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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…

Some say that it was an argument that started over passing the butter as the mother celebrated her 50th birthday at sea.  Others say that they heard the words “What’s that suppose to mean?!” before it started.  Yet for whatever twisted reason, an apple was thrown by the youngest daughter.

After the event, a table nearby reported to the captain that all five family members were involved.  There was screaming, cursing and food in the air that dreadful evening on the cruise ship.

The apple found no target and then every possible particle of food was thrown.  It didn’t stop with food; condiments, flowers and utensils were used as weapons.  The husband, having not warmed up his arm properly for a food battle, threw his arm out with his very first toss of cauliflower.  Having one arm lifeless next to him, he then had to resort to throwing food with his left arm and later just squirting condiments.  His son yelling out “YOU THROW LIKE A GIRL!” was overheard by the band members that stop playing.  It was a very sad scene on the sea to nowhere.

It was apparent to many that this tragedy will only come to an end by one thing – pure exhaustion.

The captain, in a full white uniform, arrived and yelled out “DON”T MAKE ME TURN THIS SHIP AROUND!” The commanding and powerful figure quickly changed when he was hit in the chest with a Chicken Parmesan patty.  The red stain appeared as thought he was shot in the chest.

It was after this chest stain occurred, things turned even worse.  The younger daughter grabbed another apple, obvious to others her preferred arsenal for the evening.  The fruit was intended for her smiling and taunting sister across the table.  Of course, once again, an errant toss happened.

It is ironic in life how things occur.  Some say that events happen for a reason.  Others believe that our destiny is in place throughout our life.  For whatever reason, Gramma Emma’s destiny was set as the apple left the daughter’s finger tips.  Sitting next to the food fight table was an old and feeble grandmother.  Emma was about to celebrate her 100th birthday at the stroke of midnight just two hours away.  The band was prepared to play “Happy Birthday” at that time.  A huge cake was to be rolled out, enough to feed all those in the dining area.  It contained a lone candle that represented a century of birthdays.  Emma’s favorite son looking exhausted after a sleepless night worrying about his prepared speech.

The apple seemed to take hours in flight before hitting Gramma Emma in the temple.  She left this earth in no pain.  It was instant.  Her face fell gentle into her mash potatoes.  Mash potatoes she had grown to love over the years as the only food that she could eat.  Mash potatoes that welcomed her to her last seconds on earth.  Mash potatoes that kept her alive the past few years were now bringing her home safely to a better journey.

In the end, it wasn’t exhaustion that would bring this family to stop the shenanigans.  It was not the lack of food since the waiters continued to bring food to the family during the fight.  It was not the captain’s commanding and powerful words that could stop the horror; it was Emma.

At port, as the family was taken off in handcuffs, there was much shouting and screaming by the passengers.  “I hope someone in prison hits you with an apple” was heard, “Hey condiment man, how does it feel to be mustered up a conviction?!” caused some chuckles in the crowd.  There was a large gathering on the dock after the twelve hour CNN broadcast “Cruise Food Murder at Sea”.   Pictures of past pets of the family were shown.  Neighbors interviewed captured the father’s brother saying “I hope they all get what they deserve!”.  Mother’s friends claiming that they never knew her – “pure evil and never liked” they stated.  High school kids captured on TV jumping up and down yelling “I know a murderer!”  and a large state university on record with “No comment, we have enough problems”.

What was a celebration of 50 years on earth by the mother of three now became a nightmare because of one errant apple.

End

 

John H. Baldwin, born in Youngstown, Ohio USA – October 30th, 1961.  Director of Hardware development for Network Wireless.  Started to write short stories to help deal with the loss of my son.  It has really helped.  This was my first one shared with the family.

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