Magnet Marsdaughter

“Guilty Until Proven Innocent” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #52

“So, tell me the whole story.”“Once upon a time, I was walking out of Walmart, when two burly men in gray suits came up to me. “Come with us,” said one, grabbing my arm. The other handcuffed me. I yelped in surprise. “You know what you did.” But I didn’t. I absolutely have no idea. I’m at the mercy of my idiot lawyer. The end.”My idiot lawyer looked up at me from over his half moon glasses. “That was quite the descriptive dialogue, Michael. You should be an author, not a…” he checked his clipboard over his glasses, “Sales representative. Isn...

17 likes 5 comments 5

Read story

“What Would You Do?” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #52

It began at the moment I turned the corner of the dry goods section, peered down the bread aisle, and was baffled by the sight of a baby lying bundled up in blankets on the floor. No, that’s not a good place to start. Alliteration aside. It began at the moment I strode into the supermarket to pick up one of those frozen apple blossom pastries, when I saw that everyone who had been previously milling around in there, with that disinterested mill of a dedicated Walmart shopper, was turning an abrupt about-face and walking quickly out, emotionl...

16 likes 6 comments 6

Read story

“A Successful, Happy Life” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #51

“I’m going to have a very successful, happy life. I have a rich and loving family. I’m pretty. I always get great grades, and when I’m older I’m going to go to college and be the president of a huge company and have a boyfriend. My name is Callie, and that is why I’m going to be successful.”“You’re going to be successful because your name is Callie?” hooted Jayden from the back of the class.“Jayden, raise your hand,” said Mrs. Donahue. “Um, very good, Callie. But perhaps a little less about yourself and more about why you’re going to be succ...

18 likes 16 comments 16

Read story

“You Had Me at Hello” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #50

HimHello.Herum….who is this?HimI’m sorry to text you out of the blue like this, but it was my last resort. I was going to contact and meet you properly before the lockdown happened. I really am sorry for contacting you in this manner. It’s very ungentlemanly. But with the city so close to destruction this seemed like the only way.Hersry…who are you? how did you get my info? why would you want to contact me? do I know you from somewhere?HimNo, unfortunately. We’ve never actually met. I saw you first at the end of February. You were wearing a ...

16 likes 8 comments 8

Read story

“Don't Be Fooled” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #47

“You check the time. Perfect. As intended, you’ve arrived fashionably late. You stroll in and hand your invitation to the security guard, who waves you in. You’ll see her beyond the glass double doors, in a slinky blue ballgown. She approaches as you enter, wearing a polite hostess smile that’s veiling suspicion. She knows the name and face of every guest scheduled to come or not come tonight. And you're not on her list. Her high heels click in contrast to the gentle dance music floating in from the next room. She is the very image of carin...

19 likes 14 comments 14

Read story

“To Boldly Write” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #46

And all of a sudden, there it was. I had it! I had an ending! For two weeks and three days, I had been stuck. Like many fellow geniuses before me, I had written a book, but I didn't know how to end it. For two weeks and three days I had painstakingly lounged on the couch, binging Netflix and eating ice cream in a shrewd attempt to trick my brain into coming up with a finale for my finest work. It rested in my study as it had for the past few weeks. I had furiously typed it up and printed it as I wrote it, page by page. It sat in tall stack o...

10 likes 5 comments 5

Read story

“Whatcha Gonna Do?” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Following the events in Minneapolis, there was a day-long protest downtown. Several police officers, including the commissioner of police, marched with the protesters. At dusk, when told to disperse, some of the crowd turned riotous. Police attempted to contain the riot. Several instances of looting and breakages were reported. Shots were fired. An officer was hit in the head with a brick. A black boy was killed that night.……...What matters?Mr. BaileyI’m a gas station owner. My name is George Bailey. I know, I know, like in A Wonderful Life....

5 likes 4 comments 4

Read story

“Father-Son Bonding Thing” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #44

“Hello,” said Zeus, smiling. “I’m god.”The 32rd human housewife in a row frowned and slammed the door. Zeus noted the address in his address book and walked on to the next one. Twilight was falling quickly over the little Grecian village. “I think,” said Hermes thoughtfully from behind him, “that we need to try another tactic.”“Like what?” snapped Zeus, spinning around. “I’ve tried “I’m Zeus,” “I’m god,” “I’m the King of the gods,” and “I’m the ruler of the Olympians.” They all just slam the door! Exactly what do you suggest we try?”“Ma...

18 likes 12 comments 12

Read story

“What Else Are They to Say?” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #44

"Goodbye," I say. I guess this is the end.You pull me close. "I love you," and your hot breath puffs on my ear.Puffy white snowflakes begin to fall out of the gray sky as you're pulled back, away from me.Someone else says something sharp. It's time for me to go. Your face is tight, your eyes are strained. You're trying not to cry. You've been so strong.Now you're about to lose the last of everything. But through it all, you still kept smiling. Will this break you? Or will you keep smiling, the way you always have? You said goodbye to my fath...

26 likes 12 comments 12

Read story

“That's What You Get” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #43

It was not a dark and stormy night. It was, in fact, a light and peaceful day. Everyone in our perfectly normal family was doing perfectly normal things when an unexpected visitor arrived. I looked up from my addition busywork as the doorbell rang. The shrieks and giggles of Lennie echoed from the bathroom, accompanied by splashing and Mommy whooping and chiding as she tried to get the water on him and not the bathroom rug. “Mommy!” I shouted. Silence. Actually noise - splashing and yelling - but silence in respect of a reply. The ...

15 likes 10 comments 10

Read story

“War Wounds” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #42

A young man sat on a park bench, his eyes gray and dismal as the bleak March sky. “Move on,” someone had said. “Start over tomorrow.” But there were some things you couldn’t start over from. When you had completely lost and failed in everything, there came a time for calling it quits. No one could keep wringing themselves out like that. It didn’t work. When you were spent, you were spent. A sad and dramatic philosophy. But there it was.He listlessly watched the children play in the park. There was a whole crowd here today. All over the place...

9 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Betta Off Without You” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #41

Gary the betta fish sat and gaped through the glass of his tank at the dingy living room. A shark swam past and smacked him in the head with a ping pong ball.Wait, what? What does that have to do with anything?Let’s restart.Gary the betta fish sat and gaped through the glass of his tank at the dingy living room. Sara sat on the drab couch and stared back at him. She was torn. Her career or Gary? Move to Paris to become a fashion designer or stay in Buffalo working at McDonald’s so she could be with her fish?She should have listened to her fa...

7 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“A Cowboy, A Cassette Player, and Some Ice Cream” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #40

EmilyIt was all Laurel’s fault. She said they could make it to The Wall Drug before they ran out of gas. She was wrong. They ended up on the side of the dirt road, surrounded by endless dirt fields covered in gray shrubs without anything else as far as the eye could see. The girls scrambled out of the hot, stuffy car and slumped around it in the South Dakota sun, baking and trying to get a signal. Emily glared at Laurel, who was leaning against the car with her eyes closed as if she was being blown by a lovely cool wind. She had gotten them ...

6 likes 4 comments 4

Read story

“Survivor” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #39

Lila Vernalth strode through the barren white landscape, long golden hair blowing in the freezing artic wind. The tall, willowy woman crested a hill, deep blue eyes scanning the horizon for landmarks or life forms. Or anything. Anything to break up the monotony, the violet tinted light, the deadly silence pervading the wasted land. Earth was nearly destroyed, and mankind…mankind had been exterminated. Only she survived. She, the only human to ever have defeated a skarslythe alone. A warrior of the order of Defenders, sworn to protect from th...

9 likes 4 comments 4

Read story

“See You in a Minute” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #38

5:30 AM, and Linda’s alarm clock went off, sounding, as always, like it was shrieking in agony. Linda groaned, waving vaguely in the direction of the noise. The alarm clock shrieked persistently. Linda rolled out of bed and stumbled to the closet to change, her mind a fog. She was clattering down the cold cement stairs ten minutes later, hastily wrapped in a rumpled coat and hat that clashed with each other.When she reached the lobby the sight of the masked doorman, Carlos, reminded her to run back up and get her mask. Out on the street...

7 likes 0 comments 0

Read story