R E

“He said, she said” by R E

Content Warning: This story depicts abduction, violence against women, suicide ideation, and gruesome content. Please take care of yourself first and do not proceed if reading things like this upset you. The sun hits my house. Light filters through the boards nailed against the window. The curtains are drawn, hiding the boards from any outside passerby but they are thin, letting the light come through. The curtains are yellow with age, were once white, I’m sure. I wonder if it is warm or cold today. It’s been a long time since I’ve been outs...

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“cathedral” by R E

Submitted to Contest #98

Snap! My eyes widened, globes of murky brown fear fixating back on the path I had come from, ears searching for a sign of movement aside from the faint chatter of wildlife, the chirp of a lonesome, passing bird. I panted, heart racing as I waited but all I could hear was my own ragged breathing consumed with dread and unease. I didn’t have the luxury of time. I had to keep moving. Desperately trying to muffle my whimpers of trepidation, I moved through the forest quick and low, bare feet flying over logs, skidding over gravel. The bott...

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“sweltering” by R E

Submitted to Contest #97

CW: sexual harassment The tension that morning was palpable. It was in the air, hanging overhead like the summer sun; unrelenting and angry and pushing you forward no matter how lazily you wanted to stroll. It demanded movement, and yet, that movement made you dizzy.That’s how it felt waking up. Gasping for air, sticky with sweat. Needed to move.  The cold shower offered the briefest relief, but I was hot by the time I hiked up my work skirt.The cold coffee just made my insides burn with anxiety, stomach jumbling with the...

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“unoccupied” by R E

🏆 Winner of Contest #96

Guest rooms were always hiding things. No one starts out wanting a guest room. It’s usually an office first, but then you got fired and can’t look at it anymore, so you throw a bed in it that you’ll never sleep in. Sometimes it’s a kid’s room, but they’ve moved out into a college dorm room. It used to be storage but then the divorce happened leaving it depressingly empty. A studio for recording music but the bass player was in a car accident, and the band broke up. Guest rooms are rarely ever intentional. It’s more of a ritual. Something s...

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“motley” by R E

Submitted to Contest #78

Mike likes origami. He has the patience for it. He’s one of those people who can take the time to see how something works, every fold connects in his mind, revealing the final product before he even starts. Not everyone is gifted with that. The others envy him. I enjoy the crane’s the most. The folded animals and flowers never last very long. Ben throws them away, complains about the space they take up which is ironic because he keeps buying unique or ornate chess boards to display around the apartment. Mike is always sad when he realizes ...

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“cankerous” by R E

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #76

The girl at Starbucks spelled my name wrong on the coffee cup she handed me. It's a normal name - Beth. But she's spelt Bett. Who’s named Bett anymore? I can't even think of a current Bett in mainstream pop culture. It's a small thing, but the sore on my tongue starts to tingle. I burn it with my half caramel, half vanilla latte, decaf espresso. The girl must notice my expression, twisted up in confusion and simultaneously let-down. Poor Starbucks girl. She's maybe 19, cute, clearly hungover. Probably just wants to hang out with her cat or s...

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