Tag: short story

Reality check

“You should nurture me, not leave halfway.”

Penny ignored it. Although she tried to escape, guilt gnawed at her ribs. Life was in shambles—her wallpaper had lost its adhesiveness, her wallet its weight to repaint.

No matter. Leaving for good, she needn’t make the place habitable anymore. Paintings she’d once adored lay around, fading, frames falling apart, and in total disarray. She didn’t care. Not when no one else cared to appreciate her work.

She’d tried. And she’d failed. Unmanageable, strangling reality cast her into poverty.

Time to stifle the voice of her creativity instead.

Desk job repays debts.

Lovestruck

From the raging building emerged the silhouette of a muscular man. He strutted—flames licking his shoulders—unperturbed and unharmed, while muffled screams bellowed throughout what was, only hours before, the hospital Julie interned at.

Clutching a blanket — for shock they’d said — she watched the mysterious alpha go in several times, returning each time shrouding children in his arms.

Her eyes glued to the hero, she sighed cooing to herself, “Ah, love.”

“Don’t go fangirling him, kid. He’s a firefighter, it’s his job.” The commander’s gruff voice echoed from behind. “Urg, the movies nowadays, feeding teenagers all kinds of crap.”

Medical terms

“Well, the severity of chemotherapy varies from person to person. For some its a seven-course treatment, and for some, it’s just one. And who’s to say, sometimes neither survives longer than a few months. In any case, Mom, it’s difficult to generalise the effects of chemo.”

As Dr. Castro spoke, his mother cast him a look of love and distain. Candid though he was about his own disease, his impassiveness pained her.

Driving away, Dr. Castro let a single tear fall from behind the mask he’d worn all day. After all, he’d never see his daughter dress up for prom.