Adults

Second Generation by Sara Ullman (a Short Story Contest entry)

Decades ago I attended a Second Generation group for the children of Holocaust survivors. Our gruesome legacy, woven into the fabric of each family, bonded us.

At age eight, my mother escaped Vienna on the Kindertransport, an organized effort to rescue the innocent children of Europe from the horrors of Nazi persecution. She was eventually orphaned.

Although we hadn’t personally experienced the Holocaust, it was indelibly imprinted on our psyches.

World of My Dreams by Priti Kandlur (a Short Story Contest entry)

“Mom, did you hear the news about the school shooting?”

My heart skipped a beat & I hugged my young, scared child. I prayed for all those who lost their loved one. I prayed for the world of my dreams, where there is no violence, no war, no weapons and no greed. Everyone just loves and respects one another. Somewhere over the rainbow, my dream world exists. It has to.

Beat the Odds by Priti Kandlur (a Short Story Contest entry)

Emily was walking briskly, enjoying the rare morning sun on her face. The smile on her face was genuine. Her little shop with books from all around the world was finally doing well. The quaint village where she lived had supported her dreams. After losing both her parents at a young age, she had relied on the kindness of her community who had helped her rebuild her life & beat the odds.

4,378 by Christina Shaker (a Short Story Contest entry)

I always believed time travel existed and I was on a mission to prove it. I was finally ready to test my invention and stay in my youth forever. I fired it up, loud noises and explosions of light surrounded me until all I saw was black. Finally, I had arrived into the future! I marked this entry 4,378, the days I’d been stuck here.

Dreaming in Deli by M'EL (a Short Story Contest entry)

I dreamed that I was in an intensive care unit. I heard the doctor say “We are running out of treatments”. “Although this is still an experimental therapy, perhaps an egg cream infusion using an IV will work.” “It is worth a try”, but there was a critical shortage of Fox’s U Bet. The last words I heard before awakening were “maybe pastrami poultices with mustard will be a cure”.

Indie Love by Phil Luchun (a Short Story Contest entry)

Bobby wrestled independently in New Jersey. He loved performing for fans. This hobby cost him money, after travel costs. Bobby worked the midnight shift at CVS . Three mornings a week he trained at a local gym . He had met his true love at a match eighteen months ago . Vicki didn’t pay as much attention to him as he wished she would but loved to slow dance with him in his wrestling robe. Ahh life.