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A crumpled piece of paper holding an unexpected message is carried by the wind. Where did it come from, and where is it going?

Posted in Mystery on Mar 1, 2024

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✍️ 61 stories

Island Winds

Submitted to Contest #240

The bombs had fallen near the village again the previous night, but this time, the house hadn't been hit. Billy and his mother had waited late into the morning around a small fire for news concerning the conflict. The room had a single bay window. It was patched up with cardboard, and harsh winds darted in and around it. Billy peered through curiously as the cardboard flapped. Being situated on a small coastal island, the circulating winds were not unusual in Hamley's Village, but today, amongst the brown leaves and ash, the wind carried a p...

46 likes 37 comments 37
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Something in the Wind

Submitted to Contest #240

Sexual themes, crude language.“Skinny Cap, please!” I said to the overworked girl, trying to keep up with the long waiting queue of customers, each morning. She always struggled, sometimes alone, but always with a friendly smile, the whirlwind of arms and hands playing the barista coffee machine in perfect allegro time like a musical maestro, but without the rapturous watching awe of the listening audience, except, that is, until the cup of the frothy nectar was placed on the counter.“Here’s to my number one best follower, and customer, stal...

32 likes 15 comments 15
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Words on the Wind

Submitted to Contest #240

Steve, the weatherman on channel six, rudely interrupted Dr. Phil. to tell us that a tornado had touched down near Louisville and was traveling up the Ohio River. Everybody knows that these guys live for this stuff, like a self-respecting entomologist lives for the hatching of the seventeen-year cicadas. But really! Louisville? That was at least two and a half hours away, if you kept to the speed limits. I've lived here for thirty years and yet have to see one of these things. Come to think about it, that's a good thing.On second thought, I ...

30 likes 33 comments 33
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A Walk in the Park

Submitted to Contest #240

I tie the laces on my sneakers, making double knots and pulling hard to secure them. I reach up and grab my fleece jacket, zipping it halfway up and reaching up the sleeves to pull down the shirt sleeves underneath. I grab my keys off the hall table, open the front door. I take the step down onto my front porch, turn around and lock the door,  placing the key securely in the pocket of my jeans. I take the next three steps down to my driveway and then begin to count. It’s 26 steps to the end of my driveway, where I turn right and ta...

24 likes 10 comments 10
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Twist in the Wind

Submitted to Contest #240

A black cloud blotted out the sun. The wind kicked up, and I gripped the flaps of my pea coat to cover my ears while I waited to be let in. The air was wet with a coming storm and the clouds rushed by, grumbling above the world of man like a hungry beast. Bates’s office was a few blocks down from the courthouse. It had seemed like an easy walk, but as I made my way down to Summit Avenue, I knew that I had underestimated the weather. My first day on the job was looking to be a dreary one. Dead ends. Dark skies. And a feeling of dread in my st...

24 likes 3 comments 3
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Curtis and the Curious Current

Submitted to Contest #240

Two pairs of small hands claw toward a cyan sky frosted with cirrus froth, but helium conquers gravity, and a frayed inch of twine taunts curled fingertips as the Pantone-perfect yellow orb rises largely unnoticed over the celebrant crowd.Chastened by a yelp of frustration, the hapless child unconsciously backs a step. Retreat becomes escape as a towering shadow falls over both. The balloon flees lazily in the opposite direction as the shamefaced child seeks the raucous safety of pin-the tail commencing on the lawn. A glance back at the boy ...

23 likes 14 comments 14
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Last Moments on a Mountain

Submitted to Contest #240

Last Moments on a Mountain“The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.”  - Bob DylanRemarkably, Herb felt better once the decision was made. He could immediately feel the stress and anxiety escaping through every pour. He wished he had figured it all out sooner.The act would be like one-stop shopping, with everything on your mind resolved in a single outing, one dramatic gesture to satisfy all needs. It became clear to him when he recalled his college course in Logic: “A” will be facing a multitude of insurmountable problem...

20 likes 3 comments 3
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What do Mulberries, Bamboo, and Hemp have in common?

Submitted to Contest #240

Name: Liu Xing Location: Luoyang, ChinaOccupation: farmerDate: August 17th, 105 A.D.The markets of Luoyang, China, were rife with kinetic energy. Vendors haggled, sheep bleated, and coins clinked in the hubbub city. Unbeknownst to the patrons, a transformative event was concocting on the town's outskirts. — a revolution poised to alter the course of history.The pivotal transformation occurred as Farmer Liu Xing slayed on his wheat plantation. Thirst gnawed at his throat, making his mouth dry and lips crack. His reptilian tanned skin sho...

19 likes 7 comments 7
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Unconditional

Submitted to Contest #240

In the fading light, the Florida streets buzzed with life. Long shadows danced on the pavement, animated by the setting sun. Amidst the jostle, one figure stood stark, a man with the weight of his world showing in his eyes. John Richardson was his name, a man known for his adamantine beliefs. His life had always been defined by structure, order, Christianity, and staunch predictability. But that changed when his only son, 15-year-old Sam, confessed to being a transgender woman. When Tabitha finally summoned the courage to reveal her true s...

19 likes 2 comments 2
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Blowing in the Wind

Submitted to Contest #240

Every day just before sunrise I walked down to the beach to await the first light. I wanted to feel the stillness and get into a quiet state of meditation. On this day, I needed the answer to a question. Not just any question. A big one. What was I meant to be doing with my life? I left my job as a sales manager in a car dealership because it felt hollow. The excitement of someone picking up a new car with a bow from the showroom was satisfying the first few times, but it lost its appeal after a few hundred. There had to be something more f...

18 likes 16 comments 16
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"Unfolding Destiny" : A Journey of Resilience and Empowerment

Submitted to Contest #240

Adanna's journey began in the vibrant tapestry of an African setting, in a rural Community called 'Nwokenwe' meaning 'Males Own'. The name implies that males own properties, Lands,including the Women whom they married.It was a Community where unfortunately, societal expectations wove a restrictive narrative for women. Raised in an environment where prevailing beliefs dictated that a woman's destiny and certificates inevitably led to the confines of the kitchen, Adanna faced the headwinds of stereotypes from a young age of 19. Growing...

16 likes 2 comments 2
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A Letter to Daniel

Submitted to Contest #240

She didn’t recognize it. The language. The handwriting was feminine. Fluid. The penmanship flawless. The words unrecognizable.It was a letter. Of that much she was certain. A two word salutation and a name. Daniel.That was the name. The only thing she was certain of. There was no signature. That part had been torn off. Burned off by the looks of it. Violent. The remaining part of the note, what was left of it, was crumpled, stained. Perhaps by the circumstances. Perhaps something else. Whether by accident or purposefully she c...

15 likes 6 comments 6
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The Wind of Change

Submitted to Contest #240

I don’t dislike my job. I love my job. I hate getting up to an alarm. Yes, I have tried everything I can think of and even more. I have read articles like “10 Ways to Wake Up Earlier in the Morning” and other similar web posts and blogs.I used to think that I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I probably don’t, but I manage to get through the ten-hour day, plus an hour commute each way, and do at least an hour workout after dinner, do the dishes, make my lunch, practice a foreign language, and read a book for an hour or two. Roughly translated, I ...

15 likes 6 comments 6
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I Doubt It

Submitted to Contest #240

I DOUBT IT. I walk down up the busy city streets. The wind tosses my hair over my shoulders. The wind plays with fallen leaves, pushing them gently until they leap in all directions, flailing in a frantic yet delicate manner. The morning sun dances with the windows, casting bright reflections amongst the bricked walkways. Pedestrians stream through the streets like pools of water, all following a path towards their distinct and separate destinations. I have always wondered how everyone is able to have such the same environment yet entirely d...

14 likes 0 comments 0
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Whispers in the Breeze

Submitted to Contest #240

In the quaint town of Willow Creek, a gentle breeze carried a crumpled piece of paper through the bustling streets. The townsfolk paused in curiosity as the paper danced in the wind, its mysterious message hidden from view. The paper had originated from the desk of a reclusive writer named Amelia Blackwood. Amelia, known for her enigmatic novels, had penned a secret message intended for a lost love, never to be sent. In a moment of reflection, the paper slipped from her grasp and was whisked away by the wind before she could retrieve it. As ...

12 likes 0 comments 0
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