Janetra Waters

“Fated Chaos” by Janetra Waters

(As a note, this is not a pretty story. It reveals the ugliness of human nature and the power of fear.)Fate.It’s such a cruel and inevitable thing.Cruel in the way it can easily give someone everything they ever wanted before stripping it all away. It can doom a person to an early death while in the same stroke, grant a long and fulfilling life to someone else. It gives one their soulmate, while forcing another to forever roam the lonely abyss.The lucky ones are fated with good lives, and the unlucky know nothing but misfortune.Out of all t...

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“Dance of the Water Bearer” by Janetra Waters

Submitted to Contest #160

Under the heat of three suns, eager eyes watch the horizon in anticipation. Sweat pours down their dirtied faces and their chests heave as they draw in hot air, coughing as it hits their parched throats. They try to wet their dry lips only to flinch at the rough, cracked texture. Though unbearable, they wait with optimism, squinting beneath the bright glare. Humid wind blows around them, offering a small, barely noticeable break in the heat. The people of Tahla have gotten used to dry lips and parched throats. Tahla sits in the south of Asto...

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“From Darkness, Comes Light” by Janetra Waters

Submitted to Contest #154

“We’re running out of time,” I whisper to myself. My steps are steady, my posture straight and calm, a carefully crafted facade to hide the inner turmoil eating away at me. I can feel The Darkness creeping in, like iced covered hands gripping my mind, body, and soul. It plays at the edge of my consciousness… waiting for me to let my guard down. It becomes harder each day to keep the fragile grip I have on my sanity. I step outside into the cold of the new summer, making my way to the settlement. The air’s become frigid since The Light...

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“The Perfect Stranger” by Janetra Waters

Submitted to Contest #96

Thorn Ridge was a small town, surrounded by miles of thick forest on all sides, in the middle of nowhere. With less than a hundred residents, it was one of those communities where everyone knew everyone. It was seldom that anyone new graced the streets. So when the stranger rode onto Mainstreet on his Black motercylce, it was quite the buzz. Not used to newcomers, there was a certain wariness that settled over everyone. But that wariness never lasted long. The excitement from something new quickly overtook it. News travels fast in Thorn Ridg...

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“"I'm Okay"” by Janetra Waters

Submitted to Contest #68

"Mom, I have a secret to tell you," I state, watching her hesitate at the front door. She turns to me, waiting for me to speak. "I'm okay." "Lexi," she sighs, honey brown eyes filled with worry as she grabs my hand. "I'm okay," I tell her again before she can say anything. Her dark brows scrunch as she searches my face. "I just want to make sure. Colton's... situatio-" "You can say it, mom. His death." A small grimace flits across her face. Everyone has been so careful around me since he died. Walking on eggshells, afraid to even say his nam...

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“The Boy, The Ball, and The Shadow” by Janetra Waters

Submitted to Contest #64

The house looks normal, a carbon copy of the suburban houses on the street. Healthy green grass sits before the house. No peeling paint or falling shingle. A beautifully carved rocking chair sits on the porch.   But something is off about it, it's barely noticeable, like a slight shift in the wind. A weird feeling radiates from it, one I'm familiar with, creeping silently along my skin. A woman stands on the porch, arms crossed, trying to shield herself from the chill of the Winter air. Blonde hair whips about from the breeze. I ca...

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“Don't Go Into the Woods” by Janetra Waters

Submitted to Contest #16

Eldmere, Finland"Äiti, why can't we go into the woods again?" a small seven-year-old boy asks, voice curious, as he gets into bed. He pulls his covers over him as he lays down. The boy's mother gives him a small smile and helps him settle in. The moonlight casts a soft glow through the window."The woods are very dangerous." she answers him, sitting on the bed. "And holds a great evil within that preys on people." the boy looks at his mother with curious yet confused eyes."The Näkki live there." she supplies at his look."The Na-di?" he asks c...

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