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A New Kind of Literary Pulse

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Logo Long Story Short Award - 2022
Creative Nonfiction
 1 min

Bear Creek

Brennen Serre

The darkness was heavy. Nothing seemed to break it beside the occasional whimper from one of the other men.

It had all happened so fast; it was still hard to believe any of it was real ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 2 min

My favorite type of trash

Ayazhan Kadessova

As a kid, I was always excited to show my illustrations to everyone I knew. Carrying my heavy old tablet to school, I loved hearing compliments on my neon-colored digital creations from my classmates ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 1 min

American Dream

Haley Heaton

The American dream. The human dream. Like a phoenix rising from a 9 to 5 to become a name even your parents recognize. Night shifts are swapped for night clubs and auto payments for autographs. We ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
Creative Nonfiction
 2 min

Streetlights

Lydia Hall

You and (I suppose) I are waiting at a cold bus stop. We witness the moment, full morning, when the streetlights turn off.
Your eyes don't register a difference; the sun functions, so the ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 3 min

Czech Tears

Jared Brockbank

A young boy no older than twelve sits on a bus at a station. Sitting behind him is a foreigner. Outside the widow are presumably the boy's parents and younger sister. The boy's backpack and durable ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 5 min

Fuck the purple lights

sarz savage

We pulled up to the vegan ice cream truck. It was closed.
"What? I swear it said open 'til nine." Ryan checked his phone. "Yeah, see?"
He handed me the phone. It did.
"What do you want to do?" ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 4 min

Downtown Funeral Parlour

Zhouyuan Xu

"No!" was the cry of my heart as he left me. Despair added, whispered in my heart. It was so genuine; thanks for the gut-wrenching terror that jolted me awake, pulling me out of this nightmare. The ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 5 min

Saudades do Brasil

Eloisa Janson

"This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," said Joseph, looking outside from the apartment balcony on the 9th floor.
"I cannot believe we arrived just in time for the sunrise!" ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 3 min

Wilson

Gillian Byrd

I have a quiet father. Not quiet like a rock, but quiet like a book. He is particular with his words, as if they were stepping stones. He is collected, not scattered. Firm, not flaky. Resolute, not ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
Creative Nonfiction
 2 min

Five Hours

Alyson Cabeza

The backdoor slammed as you stormed out. The loud strike of blinds hit the door and caught up to the slam – the last noticeable telling of your previous presence. I sat on the floor. The others joined ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 2 min

London Fog

Margaret Hall

When I was fourteen, I was diagnosed with Vocal Cord Dysfunction. How I breathe is fundamentally broken. The doctor guessed I had never smoked, and I told her she was right. Good, she said, and let me ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 1 min

Tabasco Sauce

Teresa Vazquez

There is no Tabasco sauce on our table. My usual order—the "Just Bacon" burger with no onions, pickles, or garlic aioli, please—will be unsatisfactory if it is not drenched in Tabasco sauce. The sauce ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 5 min

The Girl with the Yellow Hair

Harlen Bertrand

The hallways were unnaturally quiet when I left my room. The walls reflected a putrid-looking yellow that shined from the small light above me. The usual thumping of music that came from the doo ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 4 min

Dispatch from the Middle Ages

Denise Stroud

Ten days ago, I quit the kind of job this school is meant to prepare you for. I left the investment bank I'd worked for, to return to school as a full-time student. Why would I make such a seemingly ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 4 min

3x a Million

Caroline Thompson

"(3x a million)
That's all
Your devoted husband
Nick"

Janet cradled her newborn child in her arms as she read his words, carefully sprawled on the tan paper. Her darling. He ...  [+]
Creative Nonfiction
 3 min

Trps of the Trade

Edward Chen

When we think of a cell, we might not realize the extent of its intricacy. Sure, cells may be complex, but then there are tissues, organs, organ systems, and entire organisms. Cells are only a really ...  [+]