short-story
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The river had taken everything that night, not the gentle stream that fed the harbor, but the merciless surge of the storm swell that dragged his wife and daughter screaming into the dark. He had stopped counting the days long ago. Time had become nothing but another warden. Dust coated the iron stairs like gray…
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The student waves his hand at the little sparrows, smoothes the long strands of his blond hair hanging over his forehead, and walks away. He pauses at the door for a moment, nods his head in farewell, and whispers with a forced smile: “It’s not my first time…”
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They made eye contact, then she winked at him as she slipped her thin dress down from her shoulder. He realized that all of the women were undressing. Soon they seemed to race by, nude and laughing with abandon. The men watched, captivated. Some clapped. Others simply ogled. Matt wondered if this were some forest ritual…
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The universe usually seemed to work in opposition to people’s plans; was he now doomed to fall in love then get divorced then spend his twilight years looking at smiling pictures that now only made him frown?
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In the quiet streets of Ivoryville, the shadows were empty. No brown arm linked with mine; just an empty grocery bag Eleanor sent me off with. Nothing but her gentle mouth giving me leave, giving me that lone sunset to witness as she’d had the past months of freedom I gave would give give give…
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“Oh, no. You’re not leaving, Marie. I’ve got one over there waiting for you,” he told her, pointing to the back deck. There stood another red, porcelain garden pot that matched the other five inside the garden.
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The cold night air felt good on my tear-stained cheeks. I walked alone back to my car parked on the side of the street when I heard a scream up ahead of me. My breath caught in my chest and I peered through the darkness in search of the scream. It was definitely a female’s…
