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“I don’t think it’s right. I can’t get it lined up perfectly,” said Cassandra. “Perfection isn’t what you’re after, it’s the mood, the tone. Melancholy doesn’t follow straight lines. You want the fluidity of a blue satin skirt,” said Serena. “Let one movement flow into the other, and don’t be rigid.” “I am not from…
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It only took a few seconds to find out that I was completely and utterly lost. That’s what careful planning and a world class GPS got me, lost. The drive through Texas was one road, one lane, one shot, no turns. As straight forward as you could get with or without tumbleweeds. You couldn’t get…
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“I was only there for one week thirty-five years ago,” Max told George. “I’m sure Alice doesn’t feel the same way I feel toward her.” Max had met Alice when they were camp counselors at 4-H camp when they were seniors in college. They were collecting and stacking logs for the opening night bonfire when…
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“Boy, do I have a secret or what?” Margaret said to her reflection in the mirror. She gazed deeply into her own eyes. Boom. The door on the bathroom echoed when the blond walked in whispering to her red headed friend. It sounded like they had secrets too. Margaret had no idea what they were…
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“I don’t want to hear you say ‘I regret’ getting that puppy in two weeks when school starts,” said Buddy to his mom. She’d be the one taking care of it, feeding, watering, cleaning up its shit. She was very particular about her stuff and didn’t want a damned dog eating her furniture. Some of…
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Image generated with AI. Betwixt the tantalizing mushrooms and truffles, I teleported through the chocolates. That was the only way to get through them unscathed. I would eat my weight in chocolate without a muzzle. Against chocolate, especially the 83% cacao, I had no defense. It tantalized me from the other room, I could hear…
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Margaret took off her gardening gloves and surveyed her garden. The flowers were perfect. Never had her blooms been bigger or brighter than they were this summer. She took out her phone to take a picture. The blues, oranges, and reds were just phenomenal. She picked a blue one and took it into the house…
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Artist unknown. “Everything on this menu must have at least ten thousand calories,” Miranda said as she picked up her Chardonnay. Janet thought by the looks of her, she could use ten thousand calories. She could get a salad or a steak anywhere. But they were in an exquisite Indian restaurant that served the best…
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Scammers Beware
Illustration generated with AI. The Albacore sat high above the traffic. “Fuck with me will ya?” he said to himself. Smug in the knowledge that he’d not only thwarted a sixty thousand dollar heist, he was just shy of catching the idiots who decided to scam the wrong dude. He watched them drive their electric… Read more
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Second Chance
“Maggie, we’re letting you go.” That’s all she heard. She remembered being escorted out of the office, and then to her car. Craig, her boss, was matter of fact about it, and acted nice, but professional, when he walked her out. He tried making small talk. “You’re smart, have a great skill set, and your… Read more
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Sandy’s Dream
Sandy hung on as tight as she could. She was ready for the flight but not the destination. She felt the butterflies in her knees first. They were weak and would tingle louder and harder the closer they came to landing, her stomach would turn before the final touch down. It would be hours before… Read more
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School Sense
“God almighty, Mr. Cooper’s room smells like disinfected death again. We’re either dissecting fetal pigs or cats,” said Beth. “My money’s on frogs,” said Tim, he paused, “Remember when Jasmine had that meltdown the time he surprised us with the cats?” Beth laughed. “I remember that day. The whole class was shocked. I wasn’t pleased,… Read more
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Selling Cars
Celia made a decent living as the head sales person at the Mercedes dealership downtown. She’d just come from a dinner party at Jolene’s, her best friend from high school, where there were doctors, lawyers, and teachers in an exquisite home in the most elite neighborhood. Jolene had gone to college, earned a teaching degree,… Read more
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“I don’t think it’s right. I can’t get it lined up perfectly,” said Cassandra. “Perfection isn’t what you’re after, it’s the mood, the tone. Melancholy doesn’t follow straight lines. You want the fluidity of a blue satin skirt,” said Serena. “Let one movement flow into the other, and don’t be rigid.” “I am not from…
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It only took a few seconds to find out that I was completely and utterly lost. That’s what careful planning and a world class GPS got me, lost. The drive through Texas was one road, one lane, one shot, no turns. As straight forward as you could get with or without tumbleweeds. You couldn’t get…
-
“I was only there for one week thirty-five years ago,” Max told George. “I’m sure Alice doesn’t feel the same way I feel toward her.” Max had met Alice when they were camp counselors at 4-H camp when they were seniors in college. They were collecting and stacking logs for the opening night bonfire when…
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“Boy, do I have a secret or what?” Margaret said to her reflection in the mirror. She gazed deeply into her own eyes. Boom. The door on the bathroom echoed when the blond walked in whispering to her red headed friend. It sounded like they had secrets too. Margaret had no idea what they were…
-
“I don’t want to hear you say ‘I regret’ getting that puppy in two weeks when school starts,” said Buddy to his mom. She’d be the one taking care of it, feeding, watering, cleaning up its shit. She was very particular about her stuff and didn’t want a damned dog eating her furniture. Some of…
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Image generated with AI. Betwixt the tantalizing mushrooms and truffles, I teleported through the chocolates. That was the only way to get through them unscathed. I would eat my weight in chocolate without a muzzle. Against chocolate, especially the 83% cacao, I had no defense. It tantalized me from the other room, I could hear…
-
Margaret took off her gardening gloves and surveyed her garden. The flowers were perfect. Never had her blooms been bigger or brighter than they were this summer. She took out her phone to take a picture. The blues, oranges, and reds were just phenomenal. She picked a blue one and took it into the house…
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Artist unknown. “Everything on this menu must have at least ten thousand calories,” Miranda said as she picked up her Chardonnay. Janet thought by the looks of her, she could use ten thousand calories. She could get a salad or a steak anywhere. But they were in an exquisite Indian restaurant that served the best…
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Holding Hands
Alan came to my house to pick me up and we went somewhere. The first time I held Alan’s hand I was scared, bubbly, and giddy all at once. He held my hand to the car. That’s all I remember about the date – he reached out his hand for mine and I remember reaching…
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Daphne Drumke
Daphne Drumke waited for her suitcase to pop out of the baggage terminal at Terminal three in Heathrow. There were everything but chickens in terminal three. A goat herd just passed. Daphne watched an armed guard roll his eyes at a well dressed woman in stilettos leading a St. Bernard and twin boys, all on…
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The High Priestess
Lorraine was known for her arbitrary obsessions. One week it was crystals, spirits, and witchcraft, the next it was chocolate fudge. Whatever her random fixation, she did it with passion and all consuming gumption to the woe of her husband Cyril. He had learned over the years to stay quiet and sweep up the shards…
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Windjammer
The Windjammer hit the wave head on and leaped into the blue sky like a whale breaching the surface of the sea. Another wave pushed its bow down into the drink. Without his steering prowess, the sailboat surely would have capsized. The six year old opened his eyes, paused his imagination’s scenario, and scratched his…
Devonne Brown 