A.J. Williams

“The Songbook” by A.J. Williams

Note: A.E. (After-Event) refers to the new dating system in-universe. In the year 2012, a massive solar flare hit the Earth, sending the human race back into the Dark Ages. A Second Dark Ages. New Orleans, Duchy of Louisiana, Kingdom of the South July 22nd, 2156 (144 A.E.) "The world is a vampire... set to drain..." muttered a young boy as he read lyrics from an old-world songbook. It contained lyrics and notes from the 1990s, a distant era. According to his father, it was a time when humanity wielded godlike power but succumbed to lazines...

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“Avraám & his Sons” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #245

Note: A.E. (After-Event) refers to the new dating system in-universe. In the year 2012, a massive solar flare hit the Earth, sending the human race back into the Dark Ages. A Second Dark Ages. City of Athens, Greek Union of Cities August 17th, 2145 (133 A.E.) "Iakovos, please bring the feather and ink. Tonight's sky is clear, and we need to begin documenting the stars," ordered Avraám, the Star-Gazer of Athens, a respected role held in high regard by the Greek community. "Of course, Father," replied his son. "The Council and the King requi...

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“The Damned & the Forgotten” by A.J. Williams

Note: A.E. (After-Event) refers to the new dating system in-universe. In the year 2012, a massive solar flare hit the Earth, sending the human race back into the Dark Ages. A Second Dark Ages. Abandoned City of Toronto, Former Province of Ontario, Canada September 20th, 2019 (7 A.E.) In downtown Toronto, once bustling and the capital of Ontario, now lies abandoned to encroaching nature that will likely overtake it in the years to come. Grass peeks through cracked sidewalks and roads, while buildings start to sprout grass and vines. The city...

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“The Drink of Wine” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #241

Contains themes of substance abuse, emotional abuse, & sexual content*Note: A.E. refers to After-Event*City of Barrie, Kingdom of Ontario August 2112 (100 A.E.) In the grand hall, torches blazed brightly, casting dancing shadows upon the gathering of warriors. Soldiers, generals, guardsmen, and nurses alike were gathered around tables hewn from the sturdy trunks of sugar maple and white pine. Their faces illuminated by the flickering flames, they feasted upon steaming bowls of soup and broth, served in rough-hewn wooden vessels. Loaves o...

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“The Winds” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #240

Port Orford, Oregon Spring 2040 (28 A.E.) The winds batter the walls of the main house, causing them to rattle and jolt. Storms like these are never enjoyable, especially with Mona's fear of hurricanes and tornadoes. I often wonder how she managed to survive in the wilderness alone. Perhaps I've been too protective of her, though I've tried to provide only minimal comfort to help ease her fears of the world. After all, she's just fourteen and deserves some peace and security. Sitting in the lighthouse's main cabin at our small dinner table, ...

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“The Road to Nowhere That Is Somewhere to Someone” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #239

North Dakota Autumn 2039 (27 A.E.) Awakening to the soothing rhythm of raindrops against my modest tent, pieced together from old construction tarp I've owned since the collapse, I find comfort in the familiarity of my bedroll made of durable post-event fabric, a wise purchase made just a year ago. As I rise to greet the day, the decision weighs on me whether to hunker d...

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“The File” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #236

Suburbs of Allen Commune of Boston, Massachusetts 2044 A woman in her middle years, with black hair turning gray, was using an older desktop computer. It was a Dell model with important information inside, information she urgently needed. However, she couldn't access the computer's main user without the required password. F...

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“The Sphere in the Sky” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #234

As I shut my eyes to listen to the gentle melody on the radio, I notice the sound of her footsteps. When I open my eyes again, she has moved closer to us. I've nicknamed her Big Betty. It's like a colossal metallic sphere gliding down to Earth. Quite a dramatic ending, don't you think? A massive alien spacecraft cruising on autopilot, heading straight for us. "I baked muffins for us, the ones you enjoy," Janet, m...

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“The Masked Party” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #233

July 10th, 2040 (28 A.E.) Denver Somewhere in the city a grand themed party for the rich is taking place, and is quite, quite ridiculous… V's words dripped with a bitter irony as she adjusted her mask, its facade contrasting sharply with her sparkly black dress and the fiery red of her hair that complemented her pale, freckled skin. "Funny, to think, I was hoping for a ball but now these masks take the cake," she remarked, her voice...

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“The Star Gazer” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #232

Spring of 2047 (35 A.E.) Near Denver, Free Republic of Colorado Thomas Newbury peered through the pre-Event telescope, his gaze fixed on the celestial canvas above. His routine pursuit involved scouring the heavens for a new comet, not merely for the thrill of discovery but as a means to eke out a meager living in this post-apocalyptic world. The solar flare storm that ...

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“You Won't See Me” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #230

I notice emptiness in her gaze—devoid of love, sorrow for our losses, or joy. In my memory, Angie mentions her discontent, and I urge Angie to roll over, I start focusing on the present. My wife regards me, unimpressed. Beyond her, snow falls gently. Small white flakes dance in the cold wind, adrift like us, yet destined for a place we may not desire. I exhale, taking a seat beside her, aware of the cause of her ...

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“The Diagnosis” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #229

A Thursday Night Sometime Before Christmas Rockin’ around the Christmas tree. At the Christmas party hop… I'm by myself in the front passenger seat of my mom's SUV, holding the paper with the doctor's diagnosis. It says "Epilepsy." It all started with just one seizure, but now it feels like I'm stuck with this for life. The rain outside is freezing, making the window...

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“The Pizza Night” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #228

In a cozy, affordable apartment in the city of Richborough, located in the orderly country of Canada, a family eagerly awaits the delivery of their dinner. Specifically, they're anticipating two pizzas and a delightful dessert of brownies. The Edwards family is facing tough times. Callahan Edwards, the father, lost his job several months ago. Kelly Romane Edwards, the mother, is putting in a lot of effort at her office j...

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“The Evening Cup of Hot Chocolate” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #227

I'm unsure about today's emotions. It's been two years since I last saw Michelle. Since then, I got engaged to Marie, and now there's a possibility that she might be pregnant. The idea of my fiancée being pregnant is quite overwhelming, but for now, I need to conceal the emotions I'm experiencing. A deep sense of fear and anxiety burns in my stomach, akin to a fiery lake—a harbinger, perhaps, of where I might en...

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“Maxine” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #226

Saturday Morning – The Morning After How my eyes adore her and I awake to her and her smile, a comforting picture of Margaret and me captured on a summer day last year. How time flies. The desire to remain in bed for an eternity consumes me, but my mind subtly reminds me of my mother's impending fate, intensifying the urge to stay cocooned in bed even more. Why does this happen to people...

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