This story is one of the September Writing Challenge entries chosen to be a featured story. . What defines us? What takes us in context and out of context and explains us all away like a definition in a dictionary? It isn’t the march of time, for sure, that swirling bastard child of conformity and place. I adjust my glasses…
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Jasmine Tea by Luisa Mattar
This story is one of the September Writing Challenge entries chosen to be a featured story. . James flipped the coin; heads. He has to cook dinner tonight. We’ve been doing this since the beginning of quarantine. It was the best way we found of passing time and sharing our chores. The coin chooses everything: who has to take out…
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September Writing Challenge: Honorable Mentions — Stella, Sophia Titara, Sariah Lake, and Judith
These entries from September's challenge were selected as Honorable Mentions. Those who completed this challenge are now encouraged to share their stories in the comments section of the "September Writing Challenge." . Stella 16 Brazil It was dark inside the closet. The smell of her grandmother’s perfume and a twist of mothballs filled the air inside the imperial, mahogany wardrobe.…
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Seasonal Love by Karina Murphy
This story is one of the August Writing Challenge entries chosen to be a featured story. . I meet him at a park. I’m sitting at one of those picnic benches, scratching tally marks in the wood with a fingernail, and he sits down across from me, says, You look sad. I look up, startled, angry, bitter maybe, ready to…
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Seasonal Love by Katie Preedy
This story is one of the August Writing Challenge entries chosen to be a featured story. . Nothing will ever be as beautiful as this summer we’ve had together. From the second you stepped off the train all the way through to right now, weaving our way around whispering forest trees, every moment and every memory we’ve made over the…
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The Runaway Song by Judith
This story is one of the August Writing Challenge entries chosen to be a featured story. . The strap of my backpack is rough between my sweaty fingers, and it feels like someone added bricks to my luggage instead of just some clothes and my passport. I can feel my sister’s worried gaze upon me as she says, “Are you…
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August Writing Challenge: Honorable Mentions — Selena Schwarz and Lois Hilton
These entries from August's challenge were selected as Honorable Mentions. Those who completed this challenge are now encouraged to share their stories in the comments section of the "August Writing Challenge." . Selena Schwarz 22 USA Seasonal Love They called her Summer because her heart burned with love. They called him Winter because his icy soul cut anyone who risked…
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The Chainsmoker by F. MacKenzie
I watch how his cigarette smoke scribbles letters in the air, enchanted. “Where did you learn that?” I ask. His face is dreamy but not in a good way. It’s probably just the jet lag or time marking its passing on his skin. I can’t tell. “Fratboy parties,” he scoffs. He takes a glimpse of the space between us, the…
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Butterfly City by Astrid Saenz
This story is one of the July Writing Challenge entries chosen to be a featured story. . I’m seven years old, and you tell me the story of the castle in Butterfly City, the wind ruffling our clothes as we sit on the wet sand. The sickness has already made your voice hollow and your cheekbones protrude, but I pretend…
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In search of inspiration by Katie Preedy
This story is one of the July Writing Challenge entries chosen to be a featured story. . Is there really such a thing as going too far to find inspiration? Now is probably the wrong time to be asking myself this question as I clumsily yank off my shoes in the middle of a rain-soaked beach a hundred miles away…
