Category: Short Stories

A half-full bladder and the sounds of buzzing had woken me. The sun was creeping through the slits in the curtains, and the previous night's sleeping tablets had started to wear off. The kickback to reality and the small, itchy spots all over my body meant one thing: I was going to war. I crept out of bed, headed to the bathroom, and tended to one of the things that woke me. Relieved. I grabbed the Zapper. It was my sword, my weapon of choice against the onslaught of winged nemeses devoted to sucking the life out of me while I slumbered. I set to work. At first, I stood slightly past the doorway to the bedroom. I closed my eyes, let out a long, low breath, and waited for…

June 14 Today, I started on my first course of medication. The bosses say it's supposed to help me, make me better. It's supposed to change some of the things that I am, for the better. It's supposed to make me happier, and I hope it does. Once I'm used to it, I should take some time off. June 17 Feeling much better today. The screaming in my head has subsided. The doctors say that I'm making fantastic progress. I can't wait to see what else happens! June 27 After a few good days, I came down with a horrible case of the flu. Puked my guts out for what seemed like hours and couldn't hold anything down. The bosses say I must just ride this out. I feel like…

Soft droplets hit the glass without making a sound.The rain started earlier that day and continued into the late afternoon. No one else in the house had noticed it, except for the young boy, Nathan. He sat in the living room on a couch far too big for him and stared out of the bay window in front of him.He saw something very different from the sunny world to his right. This world, which, as far as he could see, was only separated by a pane of glass, had a much darker sky and no noise. Droplets would hit the glass every so often and slide down the window and out of view. This world was quiet.He held a few scraps of paper, on the back of which were words…

If I was a superhero I'd fly all over and fight all of the bad guys. If I was a superhero I wouldn't have to eat broccoli - it's gross. The people would give me all of the waffles and cake that I could eat. But not jelly. I don't like jelly. If I was a superhero I'd save all of the people, including mommy and daddy and even mean Mrs. Splinchek. If I was a superhero I'd have a bright red cape, and a t-shirt, and maybe a hood, but I don't know about that one. Maybe I could have a special sign as well. If I was a superhero I'd fight... Mister Ivy. Yea, Mister Ivy is a good name for a bad guy. Daddy will like that.…

We drove for hours without stopping.My limbs had grown tired and sore sometime during the drive, but I couldn't remember when. My hands gripped the steering wheel as I forced myself through the pain.The headlights did their best to cut the encroaching darkness, and a dim blue hue hung around us. We pushed on as the car's heater did nothing to dull the coldness.I watched as she reached out and poked the air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror. Her hands were encased in several gloves to keep them warm, but they still shook slightly from the cold. The freshener didn't move."It doesn't bounce anymore. It's lost its life." She sighed.The freshener was a Christmas tree-shaped cut-out, once fragrant with the artificial smell of pine and newly fallen rain. I'd…