Short Story
The Shutdown
The voices were loud – harsh whispers of frantic panic drilling ragged holes into Avery’s thoughts – but her footsteps were louder. The heavy click of her ugly, leather school-shoes on the glossy tiled floor echoed all around her, bouncing off the walls of her skull like a game of Pong.
By Alyssa Potter5 years ago in Fiction
Walking in LA...
Georgana adjusted her pack as she walked in the direction she hoped would lead to the only water source within a 50 mile radius… at least, according to her half moth eaten map. It was missing some chunks, but still served her purposes most of the time. Georganas’ shoulders were strong but not yet accustomed to the pressure and roughness of the straps. She wistfully remembered a time when her shoulders were free to feel the sun and the wind instead of the sweat and accumulated dirt between her skin and the pack, which held all that she owned. Shaking off the memories of a sweeter time with the reminder that she needed all her senses alert in this new world, she made a fist with her hand and peered through the tiny hole made between the curl of her fingers and her palm. Her self-made tiny telescope gave her a clearer view of the horizon. She scanned left to right, a habit she had acquired to watch for dangers. If she spotted people or animals far enough off, she had a chance of dropping to the ground to hide before they saw her. In the scrub brush and scattered rocks, she could still make herself scarce… even in the flat, desert terrain of what used to be Los Angeles.
By Anah Reichenbach5 years ago in Fiction
An Astronaut’s Point of View
I read through the print-out the doctor had given me again. Common symptoms include nausea, stomach and back muscle cramps, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea… All relevant to me. I couldn’t really dispute the diagnosis. Sighing, I placed the pages beside me on the bed and ran my fingers through my hair.
By Alicia Brunskill5 years ago in Fiction
B.S.D. Broken, Shattered, Destroyed
Walking down the stairs Mr. Cash held his gun close to his side. Peeping around the corner he scanned for the intruder. At first glance, Mr. Cash hadn’t seen any movement. Moving his position, he hid behind the kitchen island. As Mr. Cash poked his head around the corner of the island, he heard a noise coming from the spare rooms on the right. Watching the area of the spare rooms, he saw a man peeping in the bedrooms holding a shiny black pistol. "Get the fuck out of my family’s house," said Mr. Cash as he looked down the sight of the gun. "This what you finna do so you don’t end up with a couple of bullets in your ass. Put the gun down now, walk back with your hands on your head, and lay on your stomach," shouted Mr. Cash. Placing the gun on the ground the intruder took a couple of steps back then stood still. "What makes you think you should live here in our neighborhood? This neighborhood has represented a beautiful blank canvas that shines in all seasons," said Jimmy. "Excuse me, get your ass on the ground," said Mr. Cash.
By D.C. Senju5 years ago in Fiction
Seed of Hope
I saw the spire looming in the distance as I quickened my footsteps and kept my gaze fixed forward. "Just keep moving." I spoke out loud to myself. The darkness began to creep across the dirt road in front of me. There was so little light during the day. I had to eke out a living on 6 hours of light a day. Our food was in short supply. The Earth seemed to turn a dusty grey. It was like a corpse in repose, slowly rotting with each passing minute. Earth was in decomposition and those few of us left were subjected to the horrors of watching this decrepitude and ultimate death of our world. I let my thoughts drift to happier times but kept my stride swift.
By Becky Byrns5 years ago in Fiction
Do Not Eat the Corn
I remember the view from this spot before it all began. There was a rainbow touching down at the top of the hill, which was covered in green grass and overlooked a creek, long dry by now. On the other side of the creek were fields of corn, green and luscious. Then the rain tapered off to almost nothing. Tornadoes and high winds further dried out the land. The population was a fraction of what it once was.
By Noah Glenn5 years ago in Fiction
The Silver skulls of Aldea
It was a warm summer night on the Street of Aldea. I was taking one of my frequent climbs up my favorite tree, to get away from my parents fighting. This was a very tall redwood, that took a good twenty minutes to climb to the top. Once at the top you could see the entire neighborhood, and I was looking forward to the peace and tranquility. I had almost reached the top when I heard the voice......" Brandon, don't be alarmed ." Someone was already at the top of my favorite thinking tree with me. I was shocked at first , but He said very soothingly ..." Don't fall, I can't catch you if you fall and she would want me to catch you."
By Brandon Cox5 years ago in Fiction
A Wild Sort of Curiosity
The wind glided around the great bird as it’s majestic wings cut through the air. The monstrous dinosaur flew, almost invisible to the naked eye, it’s feathery coat white as snow, blended almost perfectly with the white powder covering the surface of the earth. Over shadowy trees that creaked and wept in the wind, the owl flew towards the city, a very peculiar place in deed for such a bird.
By Mckayla Corder5 years ago in Fiction
Cracks
I have a sick dog smell and my head feels barely attached to my neck stump, so when the tram lurches it swings from side to side. It feels like there’s cellophane over my eyes. Everything is filmy. Milky. But I can still see things. Just yesterday I saw Them beating a small woman with yellow hair, right out the front of Myer on Bourke Street. I saw them in their black vans taking children.
By Erica Williams5 years ago in Fiction
