Lydia Chase

“The Voyage of the Siren and Mermaid” by Lydia Chase

Submitted to Contest #240

I fastened the final rope to the sail of our glorious boat.  “See, Maia, I told you I could figure out how the human vessels work!” I gazed at my creation.  From the bones of an abandoned vessel, I constructed a new boat with a tall sail, a net to the side for Maia to sit in, and the prettiest rocks I found decorating the hull.   A proud squawk burst from my lips.  “It’s perfect!” “It’s garbage.”  Maia’s tail swished through the waves.  “Petra, you did your best, but this thing won’...

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“The Riverboat” by Lydia Chase

Submitted to Contest #238

A brief warning: this story deals with themes around neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. An illness is not named, but I know these diseases affect many families across the world, so please don’t force yourself to read this if you may find the topic triggering in any way. Alice peered over the rail, swaying to the tune on the wind.  “Fancy a dance, love?” Her husband Arley, with his hands stuck in his pockets, shrugged.  “Sorry hon, my two left feet couldn’t hope to keep up with this.” She sighed, leaning aga...

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“The Dock Under an Ancient Sky” by Lydia Chase

Submitted to Contest #234

As Paloma walked, the sounds of civilization grew softer and softer, a deafening silence overtaking the night.  She barely registered the wood under her bare feet, or the chill of a breeze in the middle of June.  When she reached the edge of the dock and look out over the water, memories swarmed her brain, buzzing through her skull until tears dripped downwards. You are being ridiculous, she scolded herself.  Two minutes, that’s the longest you’re allowed to let yourself cry over this.  Her mind...

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“Triple Chocolate Failed Resolutions” by Lydia Chase

Ambitions and poor scheduling plagued the mind of Claire Olvido. Her father was an architect, her mother a surgeon, her baby brother accepted to medical school, and Claire was nearly five years out of college with a fine arts degree living in a studio apartment on the third floor of a building with walls so thin her neighbors swore they heard every stroke of her paintbrush. “What’s this?” Claire’s friend, Tilly asked. Claire looked up the spot she was cleaning toward her. Tilly sat by a pile of tarps, holding up a large piece...

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“CAPTCHA Paintings of Pigs” by Lydia Chase

Submitted to Contest #150

For as long as I can remember, I have ignored the constant clicking surrounding me. Tap, tap, tap, tap, the sound echoes around me as I keep my focus on the screen in front, my consciousness devoted to the little words and figures scrolling across the bright display in an endless line of seemingly random noise. My metallic fingers tap the keys below me like the hundreds of other autos stationed around me. We each tap away at our work in our small, white offices we refer to as the boxes.  The coordinators decorate each bo...

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