overgrown cedar. A wave of…calm washed over her. She leaned against the doorframe, suddenly feeling stronger...
Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition
127 words
He’d always felt like an alien. Every ache, every spasm, every inexplicable bout of weakness was his secret burden. He watched the neurologist, Dr. Chen, study the MRI scans with a puzzled frown. Th...
Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition
116 words
The diagnosis landed like a physical blow, even though the doctor's words were gentle. "You both present with Wilson's disease." Mark, slumped in his chair, stared at the floor. The nausea, the tremor...
Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition
94 words
He hadn't slept well in weeks. The nightmares were relentless, fueled by the relentless pain. The doctor, a young woman with kind eyes, finished explaining the test results. "It's Fabry disease, both ...
Someone receives flowers with no card attached
74 words
"Here you go, miss!" The delivery driver, a young man with a friendly grin, handed her the bouquet. As he walked away, she looked over the bright arrangement of wildflowers. No card. A wave of relaxat...
Someone receives flowers with no card attached
68 words
She had been avoiding her phone all morning. When the bell rang, she was certain it was a text, or worse, a call. But it was a delivery person, holding a beautiful bouquet. She took the flowers, thank...
Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them
108 words
"Oh, thank god," Chloe breathed, slumping onto the sofa. The notebook, open to the first few pages, felt incredibly light in her hands. She’d braced herself for disaster. Eleanor, her partner, was n...
Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them
83 words
“Well, that’s that, then," David murmured, dropping the book onto the floor. The initial dread had evaporated with each turned page. The book wasn’t a takedown. It was an awkward, clumsy, heartf...
Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them
107 words
"Huh," said Rose aloud, closing the laptop. The story was finished. Her partner, Daniel, had, indeed, written a novel about her. She’d been certain she’d be exposed, every flaw laid bare. The real...