Stories tagged “challenge”
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I Wouldn't Be Here if not for That Damn Piano
There were no roses involved. No chocolates, no secret notes, no blind dates. They didn’t meet at a romantic dinner, or a hippie love-fest, or a rock concert. They met at work, and the deciding factor was those crazy union rules. They worked at C...
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Golden Mysteries
“Where do I begin?” Timidly, my voice rang all too loudly in the quiet space. “Begin with one.” The therapist wore a yellow tie. “No, zero is first.” I wished that tie would leave. “So begin with zero.” &...
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The Second Time Around
It was Jilly and Mark’s second playdate, the first had been after Tot Time when they were only 4 months old. Elisabeth and Kate, the moms, got on well enough, so it had been arranged again. Now, though, the kids were old enough to actually play. ...
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Anaesthetics
The anaesthetist was patient with me, smiling, soothing away my nerves, reassuring me with a gentle touch of his hand. He’d been briefed by the nurse already that I didn’t like long words or clever people, and that I was very afraid of this...
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Moving on
It looked like rain again. She saw the same grey skies and precipitation that she’d seen every day on opening the iron and glass doors that provided access to the small space the realtor had laughingly described as a ‘spacious balcony’...
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Midnight Shift
I sit working away at my desk, attempting to make it to the end of the day—er, night. Whatever it’s called here. It doesn’t really matter to me. I look up for a brief moment and watch several coworkers yawn wide and look around to see who...
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Spin
It looked like the ground. Lots and lots of ground. Sliding sideways past the nose in a big circle. He’d heard about spins before, but he’d never flown one. Well, technically, one doesn’t fly a spin, one falls a spin. The thing about ...
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Spin
It looked like the ground. Lots and lots of ground. Sliding sideways past the nose in a big circle. He’d heard about spins before, but he’d never flown one. Well, technically, one doesn’t fly a spin, one falls a spin. The thing about a spin is th...
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Thumb War
This was war. But what it needed, as all good wars, was a slogan. “Three Two One – Thumb Fun”? No, that would never work. Too short, not catchy. No one would go to war for that. “One Two, Thumb-Fu”? Catchy, but only really relevant if warring...
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My love is in every drop of water
The bathroom is lit only by the scented candles but there are dozens of them arrayed in geometric patterns on every flat surface. The room is warm and soft shadows cling to the walls, just waiting to detach and embrace someone. I’ve been running ...
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People are Strange
Ed was driving Jim to work, as usual. Well, not driving at the moment, they were sitting in traffic— for the third time this week, and it was only Wednesday. “You know, Jim, if you were to set your alarm for fifteen minutes earlier, we migh...
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The Eyes
They’re everywhere. They say they’re peaceful, and that they haven’t started moving about in the public, but they’re lying. Look at the eyes, it’s all right there. That’s how I knew it was safe to talk to you. Look at him, for instance. Wai...
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Target the Readers
INT. Opulent Board Room – Late Evening Seven well-dressed men and women sit anxiously around a giant oval table. Floor to ceiling windows on two walls bathe the room in a soft orange glow. Towering buildings populate the landscape. Mr. Thompson, ...
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Target the Readers
INT. Opulent Board Room – Late Evening Seven well-dressed men and women sit anxiously around a giant oval table. Floor to ceiling windows on two walls bathe the room in a soft orange glow. Towering buildings populate the landscape. Mr. Thompson, the ...
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Corporate Technophobes
The news came amid cheers and applause. The company had been saved at the last minute by the Corporation. The Corporation would make things better. The Corporation would fix everything that had been broken for as long as anyone could remember. The Corp...
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Nothing Comes to Mind
Her hands rose to the keyboard, poised to take flight. They trembled, then dropped back into her lap. Over and over she did this. Tears dropped from her eyes, splashed down her nose and cheeks, fell on her hands. And yet, she typed nothing. Hours passe...
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Deus Ex Machina
Marion landed like an avenging goddess, stabbing downward with all the fury of a woman scorned. Her blade struck sparks from the arm DEM. threw up to protect its face. The next second, she was flying through the air once again as the robot tossed her a...
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Truly Alien?
I looked up from my dressing table. “Does my bum look big in this Joe?” A smirk spread across his face. “It does, but you know I love that about you.” He gripped my shoulders, leaned down, and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. ...
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F.A.P.C. Justice
Patricia bobbed in the water. She was balancing on a submerged beach ball. She was staring at the lifeguard. She was not watching him so much as keeping him under close surveillance. It was her turn. The Fifth Avenue Pool Club was the law in these part...
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Aria
Aria stared at the azure sky, slowly turning a quiet midnight. Sunset didn’t seem to happen here; it was just day, and then it was night. A gentle transition from a sea of darkened cornflower to borderlining navy… beautiful, albeit strange....
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Inhumane?
“Give me the fucking keys asshole! Or I’ll kill you.” He jerked his head at me. “And your whore.” “No you won’t. You’re a thief, not a killer. Or a rapist. And your friends are less prepared than you are....
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Shop of the Uglies
I shuddered as the ugly man grinned toothily at me. “I’m Kelly. How many olives do you want?” he asked. “About fifty should do. I’m starving.” Starving enough that even you haven’t put me off food, I thought. &...
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No Lie
A single bare bulb shines on a table where a figure slumps in a chair beside it, in handcuffs. A man enters in a dress shirt and slacks, gun in holster at his hip. “So, alien tell us everything you know about Mr. Big!” “But, I donR...
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Ecuadorian Earless Eagle Engineering
Envisioning excitement, Ernie examined every Ecuadorian egg. Engineering earless eagles earned emeralds easily. Even Eddie, erudite earthquake expert, effortlessly examined Eagle eggs. Earnest Eddie eats everyday, examining Earth’s ecological env...
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Spoiled Milk Milkshakes
She stood there in front of the mirror in her itsy-bisty, teeny-weeny, yellow polka dot bikini. She hadn’t worn it since the summer 0f 1950, when she had been 18 years old and into the rebellious stuff. Truth be told, she had forgotten all about ...