Madeleine Fromgei

“AP Calculus BC” by Madeleine Fromgei

My high school reunion is tomorrow and I do not want to see those faces again.I didn't attend the American high schools I saw on TV. There were no drugs, there were no unsupervised house parties, no late nights, no joy rides, no alcohol, no romance. It was a hospital with a chalk board and a bell that rang 8 times a day. We were all nerds, but some were nerdier than others. Those were the really smart kids. But then there were the really nerdy nerds. I mean, severely nerdy, unsocialized, uncivilized, MIT-bound nerds. I should know--I was one...

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“Vanya Blue” by Madeleine Fromgei

At her final ultrasound appointment, and heavily pregnant, Mrs. Blue’s heartbeat quickened when she spotted the lump on her baby’s head. She gasped, panicked, placed one hand across her chest and one stretched out to her skinny husband, who struggled under the force of his wife’s grasp. Both hyperventilated, producing steam from their ears and noses. The weak husband quickly fainted, but the stronger Mrs. Blue held on for a moment more, until the doctor glanced worriedly at the monitor, then at her, then pulled on his collar nervously before...

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“The Vice” by Madeleine Fromgei

London, 1835 The lights went out. I sat alone in the living room, sipping a bitter cup of warm tea. As soon as the room went dark, the tea went cold. I settled the cup onto its saucer on a side table, and lit a nearby candle. It was just after midnight, and the world outside was quiet. Even the crickets stopped chirping as they prepared for sleep. But I could not sleep. I had heard the others whispering at church. “There she comes, crazy, evil Kate,” they hissed, restless eyes sneering at me. “Already done mourning, already done weari...

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“The Great Debate” by Madeleine Fromgei

I used to stack the papers and leave them for the assistant teacher to grade because I considered teaching to be my only responsibility at work. When my assistant turned in her two week’s notice and the stack turned into a pile, then into a mountain, I decided I would have to shoulder the burden of grading instead. So I sat in the study for hours. At first, the light streaming in through the windows was enough for me to see which key I clicked and which pen I held, what answer I circled and whose name I read. Eventually, though, as the sun d...

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“How to Unthaw Packaged Meat” by Madeleine Fromgei

Submitted to Contest #100

He sits beside her, dull eyes coated with a layer of insanity. His lips are smiling, which makes her smile, because she’s never seen him so happy. The dimple on his right cheek creases in, that dimple that makes her fall in love all over again. She leans over to put her lips on it. His skin is cold. But so is her heart. And her kiss tries in vain to warm them both. —- She spends the evening in a worn apron, pretending she is cooking a meal that she wants to eat. He would’ve never eaten such a meal, though. He likes beef and barbecue, but she...

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“Exhilaration ” by Madeleine Fromgei

Submitted to Contest #94

The vodka is stale, but in a good way, in a way that makes the one sipping it feel happily drunk before the first searing drop makes its way to the stomach, burning holes and clouding the mind. My mind isn’t clouded, though it definitely could be, and it surely would be if I tilt the neck of the glass ten degrees higher until the rim touches my nose and the bitter liquid makes me happier and happier as it slides down my throat, leaving only burned skin behind. Scars concealed beneath joy. All for the sake of happiness, I suppose.I’m not drun...

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“Curiosity ” by Madeleine Fromgei

Submitted to Contest #90

A crumpled paper slips through the rusting mail slot.Out of habit, my hand reaches for it. The paper is yellowed and the edges are wrinkled, folding over on themselves like dirty sheets ready to be washed. I don’t open it. I never do. I pick it up and place it in a bag with other crumpled letters, some stained with tears, some with ink, and others with blood.I hesitate before reaching out to the letter again. My fingers trace its corner, just waiting to be read, just waiting to be seen and known and loved.I put it back.I don’t read the lette...

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“Positioning the Donkey” by Madeleine Fromgei

Submitted to Contest #88

The market’s bustle could be heard just beyond the hill."Come, son. Just a little further until we reach the bakery. Then we’ll go home and feast," said Juha, gesturing to the busy path before him.Juha was standing beside a donkey, and his son was riding on it.As they made their way down the path, villagers began to eye them with contempt.“Looks like Juha couldn’t raise his boy the right way. What a disgrace! Riding on the donkey while his poor old father has to walk beside him? To shame with that boy!” shouted a woman, covering her young da...

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“Dirty Coffee ☕” by Madeleine Fromgei

Submitted to Contest #81

Under the raining Chicago horizon sat a waning sun sinking into sleep. The soft pitter-patter of rain sounded through a car's windowpane as it made its way down the wet streets. A gleaming sliver of moon could be seen hiding through the hazy blue-orange clouds layered in the sky. The car rounded past a stoplight and slowed.The car sputtered. Sputtered. Sputtered. Stopped.From inside, groans of frustration could be heard growing louder. A young woman unlocked a door and bolted out, mumbling underneath her breath as she slammed the door shut a...

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