Category: Short Prose
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Fine old gentlemen
We’re a bunch of elitists discussing the subtleties and nuances of a Rembrandt—the rich browns and the gentle beiges—in a stylish lounge bar, sipping on Château Cheval Blanc. We then talk about Ezra Pound and Fascism. “I quite enjoy him. He’s an exotic, fragile thrill,” I say; my voice, flavoured with an exquisite, rich, deep-as-marrow […]
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Evening song
Remember when we lived in that cottage on a hill with its red steps, off-white porch and beige door? The crisp breeze wafted into the rooms and chilled us to the bone, but beauty and innocence still prevailed. We were two inconspicuous people, and maybe we were even humble. We had each other, and that […]
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Toad curry
I’m chef Frank Baudelaire of the three Michelin star restaurant Ambiance. Today I’m going to tell you a little about us and also guide you through the making of our world-famous dish, Toad curry. We started Ambiance in a little corner of Marseilles three years ago to give people an experience like none other. We […]
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The rejection letter
Dear Writer, I’m afraid we have decided to reject your manuscript because it doesn’t feature a strong female protagonist. The narrative was good until Sasha forgave the men who catcalled her. It then spiralled into some psychobabble about redemption and beauty. We are looking for a gruesome story about revenge. You must remember that the […]
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Onion
He was odd and he would walk around hunched with this peculiar gait that made him look like a wounded war veteran who limped. He seemed so absorbed with himself. I often wondered whether thoughts buzzed around inside his oversized head like flies circling a pile of garbage. He had this effeminate way about him, […]
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Well, if you’re really into unrequited love
Beloved, I’ve immortalised you in sonnet after sonnet, making you a blushing tulip in the gentle heat or a grey pearl that heals disease, but my lines meet oblivion. I wish you were the thrush that sat on my windowsill and pleased me with its aubade. I wish you were the Dandelion in my backyard […]
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On reasoning
That day, I found myself on purple grass under a green sky. Two moons and half a sun burned. I was sweating, but when I wiped my forehead, I realised I was sweating blood. I panicked and thought I was approaching death. However, I wasn’t weak, so I ran. I ran past trees with whalebone […]
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Them
Before they arrived, we had our ideas of what they’d be like, and we often wondered if they existed. But when they did, our powers of comprehension failed us, and we couldn’t fathom who they were and what they did to our world. I remember that day more than any other. We didn’t see spaceships […]
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On rainy days and contemplation
I walk on a cobblestone path in the drizzle, passing construction sites and industrial areas in the grey twilight of the evening. I skirt a puddle or two, but I’m not trying to escape the rain. It’s the only thing I’ve ever known. The sky darkens with each step I take, and an ambulance sings […]
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Threnody
Dear Maria, I saw you standing outside Green Theory yesterday. You were on your phone, and though a part of me wanted to cross the street and say, “Hi,” I refrained. I walked away, nervousness encircling the pit of my stomach, hoping you wouldn’t see me. If you did, would you have stepped up to […]
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