Sadie Black

“Scones” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #60

Author's note: This is one part of the Melted collection. These stories can be read individually or in any order.Hours before the birds began their song, a baker whistled to himself as he unlocked the front door of his shop. The air was crisp and cool, but only because it was so early. These days, one could reasonably expect the temperatures to soar to the upper 70s in January. It was weird, the baker admitted, but he was never a fan of shovelling snow anyway.Today, he shovelled flour into massive mixing bowls. First, he would start the brea...

16 likes 4 comments 4

Read story

“The Sample” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #60

Author's note: This is one part of the Melted collection. These stories can be read individually or in any order. Dr. Eleanor Lee stepped outside of the Amundsen-Scott compound and felt the icy wind chill the sensitive membranes in her nostrils. She was accustomed to the cold and although it was -12 degrees celsius, she quickly felt overheated in her thick orange suit. It was a balmy day in January and the sun dipped in the sky, but refused to set at 10pm. Dr. Lee didn’t mind working at all hours. After a few months, night felt the same as...

14 likes 3 comments 3

Read story

“The Plunge” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #60

Author's note: This is one part of the Melted collection. These stories can be read individually or in any order."Got everything?" asked Tucker yet again."And then some!" Christina had been prepared for years. Like any sane person (and there would be very few of them left now) she was upset that the Doomsday Clock had struck midnight. Despite herself, Christina was almost excited. For years, she had carefully stocked the bunker with canned goods, food, water, entertainment, and first aid kits. A triple-layered zero particulate air filter sys...

12 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Human Nature” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #60

Author's note: This is one part of the Melted collection. These stories can be read individually or in any order. Harlan was a hermit, but preferred the term solitudinarian. Some called him Sasquatch or even Bigfoot, but that was a bit offensive. Yes, he was over seven feet tall and yes, he was an exceptionally hairy man who lived in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. He was in harmony with the animals in the forest, but he was one hundred percent human. He just didn't care for any of the others.  Human nature repulsed him. Their i...

11 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Nothing to see ” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #59

“Did I ever tell you about the time I went to Atlantis?” Grandpa asked.  Benji’s eyes bulged. “You didn’t go to Atlantis! Did you, Grandpa?” "Sure I did! I wasn’t much older than you, Vicky.”“It’s Victoria, Grandfather.”“Right, right.” He grinned.“Grandpa!” Benji shouted. “Tell us! Tell us about Atlantis.”“Benjamin. Grandfather did not go to Atlantis because Atlantis does not exist.” She rolled her brown eyes, enhanced eyelashes tickling her filled eyebrows. "Don't be so immature." She folded her arms formally. Benji's enthusi...

15 likes 3 comments 3

Read story

“Granite Countertops” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #59

“You got the keys?”“Unfortunately.”“Come on, don't be like that. It’s gorgeous!”“I mean, yeah, it’s gorgeous. That’s why we bought it. That and they were practically giving it away.”“Look at it! It's huge! It has a stained glass window, for goodness sake. It even has a red door. I always heard red doors were lucky.”“Do you even hear yourself right now?”“Whatever. Just open the door.”“Yes, dear.”“Look, it’s gorgeous inside too!”“Holy-- How many cats did they have?”“They only found the one.”“Ugh.”“Okay yeah you’re right, I’ll call in cleaners....

17 likes 8 comments 8

Read story

“Operation Sunflower” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #58

Mr. Hernandez sipped his afternoon tea and stared out the window contentedly, unaware that a hoard of squirrels was actively plotting against him. One of life’s greatest pleasures could be found right in his backyard. The red hummingbird feeders buzzed with tiny glittering birds, rainbows of light dancing on their shining breasts. A block of peanut suet enticed several varieties of redheaded woodpeckers, their rhythmic tapping as sweet as any birdsong. Cheerful finches and a painter's palette of buntings crusted the thistle socks. Sprea...

12 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“What's in a Name?” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #57

"So, ah, there's something you should know before we go through with this," said Clyde as he knelt in the soggy grass."Oh god, anything, Clyde! I love you so much!" Jessica cried, mascara streaking down her face. "I can't wait to be Mrs. Packer!""Yeah see that's the thing," he began tentatively. "My name isn't Clyde Packer."Jessica's bloodshot eyes widened and the grin fixed on her face. Her voice shook. "What?"Her mind brimmed with horrible scenarios. Had he been lying to her this whole time? Was Clyde on the run? Living under an assumed na...

21 likes 8 comments 8

Read story

“4%” by Sadie Black

My new lungs burned. My untrained limbs flailed as I tried to scramble to the surface, desperate for a gulp of air. The water was too heavy, too viscous, but urgency propelled me upward. The moment I burst through the surface, I gasped to inhale cold chemical oxygen. I opened my eyes. I swiped my hand across my face to clear away the liquid, feeling my overlong fingernails scratch deep grooves into my cheek. There was nothing to see. Only thick black water, impartial black sky, and nothing else.  I stared at nothing and allowed my eye...

6 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Weekend Getaway: Sunday” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #55

Jake went home to sulk. He thought things were going well with Riley, but with the other three Musketeers causing a scene, the night was a bust. By the time he got home, it was getting late on Saturday afternoon and he didn’t have the energy to drive out to the roadhouse again. He was still stirred up by the antics of Zoe, Mackayla, and Mackenna. He had hoped they would have matured since high school, but it seemed their idea of a joke had only deteriorated over the years. They ruined his weekend. Jake flopped into his unmade bed, pushed his...

16 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“Weekend Getaway: Saturday Afternoon” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #55

It watched.  The mass of seaweed and twigs rose out of the water and slithered through the underbrush. Its luminous gray eyes would be visible to those who looked, but the rest of the sloppy creature was indistinguishable from the forest floor. Scales glittered between globs of muck, sodden reeds, and dead insects. Birds ceased their songs to watch and squirrels moved to higher ground as the creature crept into the forest. It perched upon a large, flattened stone in a relatively cleared area of the woods and trained its eyes on the ye...

8 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“Weekend Getaway: Saturday Morning” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #54

Riley walked into the gas station with low expectations. She was looking for silverware, but didn't expect to find it. The store sold little more than chewing tobacco, energy drinks, and condoms, but her shopping alternatives were few. Without forks, knives, and spoons, how would she serve - and more importantly eat - Mackayla and Mackenna's birthday cake? Her friends were likely starving back at the rental cottage while Riley ran the vital errand. In truth, she relished the moment of solitude after driving several hours to their vacation pr...

9 likes 7 comments 7

Read story

“Weekend Getaway: Friday” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #53

“Ugh finally. That drive was absolute murder,” moaned Zoe as she shoved printed-out directions into the glove compartment.“It was only 3 hours, Zo,” said Riley, carefully navigating the car past the house sign and down a winding gravel path. The lowering sun cast long ribbons of light through the tall, bare-trunked pine trees."Yeah, but unlike somebody, I couldn't get off work early so after I did an entire shift, I had to listen to your singing for three hours. You guys tortured me to death with your yodeling and now I'm dead." The radio-ac...

8 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“The Haunting of Atterbury Manor” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #51

The estate of Mme. Robichaux, neé Atterbury, was situated at the apex of a small rise which one could not quite call a hill, and was surrounded by an ancient forest carrying nearly as much weighty tenebrosity as the manor itself. Holmes and I had been invited to a luncheon one Friday afternoon by the lady of the house herself, and though I understood the social value of attendance, my companion did not. "Why you insisted upon dragging me to the home of a newlywed socialite is beyond me, Watson."  I knew well enough to deny him a res...

11 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“Nightshade” by Sadie Black

Submitted to Contest #48

The handwriting is mine, the notepad is mine, but I have no recollection of writing this. My penmanship is jagged and hurried. The notes cut off mid word, ending with a smear of ink. Yawning, I review the sparse notes I’ve apparently scrawled in a hurry.Tall woman. Blue cape, covers face. Sleep ch--I rub my bleary eyes and search for my ever-present thermos. The bitter brew is tepid, but I distinctly recall heating it up - again - just moments ago. I check my watch and it’s much later than I expected. I must have fallen asleep on the job. I ...

16 likes 0 comments 0

Read story