MJ Brewer

“The Hippocratic Joke, er, Oath” by MJ Brewer

Science is a powerful persuader, asserting that people are innately good. I once believed wholeheartedly in humanity’s goodness, convinced that people were born good and stayed that way—unless something so terrible happened that they were left with no choice but to turn bad.The Hippocratic Oath is one of history’s oldest recorded documents, a solemn vow that obliges physicians to prioritize their patients’ welfare above all else. It honors the practice of medicine, emphasizing the duty to act in the patient’s best interest and to avoid causi...

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“The Stripping Princess” by MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #276

Growing up in an extremely sheltered environment becomes dangerous when that coddled bunny rabbit is turned loose in the woods and expected to survive. For me, this was my beginning—the start of clinging to life after my divorce. Even my husband had sheltered me from responsibility. Earn the money and hand my check over to him: bills paid, problem solved. Need money? Just ask. That is, until we divorced.Unaware of how to turn on the utilities in my new apartment, I remember sitting in the corner, knees drawn up, head down, and profusely sobb...

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“The Scars that Make Us” by MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #275

Thud. Thud. Thud. For the past eleven years, it was the same frantic race for the same minuscule amount of time. One hour. Then, she’d have to wait another 8,766.82 hours—an entire year—for the chance to funnel back to her again. But that wasn’t the worst part; with time slipping away, her opportunities were dwindling. She had exactly a dozen chances—not a baker’s dozen; twelve. She wasn’t sure how she arrived at that time-constraining conclusion, but she had, nonetheless. After that, the rest of her existence would echo in her ear...

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“Love to Love You Baby!” by MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #274

(Sexually explicit)This was the first party Carly’s mom condoned her attending, and it was going to be awesome! Thank God her friend Lizzy was such a smooth talker. If Lizzy hadn’t been there when she asked her mom, the answer would have been a flat-out “no,” without question. The precept that ‘honesty is the best policy’ was one her mother lived by, which made Carly’s little white lie feel even more risky.“Okay, let’s have a look at your costume.” Her bedroom door swung open, and her mother, dressed in her usual sweatpants and T-shirt, walt...

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“A Good Dentist” by MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #274

I’ve never been a die-hard fan of going to the dentist. I can’t imagine anyone who is and is still considered sane. It’s not because of anything that’s happened personally, but the horror stories stick with you—things like teeth being pulled without your mouth being numb enough or what about those women who find out they’re pregnant a few months later? So, when I woke up in severe pain, I kept it to myself for as long as I could. I didn’t want to go to the dentist. But the pain became unbearable, and pretty soon I had no choice. When I final...

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“The Egg is Cracked” by MJ Brewer

Fridays are always hectic at my house, no matter how carefully I plan them. With a full-time job, a husband with a sex addiction, and twin five-year-old boys, no one in their right mind would consider trading places with me for a day—let alone longer. I’ve often dreamed about being on that show where you trade households for a couple of weeks, except my family is awesome. That’s why this weekend is so important. My boys are celebrating their birthday tomorrow—their Big Five. So much change all at once. They’ll be going to big kid school soon...

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“Mommy’s Helper” by MJ Brewer

Olivia’s life had settled into simple routines. Packing, moving, staying just long enough to find another babysitter. It had been this way for years—ever since she returned from her high-powered office job one night to find her babies drenched in blood and her husband’s body nearly decapitated. The police informed her she had arrived just in time to save her children from the identical fate. Now, she worked remotely, caring for her children on her own terms. Of course, that meant moving frequently, never staying long enough to invite suspici...

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