The Exporter's Lament

In Export there is something heroic about earning foreign currency for my country. It makes up for jet lag, family absences, and living out of a suitcase.

Disembarking the flight home, I am thinking of freshly made meals and welcome home sex, not necessarily in that order.

I open the front door to enter a silent, empty house; furniture, fixtures and fittings gone.

On the kitchen bench the business card of a lawyer, specializing in Family Law.

My mind floods with stories told by fellow exporters, their helpless acute vulnerability, when their wives ran off with another man or woman.

From Guest Contributor Barry O'Farrell

Barry O'Farrell is an actor in Brisbane Australia, who worked in Export many years ago.

Other stories by Barry can be found at Cyclamens and Swords, 50 Word Stories and here at A Story In 100 Words.

Our Orchard

We chased each other between rows of plum trees. Leafy boughs drooped with blossoms casting shadows in our tracks.

We kissed when we caught up. I sank into your embrace wishing you would never let go.

But you did. A high school classmate was more clever than I. Grabbed your vulnerability. Clawed at your masculinity. You found her sexy.

I’ve returned. Standing across the street from a playground where our orchard used to be. The fruit trees were gone except for one.

Boys played rough ball games. One on a bench looked like you.

Love no longer filled that space.

From Guest Contributor Krystyna Fedosejevs

Krystyna writes poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Her recent work has been published at: Nailpolish Stories, 50-Word Stories, 100 word story, Boston Literary Magazine, From the Depths (Haunted Waters Press), ShortbreadStories and espresso stories.

The Dream World

Lesley entered the dream world for the first time the night after the accident. She fell asleep in her hospital room with the aid of painkillers and woke up to find she could walk again.

It is common for people to have their first experience of the dream world after an unexpected trauma. The sudden vulnerability allows them to touch aspects of reality our minds try to keep hidden.

Our greatest heroes are usually those who navigate the dangers of the dream world and become something greater than they were.

Lesley was not one of those. She died almost immediately.