literature
Whether written centuries ago or just last year, literary couples show that love is timeless.
Future Dave
Future Dave David and Arlene were wild with excitement when they talked about their future together. A future they were planning in the freshness of new love. Every day they filled with easy caressing, laughter and love-drunk games. One game they created for fun, they played during long walks and drives across town. As they passed the scenery, houses, old buildings, parks, any land they liked, one would ask the other in a tone of teasing delight, “Would you buy that place for one dollar?” It was absurd that any piece of property could be purchased for just one dollar, but it was fun to imagine. “Well baby, seeing as though I’ve got a five dollar bill in my pocket I think we can make that work.” It sent Arlene into a giggling tizzy. David learned his new love mostly preferred abandoned spaces and odd corners of the city. She would see a rundown shack or an overgrown yard, a rotting dock at the edge of a serene pond, an old barn, or a green gully scattered with debris and exclaim to David that she had to have it. She would point excitedly at a dusty patch of grass growing wildflowers near the freeway. “Would you buy that for a dollar?” She would ask. “Absolutely.” David would say and she would steal from him a celebratory kiss. So when they drove past the big, white farmhouse, and there at the end of the driveway was a sign that read in faded block lettering, ‘FOR SALE $1.00’, David pulled over immediately. They both sat in silence, gobsmacked. “That’s hilarious.” Arlene finally said without laughing. “Well?” She turned to him and smiled. “It’s in our price range.”
By Mary Jackson5 years ago in Humans
A Bitter Pill
'You have to put it in your mouth. Chew it up and swallow it.' I understand the words, but 'Huh?' is the only response I can find, my face screwing into a frown. Although, I haven’t known Trev for long, it feels like it; it’s comfortable. He's a straight shooter who likes to joke around but telegraphs his plays. I'm convinced he's serious which makes it all the more baffling. How am I to benefit from this bizarre, counterintuitive action?
By D.A. Cairns5 years ago in Humans
Marlee's Muse
“Underqualified. For a barmaid job.” Marlee blew this out of her mask as she slammed her catch-all bag down on the subway seat and plopped beside it. The memory of the bar manager’s oily phone voice saying, “Come by after we’re closed,” raised an uncontrollable shiver. Marlee wished she could scrape his smarmy visage from her thoughts like the winter mud clotting her boots.
By Jennifer Johansson5 years ago in Humans
Choices
He woke up in the morning and watched her sleeping peacefully. He just looked at her and in the way that the light would hit her face. She looked peaceful, like an angel. It was in that moment that he knew that he loved her, that he knew that she was the one. They had known each other only for about a month, and this was the first night that they had spent together. But it was all in the way that she looked at him that he knew. It didn't matter what or how much he had, she loved him truly and purely for who he was. She woke up and found him staring at her and couldn't help but to smile.
By Talara Nolan5 years ago in Humans
Sunday Apostasy
Sunday Apostasy By Cristina Burduja I am a piece of paper. I am ivory. I have something written on me. It was written this morning. Written with a dull pencil, it scratched my surface. I was just another piece of paper, until there was something written on me. Now I have to wait for someone to read me.
By Cristina Burduja5 years ago in Humans
A statistic
I’m sitting on the bathroom floor staring at a dusty hairspray bottle that rolled behind the toilet. I can feel the knot in my stomach as I walk over to the sink and see the two pink lines. I can feel the sweat forming at my temple. My heart is beating in my ears.
By Angelina Marie Zalusky5 years ago in Humans
The Adventure Begins
The Adventure Begins It was just on the cusp of spring, and Rose was enjoying her window shopping with the sun warming her cheeks. What a great day to get some fresh air that had the hint of the promise of bud break on it she thought. Then she saw the stationary store and that slight thrill ran through her. There was almost a nostalgia to a stationary store now. Not many wrote letters anymore or even wrote down their thoughts with pen and paper. But she had always loved the look and purpose and even smell of a stationary store. Everything lined up just so with the colors chromatically done and all the organization gave her a slight buzz and then worked to calm her. Even thought the items were new, Rose’s mind always filled in the wonderful smell of “old library” anyways. It was as if all the paper and notebooks and pens and markers held the promise of a classic novel or poem or love story just waiting to be written. If the store was well organized being there could almost be like a walking meditation.
By Renée Douglas 5 years ago in Humans
Losing Walter
A knocking came. So early in the morning, I had yet to prepare my day with caffeine. The officer waiting in the hallway of my apartment building looked irritated through the peephole of my front door. I wasn’t going to answer it, obsessing over the elixir I desperately wanted to ingest. She, had no intention of waiting, for her fist pounded on my door with the weight of her position.
By Lester Bakes5 years ago in Humans
The Wishing Book
As owner of a consignment store John had recently acquired an old hutch and a large wooden chest at an estate sale. Upon returning to the shop, he found the chest was missing its key and the hutch had a stuck drawer. He called the estate and was told that as far as anyone knew there wasn’t a key for the chest. So, he set the chest aside, and started toward the hutch with the intent to work on it instead.
By Jacob Nelson5 years ago in Humans
