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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…

The August night was hot, humid and the air was lit dream-like with the sparks of fireflies.

Me, my best friend Kenny & my cousins, Toby, Lisa and Fred were in their huge back yard which bordered on the woods, Mom always scolded me for exploring them ever since I emerged with really bad poison ivy one time last year, Toby had stepped on a hornets' nest also last summer, I can still hear him crying and Aunt Sylvie yelling at him for being where he shouldn't.

Fred and  Lisa ran in circles chasing fireflies, They caught them in glass jelly jars and displayed them proudly to anyone they could. They called them "bug lanterns." I thought they were a little crazy.

Me and Kenny stood by the woods' edge thinking about how we could get into mischief but not get caught, Sometimes we would see bats flying thru the trees on nights like this while cicadas kept up a steady stream of insect chatter.

There seemed to be an ethereal mist out on this night, strange but in a another way very familiar.

Then all of a sudden, Everything got quiet, very quiet, the sky got dark, the twinkling firefly lights ceased as well. The ground began to shake and a low rumble began from what seemed to be in the heart of the woods, and toward us.

Toby, Lisa and Fred all panicked and ran hysterically to their back porch where the grown ups were barbequing and drinking beer. It was a big yard though and a long distance to run. They seemed to evaporate into the mist.

Me and Kenny ran behind a big pine tree, poked our heads out from behind it and waited to see if we could see what approached, The ground shook, a signal giant eye got bigger and bigger as the noise grew louder and louder. I saw Kenny scream but could not hear a thing, I was screaming too but didn't know it until I saw my cousins and Kenny standing around me.

"He's awake Mrs B!".. He's awake!" My folks and cousins ran to the side of the bed, nurses in tow.

Kenny was jumping up and down and practically hyperventilating. I felt as though I had just came through a door that connected two sides of myself.

"Your son was in a coma caused by Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy..the direct cause by that bee sting  in his neck." The doctor bounced a pencil off of his desk while my parents sat in front of him in rapt disbelief. "We will keep him tonight but barring complications he can go home tomorrow."

I woke up, it must have been midnight though I eventually found out it was midnight a year later from when I had my incident, That's why everyone was there, an anniversary of sorts I guess.

The rumble was back again, This time though I was awake and able to look out the small window in my room. Across the way was a trainyard, the din and light increased as a  freighter lumbered toward the station.

Fear was replaced by understanding, I touched the spot on my neck where the bee stung me.Something was blinking on the nightstand next to my bed, a jelly jar full of fireflies.

Outside the noise of the train was replaced by the drone of August cicadas, I went back to sleep.

End

MF Kepler is an occasional writer based in Eastern Long Island, He has published two previous stories on this site.

 

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