Laura Austin

“Smiley's Revenge” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #92

Sometimes you just can’t catch a break…    My name is Smiley. Yes, Smiley. I am a humpback unicorn with no real reason to smile, yet that is my name. My friends call me Smi and my enemies call me “The One-Horned Camel”. Well, they do until I run my one horn where they least expect or want it. My body is the pure white of most unicorns, and my mane and tail are a beautiful cream. My one true flaw is my back. I don’t know why it has a huge hump. I wasn’t born with it and no one in my family has ever had one or heard of one. It...

23 likes 3 comments 3

Read story

“The Last Laugh” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #57

Gladys frowned as she made yet another correction. Her typing skills weren't bad, but her eyesight had diminished with the years and at only 65, she struggled to see small print. She needed to get this done, however. It was her Last Will and Testament- a very important document. This piece of paper would determine the legacy she left to the names on her list. The names of her closest family members. Close- HA! Like they even bothered to come and see her. Not a single one of them knew of her secret, her nest egg. She had saved every dime she ...

17 likes 1 comment 1

Read story

“The Linguist” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #48

Daphne had never been cool. She had always been the one hanging back, unsure of her place among her peers, cringing from social situations, and other than her job, living her life alone. She didn't mind the loneliness so much, but once in a while- once in a while a little human interaction was what she needed more than she needed to breathe. That was the feeling that had led her to go to the night club. She was well over twenty one, and likely the only patron in her age group who was experiencing this environment for the first time. Still, s...

21 likes 6 comments 6

Read story

“City Slickers” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #41

Roscoe was beginning to worry- a lot. The hike had been his idea. The back woods of Kentucky were beautiful and rugged, but they weren't hiking that far from human civilization, only about ten miles or so. But in which direction? He glanced back at his wife and four year old son. They were being troopers about this, but they couldn't keep walking all night. His wife, Sheryl, had begun to sense trouble and had sent him expressive looks, but he hadn't wanted to admit to being lost. Now, he knew that she knew, but there was nothing to be said a...

9 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“Althea's Slide” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #40

Althea shifted in her chair, uncomfortably fidgeting and trying to pay attention to the news broadcast. She wanted to know what was going on in the world, but she was struggling to cope with the stress and anxiety it was causing her. She'd always managed her stress by window shopping or visiting with friends, but those options had been stolen from her. For two months she'd been confined to her home under lock down. She'd had her groceries and supplies delivered. For two months she hadn't seen her grown children or her grandchildren. The worl...

5 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Star Crossed” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #39

As Chris Hardesty tumbled to the hard, unforgiving earth, he contemplated his choices, and how they had led him from a life ease, literally spent gazing at the stars with his high powered telescope, bought with somebody else's hard-earned grant money, to this. Seemingly in slow motion, he plummeted face up, admiring the beauty of the stars one final time.Three weeks ago, he'd been confined to his tiny workspace, searching tirelessly for, oh who was he kidding? He'd spent his time daydreaming about the night sky and its secrets. He knew he wo...

3 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Golden Years” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #33

   Frank Remington and Harry Forsooth had lived in the same nursing home for three years. Both had terrible hearing loss and most of the other residents didn’t even try to speak to them so they only had each other for friends. Frank had a naturally cantankerous personality that had not improved with age, and Harry was pretty much always sick or in discomfort and tended toward crankiness so they were a matched pair, even if they argued constantly.   Frank peered over at Harry, who was studying his newest crosswor...

2 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Teatime Tradition” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #32

    Dominique sat patiently at the table in her garden, the gentle breeze stirring her hair and the birds chirping their greetings. It had been a long, tiring week and she’d looked forward to this rare but cherished opportunity for teatime with her grandmother. The table was beautifully set, as her Grandmother would have done, with a linen table cloth, matching linen napkins, a lovely fresh floral center piece, and a silver tea set that had been in her family since the early 1700’s. Her dress had been chosen carefully; a ...

3 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Jeffry's Gift” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #32

  Jeffry watched as Lucinda pulled on her sexy tights, twisted her hair into a neat bun, and donned her bright red cape. It was going to be a long, lonely night. Since Lucinda had mysteriously developed her powers the year after graduating college, he had spent a lot of nights alone. Her super speed and strength made it easy for her to help those in need and fight crime, and although he’d initially agreed that wasting such a gift would be a tragedy, he’d regretted it ever since. He’d hoped that he would eventually get his own super...

5 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“Quick Errand” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #31

  He couldn’t believe he was actually doing this. He’d heard the old jokes about embarrassed husbands heading through the convenient store checkout with their heads tucked down, avoiding eye contact with the cashier so they could purchase tampons for their wives. He’d never thought he’d agree to run such an errand. Why would he need to? Women drive! Taking out his wallet, he couldn’t believe his bad luck. He’d left his bankcard on his nightstand and had no cash. None. So. This meant he would have to drive the three miles back home,...

2 likes 1 comment 1

Read story

“The Loss of Rascal” by Laura Austin

  Simone searched the attic, the bedrooms, including under the beds, and the back yard, full of tangled weeds and untended grapevines left over from more industrious seasons, but came up with nothing. She looked under the sink, since it was a favorite hiding place, even though she’d checked it three times already. Rascal, a well-loved but sociopathic tomcat, was nowhere to be found. She sighed, and as a last resort, turned to an old classic. She went back into the kitchen, grabbed a can of cat food, and began opening it with the no...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story