By: Hannah Ruth Steadman

The bluebird chirps of love tonight
As two form one in close embrace.
Love’s power strains beyond all might
To ease the ache of life’s hard race.
Vain words of hope he breathes this hour;

Story Tags: contest entry || Hannah Steadman || Holocaust || poem || poetry

By: Lianna Albrizio

Every morning she arises to a routine feeling of despair. She picks up a pen to begin to write, attempting to cleanse her mind of self-deprecating thoughts that bite. She puts on a black t-shirt to match her mood, and applies mascara called “blackout” to accent her mysterious eyes through which she regularly broods. She goes to drink a cup of black coffee to experience a euphoric high, but crashes to a hampering low, as the day goes by.

She gets a cigarette to add to the blackening of her lungs.

Story Tags: contest entry || Dour Girl || Lianna Albrizio || poem || poetry || self-reflection

By: Damien Livingston

Sometimes I question myself
When I begin to do things, I never done before
Is this maturity, am I bettering myself
Or is this post teen peer pressure where I following a flock
Who are you?
Sometimes you have to ask

Story Tags: contest entry || Damien Livingston || poem || poetry || self-reflection || Who Are You

By: Crystal Robin Rose

Butterflies, goose bumps, even chills,
When I’m with you that’s how I feel.
Holding you tight oh so close,
Being a part of your life is what I love the most.
My eyes sparkle, my face glows,
How much you mean to me you’ll never know.
I love being a part of your world,
Everyday I feel like the luckiest girl.

Story Tags: contest entry || Crystal Robin Rose || My Friend || My Lover || poem || poetry || romance

By: Cathy P. Staley

Metal pieces,
The ocean breeze,
An open door,
As if to say, “Hello.”

The blood of man.

Story Tags: Cathy P. Staley || contest entry || poem || poetry || The Machine || Time Driven

By: Jamie Lynn Waters

Sickness is a sad thing,
Watching the color fade from your face,
Wondering how your yesterdays are,
Did you live it to the fullest,
Or was it just a mistake, regret, or nothing at all,
It could be today,
It could be tomorrow,
I’m not looking for the sorrow,

Story Tags: contest entry || Jamie Lynn Waters || poem || poetry || sickness

Story Tags: contest entry || Heather Jo Besley || poem || poetry || Waver

By: Cacy Ann Minter

I didn’t know where I was when I woke up. I was aware of a pressing sensation on my chest, but couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. I tried to look around and realized my field of vision was limited to the area directly in front of me. I couldn’t move my arms or legs, or even swivel my head from side to side. I heard voices speaking frantically, but it was as if they were off at a long distance, as if they were at least a football field away. Other than the slight pressure on my upper body, I had no sensation or feeling whatsoever, other than a kind of heaviness I figured was just my brain coping with the paralysis I seemed to be experiencing.

I could see an open expanse of sky so I assumed I was lying prone outside of my car. I thought back as far as I could remember, but for the moment was just drawing a blank. Suddenly, the hazy form of a woman flashed into my view, moving just as quickly out of my range of sight as she had entered. Waiting patiently, I saw her hover in my line of vision once more, flashing a penlight into both of my eyes. At the time I didn’t think about why that bright flash of light didn’t blind me or cause me to blink, but I would later come to know why.

Story Tags: Alive || Cacy Ann Minter || contest entry || horror || short story

By:Rebecca Laskowitz

Kaylee grasped her mother’s hand as they made their way up the icy stone walkway. Snow covered the edge of the path where flowers usually blossomed during the spring. She watched her step so as not to fall and ruin her new pink puffy coat. It was her first Christmas present of the year from her parents. Even though Christmas Eve wasn’t until tomorrow night, the frigid weather allowed for Kaylee to receive her coat a few days early.

While one gloved hand clung desperately to her mother, the other held just as tightly onto Bunny. Bunny went everywhere with Kaylee since she was two. The stuffed rabbit’s ears were tattered from months of teething, and his yellow coloring faded from hundreds of journeys through the washing machine. Kaylee held him by the ears and raised her arm just high enough to keep his fluffy bottom from dragging on the cold, wet ground.

Story Tags: contest entry || general fiction || Rebecca Laskowitz || short story

By: Rebecca Laskowitz

There wasn’t much time left. Philip knew this. The entire village knew as well. What did they have? Hours? Very unlikely. More like minutes. Minutes that flew by with increasing speed as the enemy drew closer.

Philip looked at all they had accomplished. The walls were high and foreboding, but size was not enough to prevent annihilation. Strength was the key factor to guard against the great enemy, and Philip prayed to the gods that the fortress held strength.

The villages that had once stood here obviously lacked the strength needed to keep the enemy out. How many fortresses—great fortresses built with the blood and sweat of great men—had stood here before today only to be wiped away by one pass of the great enemy? There must have been hundreds, maybe even thousands, of towns that have been destroyed. Completely and utterly erased from the map.

Story Tags: contest entry || general fiction || Rebecca Laskowitz || short story || The Final Fortress