30-Minute Stories

Angela wandered around downtown, stopping every once in a while to admire the buildings.  She loved the feeling she got when she looked up at them; part awe and part dizziness as she traced their shape up, up, up in to the sky.   Rene had called her in for an afternoon meeting with the big wigs of her company, Blackbird Publishing, after raving to them about the chapter that Angela had sent her the night before, and she had some time to kill before their appointment.  Rene had a pretty good eye for potential, and had tried to talk Angela into writing something else other than the last book that she pushed for.  Unfortunately, everyone else, including Angela, could only see the potential in the money that they imagined making, and since she had already penned two bestsellers prior they thought that she could do no wrong.  The reviews and performance had been a harsh shot of reality to Angela, although a necessary one to bring her head out of the clouds, but ...

She awoke the next morning with a little more bounce in her step.  The adventures of the night before had been as exhilarating as any chance encounter with the opposite sex could be, although it didn't end as well for Joe as he'd hoped, she guessed.  She hopped out of bed, fixed her pajama bottoms, and threw open the curtains.  Warm sunlight rushed in, illuminating the small studio apartment that she called home.  She walked over to the coffee pot and started it, shooing her cat off the counter in the process. "You know you're not supposed to be up here, Buckles," she said to the cat.  He scampered away, looking for his litter box and food.  Good idea , She thought, as she wandered toward the bathroom and thought about what to make herself for breakfast. ------------- With coffee and food in her system, she plopped down on her musty old couch.  Dust rose from it and danced in the sunlight. She knew it was gross, but she was always intrigued by th...

It was easy, really.  Easier than she had first thought.  Frankly, she didn't know if she could do it at all, but once the blade pierced flesh it took hardly any effort or thought at all.  And the euphoria that followed was unlike anything she'd felt before.  To think that only a week ago she was having second thoughts about all of this.  Second thoughts wrestled with and gave way to initial thoughts, though, and all that was left was the set up and follow through. The first had been some nameless Joe from a bar.  It had been easy enough to get his attention from across the room.  Her short dress and plunging neckline did most of the work.  Hell, she could have probably not said a word after that and still been able to pull it off.  But better to be safe than sorry.  She caught his eye a couple of times before finally giving a shy smile as she finished her drink.  Soon after he clumsily made his way over, two drinks in hand, many ...