L.J Sunwing

“Mild January Drinks” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #128

“You look like you need a cup of tea.” Ripley crosses her arms and looks at her friend sitting at the bar-like kitchen table. Ripley pulls her hair into a low bun, strands hanging down in her eyes over her thick-rimmed glasses. The small woman stands on her tip-toes to get a box of tea out of the cupboard and reaches across the stove to flip on the burner. The light shines in through the window, the weather is cool and damp but mild enough to take a walk outside in a light jacket. This made the simple warm drink seem all the more appealing t...

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“We Need a New Apartment” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #127

“Allie, do you believe in ghosts?” Ripley walks up behind Alison, eating a jar of peanut butter, and intently staring at the back of her friend’s head. While the curious roommate could see Alison was working on something, she saw her philosophical question on the apparitions as a more pressing matter. Also, part of Ripley just enjoyed annoying her friend. Alison keeps her eyes on her computer and grunts in annoyance. “It’s Alison, and what do you mean by ghosts?” Ripley narrows her eyes at Alison’s reaction. Despite being friends for sever...

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“A Year Burning in Retrospect” by L.J Sunwing

I silently open the door to the wine cellar. The stairs are long and morose, and I try to move silently. All the adults in the house are talking over dinner and drinks about the escalating political climate and I’m doing my due diligence to join in the New Year’s festivities but on my own. At this point, I’m probably better to accompany myself than anyone else is. A girl with a dead fiance and an imprisoned ex-lover leaves little room for comradery, friendship, and trust.  The selection is large, but not being picky I grabbed the one ...

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“Utopian Lies” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #125

The party can be heard outside the extravagant and intricately designed restroom door. The low tones hum and give support to the piano piece intertwing in the sound. Margo tugs her dress to expose her shoulders. The scarlet material extenuates her pale skin and contrasts her glassy teal eyes. Tricking men was a talent that came easier to the striking women in recent years. In a short time, she had gone from administrative work to being in the field.  She went from working as an academic assistant to carrying classified secrets to the ...

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“Hidden Apostate” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #124

“Oof”, Ripley falls onto her bed. The comfort holds her body like a coffin. The warmth cradles her amongst the stress of midterms which is almost over besides a project to hand in tomorrow. With that being finished, she is excited to relax for the first night since the Summer. The window is slightly open and the fall breeze comes in and brushes her face. Despite having track practice tomorrow, she was happy to spend an hour alone while her roommates were gone. This left an empty and quiet apartment for the book worm. She looked at the book s...

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“Night at the Ballet” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #123

The overture is chaotic and is thick in the theatre. From the ground level seats, it is overwhelming but the nosebleed seats allow it to be quieter and drummed out. The box overlooks the stage in a regal way. The stage itself is lit with the vibrancy of the gold and red curtain. The columns in the ballet itself are grand and secure. The onlooker seems far away from the very small performers that will soon enter the stage. As though the man had paid to be royalty for a night and ruled over the rest of the cast members of the ballet, he pats t...

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“Breakup Duo” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #123

“Well, that was dramatic.” Ripley grimaced upon her two friends, Alison and Lia, who stood slack-jawed at the event that had just occurred in the trio's cramped college apartment. They sat amongst a hole in the wall, scattered medical books belonging to Alison, and an array of broken dishes that lay around. Lia’s artwork had avoided the disaster by being in a separate room and Ripley’s laptop seemed to have a brush with death but was okay. The center of this situation, Alison, nonchalantly brushes some of the rubble out of the way. She huf...

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“After the War” by L.J Sunwing

Hi everyone, recently I watched Pearl Harbor and was very much inspired by it. My grandmother grew up in WWII and would tell me stories about it. I’ve also been going through a lot in my own life and just wanted to write a stream of consciousness to vent and think of better times. I can feel relief sink into my heart. There are cheers of celebration and revival. It has been ages since you could leave your house without a sense of fear. My heels click onto the pavement and there's music in the air. For the first time in a long time, t...

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“Bread” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #115

//Trigger Warnings for: War, Death, Mental Illness// “You’re scared of that, aren’t you?” Thomas can hear his fiance's voice over a blurred world around him. The most audible sound is his heart beating out of his chest. His breathing hastens as he can feel the air slowly draining from his surroundings. In his mind, there is a clash of falling glass and what sounds like gunshots. Everything further disappears as he feels his esophagus almost close like a hole in the earth. It is the fading voice of his fiance and the repeated banging of bul...

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“Doomscrolling Doomtrolling” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #115

“Thomas!” A crack of skin and bones broke the silent chatter of the picnic. Alison felt her heart beat out of her chest as she saw her husband stand over her cousin who had been standing several seconds before her vision hit the pair. It was not the situation she wanted in a family gathering. Her cousin, Cass, was lying on the ground with a robust grunt coming out as he rose after Thomas like a striking snake looking at his prey. Alison felt the urge to grab her husband until another family member inserted himself between the two, effectivel...

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“'If it were your daughter, it would be different.'” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #114

//Hi everyone! I feel like I should put a warning here. The story deals with emotional gaslighting, manipulation, emotional abuse, and people coming to terms with it. This is based off of a friend's situation in real life and they gave me permission to make a fictionalized story around it. If anyone has gone through this I’m sorry for you and my heart goes out to you. God Bless// “It’s a long story.” Malcolm avoided eye contact with the young woman who he once knew. “You lied to me and lied about me, I have time.” Alison stepped out on h...

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“"Past the Point of No Return"” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #114

“You should be a model.” A grin spreads across Drake's face. He takes his skating partner's hand in his, assuming the starting position. Their fingers tangle together in a way that can only happen during practices and performances. His hand slips around her back, mimicking the start of a tango, el paseo. He’s held women before, but the bond he has with her asks more of him. In other affairs, he was able to escape but this one is different. He wondered while performing if they were just that, performing, or if something else was happening. Ae...

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“I Saw You in a Dream” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #113

I felt a momentary haze, a crowd of people surrounded me, and myself amongst them. I never liked places like these. The confusion and exhaustion it elicited leave me feeling thousands of miles away from people who are physically next to me. For myself, there is a perpetual feeling of loneliness in large crowds. I’ve never cared for people, not in large crowds at least. I preferred the company of others as we sit across from each other in a quiet restaurant. In a Christian sense, my love for others was present, no matter how begrudging that...

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“"It's been a long, long time"” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #112

“Are you coming tonight?” Thomas pulled his heavy grey coat on and looked at his wife as he neared the door to their house. Alison, his wife, moved towards him. The dark circles were accentuated under her eyes by her long black hair. Her body lacked the muscle it had once had from college sports. Though not unhealthy, she seemed smaller and more fragile. This stood out in her state of sleeplessness from working a late shift at the hospital. Her work often led to her being isolated at home, due to the natural introvert having picked the caree...

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“The Cave” by L.J Sunwing

Submitted to Contest #112

“This is my life now. I have climbed this hill, and now I will die upon it”, Griffith falls onto the slant. He lets out an exaggerated groan as he sprawls out on the ground. Sanya was tired, and Griffith's whining and teasing on this hike had finally gotten to her. Her impatience was often exaggerated by his carefree attitude.  “We’ve hiked three miles, it’s only been an hour.” Sanya pulls out the map and scans it. Griffith had wrangled the two together for a project for their anthropology class. She knew this would mean he would foll...

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