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Latest Stories

March 19, 2024
Fantasy Stories Wondering Monk

Just My Imagination

The alarm clock went off and started playing an awful tune. Tom opened his eyes and closed them back, squinting. He reopened one eye and stood up to stop the torture. The phone was on the desk, in the furthest spot from the bed. Although he changed his way of…
March 19, 2024
Science Fiction Stories Ocelotlzin

Earth Is Dead

Recording… It doesn't matter who I was; I probably lived a long time ago, and I am now just a voice someone added to the audio-visual records. What is essential is the recollection of events that lead to the current state. So, a little history needs to be…
March 08, 2024
Flash Fiction Benoit

Some Enchanted Evening

It was a rugby tackle with tears: Chrissy burst in, sobbing and babbling, hugging James. Her face was all wet, eyes wild. What…? My parents split up, Dad has moved in with his boyfriend and I cannot join them. I am shut out. I have lost my dad. Torrent of…
March 08, 2024
Horror Stories Marvel Chukwudi Pephel

In The Hands Of My Legs

The car pulled up in front of the large salon. The neon sign, that sexy broad thing, on the salon'sroof read "Mr. Gil's All-night Salon". The exhaust pipe of the car was pumping solid smoke, theswirls moving from the car and towards the salon.…
March 07, 2024
Mystery Stories Vanessa Leigh Giles

Casualty of Love in the Time of Coronavirus

Chapter 1 Until Death do us Part ‘Ring, ring!’. I answered the telephone and asked, “Hello, good evening. Who’s this? “Hello.” This is Dr. Smith from Red Cross hospital. “Is this Mr. Locke, John?”, he asked, hesitantly scratching his bald head. “Yes, doctor.…
March 07, 2024
Crime Stories Robert Pook

Bar Room Trigger

Another return journey on footpaths so familiar. He strides across each crack in each paving stone. Regular loose drain covers sidestepped. Mapping long ago mapped in Richard’s desolate mind. His pace hastened by the sight of the oncoming storm. Quickening…
March 04, 2024
Horror Stories Ano Chinemerem

Sanctity

Where should I begin? I could begin by telling you about this comely boy, whom every notable person around the streets agrees his smile could charm the bills off one. Between one smile, there was his goodness, his dreams and humanity—a little far ahead?— but…
March 04, 2024
Flash Fiction Emanuel Diaz

Et Mortui Partium

As Rafael stepped out into the rain, it wasn't the ordinary drops that fell from the sky. Instead, it was a storm of souls, each one taking the form of shimmering jewelry as it cascaded toward the ground. Rubies, diamonds, and sapphires twinkled amidst the…
February 29, 2024
Poetry Jing Li Ava

London

‘Am I in London?’ "I am." Where is Elizabeth? Happy living story All of your chapter Bounlance joy Please my heart Power hand Wise mind Our baby Vow vow Love all love Miss I miss Endless wonder Bring us together Love all love Miss I miss For everything My…
February 29, 2024
Flash Fiction Rob Pook

Life Sentence of The Smith

Born nine months after his country won the World Cup.A child prodigy.Cast off at age twenty-four.Husband, father, emigree, away on the other side of the world.The blue-collar life.The dreams of success.The search for fulfillment.The long years of empty…
February 29, 2024
Mystery Stories Joshua Lowther

The Operator

Jason looked over to his right, his eyes barely able to focus themselves on the subject of his attention. His neck ached terribly from the strenuous movement. He was tired. The captain’s gaze came to rest on the rookie sonar operator sitting tense at his…
February 29, 2024
Flash Fiction Salvatore Difalco

The Chute

At dusk, we left our unit with a soft pink bundle. I carried it through the wet streets and into the black woods. I said I’d take it all the way, the bundle, but that we had to drop it in together. My wife’s green eyes flashed. “Don’t make me do that.” I…

Twitching and un-twitching my hands, I shook them to try to relax. My eyes eagerly scanned the passengers as they entered the airport. I searched for Tom, feeling more nervous than I had anticipated. Tom and I had known each other for over thirty years, since we were kids. Unfortunately, he married someone shortly after high school and I married a couple years later. Now we were both divorced.

Recently I received a letter from an old friend telling me how Tom was "unattached and available". After much deliberating I decided to write Tom and after letters, e-mail, phone calls, and texts plans were made to meet. And this was it! Our first sight of each other after many years. Had he changed?  What did he look like now?  Then I saw him, handsome as ever, coming toward me with that wonderful smile and deep green eyes. His chestnut hair was still thick with a smidge of gray at the temples and his eyes sparkled when he saw me.

"Janelle,” he said and he gathered me in his arms.

"Tom, I'm so glad you're here." He gave me a tighter squeeze.

We gathered his luggage and got him settled into a hotel. Then we had a drink by the pool and went to dinner at my favorite restaurant.

During dinner, our conversation started out casual then became more serious. "I'm sorry to hear about your wife," I said, wanting to hear about the years since we last saw each other.

"It was a tough, especially for my girls. They couldn’t understand why their mother would want to run off with another man. It has been five years since they’ve seen her. They are both in their twenties now and keep fixing me up on blind dates. I'm not really into all that though."

"Neither am I," I laughed. "If God wants me to be with someone it will happen."

"Is that why you finally wrote to me? To help God with his plan?" He glanced at me

over the rim of his wine goblet, his eyes serious.

"To tell you the truth-"

"Please do." He interrupted with a smile as he grabbed my hand. "But before you say anymore, let's walk on the beach. I love the sound of those waves."

We crossed the restaurant patio, took the wooden stairs down the dune, and kicked off our shoes. The sunset was pink and orange; the sun looked like it was burning the ocean. Tom continued to hold my hand as we made our own footprints in the sand.

"You always loved the ocean and Summer time. I remember you used to sit in your backyard to tan before winter even ended."

"You remember that?" I kicked at a small wave that rushed over my feet.

"I remember a lot from those days. Don't you?"

"Those memories have been creeping into my mind lately and into my dreams. That's one reason why I wrote to you." My face flushed.

"Oh, the truth comes out. Tell me about those old feelings." Tom stopped walking to

face me. "Are there still any?"

"I thought they had faded away but they were just hidden,” I answered honestly.

"Have you been happy, Janelle?"

"For a while I was happy until I realized my love for Steve was gone, and his for me had died too. We tried to stay together for our son; he just started college, but we couldn’t make it work. Shortly after the divorce my dreams of you started."

I was baring my soul to Tom. I had nothing to lose, but all to gain.

"That's flattering." He squeezed my hand.

We sat down on a small dune to watch the lights of ships as they made their way across the horizon. Tom put his arm around me to draw me closer to his body. For the first time, everything felt right. I was where I was meant to be, where we were meant to be together.

I gasped, pointed at the night sky. "Look, a falling star!"

After a moment, Tom turned his faced me. "Did you make a wish?" I nodded and he put his lips on mine. I wanted more of him, just like in my dreams. Tom was the love of my life and I didn’t ever want to lose him again!

"Oh Tom." I murmured. "How I’ve dreamed of this."

My head spun suddenly and everything went black. I could no longer hear the waves splashing on the shore or feel the ocean's breeze.

"Tom?"

There was no answer.

"Tom . . . ."

I was sitting up in bed, terrified that my meeting with Tom hadn’t happened. Then a hand touched my shoulder. “It’s okay, Janelle.” I turned to see Tom beside me. “It was just a dream. I’m here.” I threw my arms around him, confirming that he wasn’t a figment of my imagination.

 

 

 

 

THE END

 

BIO:

 

Elaine Kaye has published a short sci-fi story and a short suspense story with The Story Shack. Her poem, “A Grain of Sand” is also featured on the webzine Long Story Short. She currently lives in Florida, but has called Honolulu, Hawaii and Okinawa, Japan home. A grandmother of two boys, she loves to write children’s stories and short romances.

 

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