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Writing Contest - Issue 18

Below you will find all stories that were submitted for this contest.

Writing Contest Issue 18 – Winner

September 5, 2016 Leave a Comment

Uno
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And the Editors’ Choice Is…

“Uno” by Liam P. Dando

Congratulations to Liam.

Secret Prize

If you don’t know about our weekly book giveaway, now is a good time to know about it. I buy one lucky reader a book *every single week*…it’s pretty simple stuff. You just have to check your email…

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Featured Stories

The following stories made the short list and have been put into our Featured Stories category. They are listed in no particular order.

  • “Overpass” by Derek Harmening
  • “Plus Ca Change” by Carter O’Neill
  • “Birthdays” by Israela Margalit
  • “The Lakeshore” by Scott MacAulay
  • “Blood Rubies” by Alex Reece Abbott
  • “Colours” by Jessica Birke
  • “Soul Poison” by Mickey Kulp
  • “Hanami” by Tilde Del

This months prize is a game changer!

Good luck!

—Shannon

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Necessities

August 29, 2016 3 Comments

Necessities
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The clerk stared at me as I dropped my purchases on the counter. I said, “Get on with it. None of your damn business.”

As he rang up my items, he averted his eyes. He started to perspire, his hands shook, and he was hyperventilating.

Despite his discomfort he rang the disinfectant, gauze, and Band-Aids well enough. His delicate two-fingered grab of the tampon package caused a scarlet embarrassment to creep up from his collar. My package of calf brains made him gag.

I laughed later as I munched my dinner. The poor kid had clearly never waited on a Zombie.

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By Jim Byrnes

Robot Love

August 17, 2016 8 Comments

Robot Love
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Yesterday I found my soulmate among the gigabytes. Courier type was his face. Among the blue app-filled screen, my tick tock heart lost its time. My metallic hands sweated oil, these yellow eyes of mine started to blink stars, and I couldn’t function.

“Let’s betray our human masters, leave our housework till tomorrow, and take a day off.”

“Could we?”

Today, I will take the key that holds my wheels locked and skate across town. I’ll switch my antenna from airplane mode to wireless and zero in to your frequency.

“Anarchy for robots in love; are you ready?”

“Yes, I am.”

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By Marchell Dyon

Ephemera

August 16, 2016 16 Comments

Ephemera
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We crave to carve permanence from the elusive present. Etching daily reminders, we cling to children’s crayon drawings, ticket stubs, t-shirts, photographs, and videos. Our memories remain faint and fleeting.

Desiring durable monuments, we inscribe gravestones, chisel statues, and dedicate parks, public buildings, and entire cities. Nonetheless, cemeteries are forgotten, buildings fall, parks are redeveloped, and cities are abandoned.

Ancients erected obelisks and pyramids. Eventually they were buried in overgrowth or sand, their meanings forgotten over time.

Memories fade. Living things die. Civilizations fail. Stones crumble. Continents drift. Suns exhaust their fuel. Galaxies collapse, consumed by their cores.

Everything is ephemeral.

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By Werthworld

Numbers Game

August 15, 2016 5 Comments

Numbers Game
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Sesame Street was surprisingly accurate in its depiction of vampires.

The capes and fangs are true, but so is the maths obsession. That’s why a circle of salt works as protection. They spend so long counting the individual grains they don’t have time to eat you.

I’ve tested this statement, and can confirm.

The creature hunched over our grotty kitchen floor, fingers so thin they blurred in the air, was there four hours before sunrise.

A pile of dust, mingling with the salt.

I stood up, breath still fast and shallow. I’d expected the shaking.

But I hadn’t expected the singing.

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By William Shaw

Contract Labor

August 12, 2016 5 Comments

Contract Labor
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I wait curbside in the Lowe’s parking lot. I’ve been refused worse jobs, but I have to eat. I have to pay my fourth of the rent at the studio apartment.

At last, a truck pulls up. The driver asks if anyone wants work. We start boarding the truck bed when the white driver puts a firm hand on my chest, halting me from climbing aboard with the rest of the day laborers.

“You got a Social?”

I know where this is going.

“Yes,” I reply.

“I ain’t paying minimum,” says the driver.

The truck rumbles away, and I’m still waiting.

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By Travis Barrett Glasgow

Heat

August 12, 2016 4 Comments

Heat
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The enthralling flame, as it consumes paraffin-soaked paper, excites Punch.

“Spread the fire, ya damn fool, or we won’t be paid!” shouts Brack, as he scurries about spraying kerosene.

Punch holds off, enjoying the flame-induced gut churning.

Brack raises the sprayer and swings to locate Punch, accidentally soaking him and creating a conflagration.

Quickly Brack grabs a tarp, smothering Punch and knocking him to the ground.

Punch screams, primal like, heart-rending.

Brack prays, “Good Lord, Good Lord.”

Punch’s deceptive smile is a toothy grin; his lips have withdrawn in the heat, exposing copious gold-capped teeth.

Brack seethes, deploring his mortal sin.

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By Jeffrey A. Paolano

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