As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the house, the two teenage siblings, Alex and Emma, found themselves at their parents’ house for a family dinner. Little did they know that this evening would take an unexpected turn.

While exploring the house, Alex and Emma stumbled upon a hidden closet in their parents’ bedroom. Curiosity got the best of them, and they couldn’t resist peeking in...

Once upon a time, in the quaint village of Willowbrook, a group of friends gathered at the elegant Victorian mansion of their enigmatic host, Mr. Archibald. It was a stormy evening, with rain pelting against the windows, setting the perfect atmosphere for a night of mystery and intrigue. The friends had come together for their weekly tradition of playing Cluedo, a thrilling board game that challen...

“Anything you leave I’m throwing away.” Mom said as she left my childhood bedroom.

Or what had been my childhood bedroom. It now resembled a storage room of random Knick knacks. But then again Dad had always been a hoarder.

I dug through the exercise equipment and garage sale finds. Finally I reached my dresser. I still had a few clothes I hadn’t bothered bringing to college. Some old jewelr...

I'm holding one hand over my mouth and staring at what I'm holding in the other hand. In it is an old Polaroid of a woman, who's not my mother, holding me immediately after giving birth and the words "Janine's Birth Mother" written on the bottom.

How long can your eyes stay open before you need to blink? I think I just hit the record. My eyes are dryer than a KFC biscuit and, yet, I can't close ...

Silently, “Breaking News” plasters the muted 1998 monitor as Martha opens up a vacant cabinet. She studies the only mug on the shelf that somehow made it through six moves with the Coopers. It’s unbreakable bond and determination made her feel connected to the piece of ceramic.

She grabs the tepid pot of Maxwell house and fills her cup. The kitchen smells of burnt coffee and the checkered linoleu...

As I stepped onto the bus after the last day of school, several thoughts and emotions swirled within. I started my high school career kicking and screaming, disconnected from the promise a good education threatened to unleash. Four years later, I didn’t want for it to end.

After moving to four school districts in three different states, all before the sixth grade, each of the placement and IQ t...

Another family party, this time celebrating my 36th birthday. It’s a sunny day and the children will have a wonderful time playing in the warm weather, well all except for our newborn, Layla, that is. She much prefers the shade. It is June 9th and I, Ellie Cordell, am entering the second half of my thirties. God, when did I get this old? Does the general population consider this old? I’m not reall...

“I’m sorry,” he says, holding the photo by the corner, as if it’s a bloodied rag. “Can you repeat that?”

“Oh you heard me,” his mom says, rolling her eyes and continuing to fold the laundry, like a fucking psycho. “Your father had a family, awhile ago.” She waves her hand, like she’s talking about the weather being too hot, too cold, and not that his father had a secret family he’d never spoken t...

Even drenched in the warmth of the evening sunset, Sydney felt a chill. The wind was whipping off the water and settled beneath her cardigan. Holding her glass in one hand, she swiped the crocheted blanket from the back of the worn couch and draped it around her shoulders.

“Fuck,” she muttered as the Chardonnay splashed over the rim onto her skirt.

Why didn’t her mother put a table out here? Sh...

It was the middle of December, classes had just ended, and I was ready to go home for the holidays. I was originally going to wait a week until I came back but I decided to give a little surprise to my parents.

The wind was blowing as I reached the front door. No lights, so I quickly brought my suitcase in and set it down.

“Hello?”

No answer.

“Mom? Dad?”

Nothing.

I walked into the kitchen. D...