I made it. From afar, scaling this hill seemed an insurmountable task, but here I am, atop the hillside that separates my secluded valley from what lay beyond. And, to my delight, the sun has yet to set. Soft shades of orange float across the evening sky, fading into a burst of vermillion light upon … Continue reading Beyond That Hill
Standing naked on a rough, rocky precipice, a broken man offers promises to the wind. This time, he says, things will be different. Life will begin anew. Yes, from this point onwards, I shall be the man I always wanted to be. I shall not care for the looks of others, but they will regard … Continue reading Scattered In the Wind
Dear Samantha, Many years have passed since we last met. And yet, when I think of you as I do now, I am transported back to the summer we shared. The time we rested shoulder to shoulder on a field of sunflowers, gazing up at the clouds as they swam past us overhead. And I … Continue reading I Saw a Cloud That Reminded Me of You
Shera lay outside in the snow, wearing nothing but his father’s old shirt. Its thin fabric obstructs the cold as well as a shield of paper blocks a sword, serving merely as a pretense of defense. Thus, the chill breeze has free reigns as it wages war on the poor boy’s body, causing his lips … Continue reading The World That Never Was
My bare feet grind against the rough cavern floor as I run along the dimly-lit corridor. It hurts like hell, but whatever it was back there is worse than bloodied fucking feet. I throw a furtive glance behind my shoulder, and sure enough. There is movement in the distance. Slithering, followed by menacing, hissing sounds. … Continue reading The Snake Pit
He loved him with all his heart, and maybe that's why he never told the truth, afraid of losing the one person for whom he truly cared. But as with all secrets, especially the dark ones, one can only hope to preserve secrecy for so long. As onlookers, we can gloat and laugh at his … Continue reading Carnage | When the Moon Turns red
Jonathan hooks his hundredth-something worm, desperation mounting with the waning of the sun. Time is running out. His grandfather’s health is rapidly deteriorating, and there’s no telling he’ll survive another day. Jonathan glares at the sea as though offended by its serenity, knowing full well that he’s being unreasonable. Here he is, a grown man … Continue reading The Golden Fish
Your flight leaves in 1h 20 mins. The taxi’s outside. It’s already honked once. 1h 19 mins. Honk. You can’t find your teddy bear. 18 mins. You hear the taxi start. Honk. 17. Where’s the damn plushie? 13. Engine running! 10. Honk honk. GODDAMMIT. You throw the weekend bag over your shoulder, sprinting out the … Continue reading Where Is Teddy?
Once upon a time, in an otherwise inconspicuous village, a woman gestated an extraordinary baby. When a baby is born, it cries; this is common knowledge. And evidently, the infant let out a sound that could be classified as a “cry.” But it was not a human baby’s scream that could be heard from the … Continue reading The Pigman’s Story; Beginnings
I sit on the edge of my bed, gazing out the open window. It’s still dark outside, but soon the sun will rise from the depths, and with it, my journey will begin. I look around the room, this treasure trove of memories. Should I feel sad about leaving it all behind? Maybe, but I … Continue reading Call To Adventure
Benjamin Bratz 