It was a golden October afternoon when the guests began to arrive, laughter tumbling down the stone steps of the old chapel like scattered petals. Emma stood near the front doors, straightening the hem of her bridesmaid dress for the fifth time, trying not to think about how tight her chest felt. Her sister, Claire, […]
The walls were cinder block gray, and the air in the cell never lost the smell of bleach and something older — sweat maybe, or regret. Danny sat on the bottom bunk, arms resting on his knees, staring at the scuffed concrete floor. It was the fourth night in, or the fifth. He’d stopped keeping […]
Elias sat on the back pew of the little church, his fingers tracing the edge of a worn Bible he couldn’t bring himself to open. Dust curled in the golden shafts of light from the stained-glass windows. The sanctuary was mostly empty, save for a few scattered souls — regulars, he guessed — mumbling soft […]
The first time Marcus noticed the cross, he was just trying to get to school without getting jumped.He walked the long way, past the broken swings in the housing complex, down the alley that smelled of rot and gasoline, past the dumpster that always hummed with flies. But that morning, something different caught his eye […]
The baptismal water was colder than she expected. Lily shivered a little as she stepped in, the surface rippling around her. She wore a white shirt over black shorts, her long hair tied back in a nervous braid. The church was quiet, the kind of stillness that doesn’t demand silence but holds it gently.A few […]
Danny sat in the back of the courtroom, his fingers curled into the sleeves of a worn denim jacket, knees bouncing, as the judge read out the sentence. Five years. Suspended. Mandatory rehab. Community service. He didn’t look at his mother, who sat three rows behind, silently weeping into a tissue. He couldn’t bear to.He […]
He sat every morning at the corner of 5th and Ash, wrapped in layers of faded wool and denim, clutching a walking stick smoothed by years of use. No one knew his name, not really. Some called him “Elijah” because he once thundered about fire coming down from heaven. Others just called him “the Homeless […]
The engine hummed low as the car rolled past the edges of the neighborhood—rows of houses she knew by heart, all blurring behind the early morning mist. Emily sat in the passenger seat, arms crossed tight over her chest, jacket zipped high despite the warmth. She hadn’t said a word since they left.Her dad glanced […]
The congregation saw a man of faith—confident, kind, always ready with a word of prayer. On Sundays, he stood behind the pulpit like an oak tree, unwavering, voice ringing with Scripture and assurance. People came to him for counsel. They brought him casseroles and prayer requests. They asked him to bless their babies and bury […]
Margaret never imagined she’d still be working past seventy. Her hands were slower now, her steps more careful, but there was something in her that wouldn’t let her stop — not yet. Not while people still died alone.She arrived each morning at the hospice before the sun rose, the scent of lavender oil already clinging […]