fact or fiction
Is it fact or merely fiction? Fact or Fiction explores the myths and beliefs we hold about our family dynamics, traditions, and if there's such thing as a 'perfect family.'
A Curiously Big Day in the Life of David Smalls
David looked wearily up from his soapy mop to glance at the large white traditional clock hung on the warehouse wall. 'Half-past seven,' he thought as he continued mopping. He pictured his bed and the anticipated sweet relief of his head hitting his pillow to sleep after a long nightshift. David had been working at the warehouse for nearly seven years. He found his job to be monotonous and repetitive, but it paid his bills. David had few friends of mention and no living relatives. His parents, who had lived about a kilometer away, had both passed away last year, his mother in June and his father in October. David was still in the process of dealing with their estate. David had already assessed that he would be lucky to see $20,000 after everything was said and done, to which he felt indifferent. His mother and father were not rich and had lived on a fixed, modest income. The grief of losing his parents was something David was no yet ready to face. He had bottled those emotions up and effectively buried them deep down to perhaps be dug up and examined at a later date. At almost 50 years old and after spending his entire life in a small town without any real job or relationship prospects, David considered himself relatively fortunate to have his health and the few friends he did. Depression had never been a concern of David's when his parents were alive. Lately, he felt a slight malaise—a sense of boredom that he had never really felt before.
By Charlene Cook5 years ago in Families
Manifesting ABUNDANCE
Manifesting Abundance: Divine Timing It was a beautiful day in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; but hot as hell for sure. Stepping outside felt like stepping into a large bowl of hot stew boiling at the highest heat on the stove. We occasionally travel to Louisiana to attend the family reunion held annually. I am a city girl, so this humid weather really caught me off guard. Although our family would take trips every so often back down south to visit our relatives, the time frames we traveled were so far spread apart that I never became fully accustomed to the heat.
By Sherrell Jones5 years ago in Families
Railroaded
Railroaded He called himself curious. He had a vivid imagination, loved trains, wanted everything blue – turquoise if you could oblige him, had a loud laugh, had high energy, enjoyed his life, and had a crafty GiGi. He is a light in this world and his name is Trey. Trey was in the first grade and for a child who had issues with noise from infanthood up, he sure was noisy.
By Lynette Stafford5 years ago in Families
Carpe Diem
Carpe Diem 9am on a Wednesday, just off the high street. It was just any other day, nothing out of the ordinary. Sarah was getting ready for another shift at the supermarket. Another day of doing the same job, doing the same activities. She was tiring of this, stuck in a dead-end job. She leaves the house and takes the bus into town driving the same route, passing the same shops and houses every day along the way. Nothing really stands out during the daily journey although there is one particular book store that Sarah thought looked a little peculiar. Along the way, the journey stutters with stops and starts due to the traffic of rush hour. The bus coincidently stops outside the bookshop. Its murky and mysterious exterior is a stark contrast to the brightly lit, colourful high street on which it's located. It seems to be very off-putting to any visitor, almost like they don’t want any guests. After a short wait, the bus pulls away again as the traffic begins to clear up. In the corner of her eye, Sarah sees an advert in the window of the bookshop. She tried to read it quickly but it was too late, the shop was now out of sight.
By Sam Gaskell5 years ago in Families
The House Next Door
Delvin, Darius, and Dashawn, 20-year-old triplets that grew up in foster care never knowing their parents. The three of them were dreamers from the womb, always having big plans to do big things but nothing ever panned out. It only brought disappointment after disappointment. The boys kept each other encouraged during downtimes.
By Tamara Rashelle5 years ago in Families
Casa Blanca Lilly
Every morning I wake up to the sound of waves crashing on iridescent sand and the smell of my favorite salted caramel coffee calling my name. I think to myself, "Thank God it is Saturday!" I cannot wait to see the sunrise's magnificent colors of pink and yellow hues as the sun rises above the ocean.
By Laura Phebus5 years ago in Families
The Small Black Notebook
The Little Black Book By Judith Headley As Michael gazed outside on this particular dismal day, he watched the raindrops beating on the window. He was pondering on how life could be better for him and his grandmother. He had clothes on his back and food to eat, but life could be much better for them.
By Judith Headley5 years ago in Families
Corner Cafe
Rain falling on the windowpane, streetlights reflecting much like Christmas without the cheerful happy feeling. My mind was stirring, wondering why it's been so long. I sip my latte in the corner cafe' alone, trying to block out the background noise. Cars honk, at a traffic light... thoughts racing. Wondering where he could be. The waitress beckons me asking if I'm ok. I nod yes...but I mean no. I feel uneasy...something's wrong.
By Jamie Chaney5 years ago in Families
Miller's Journal
It was clear why the miniature metropolis of Mapleton was called by that name. The 150 year-old former logging community boasted glorious maple trees aligned down every block, spanning the whole of downtown. Their leaves grew oversized in springtime, brightening the gray buildings around. By fall, the little city would transform into a picturesque form of autumn, coloring it alive. The sheer intensity that the mighty maples brought to the streets of this place, those trees might have always been there, perhaps preceding the town, or inspiring it’s growth. Very few knew that the town was originally called Firland. Even locals quickly came to dismiss the idea, as it lacked the grandeur Mapleton eloquated. It didn’t quite seem to ‘fit,’ they’d say. In fact, each of their mayors for 100 years had been a descendent of General Darius P. Maplewood, the town’s first established leader.
By Jessica Weiss5 years ago in Families
The Space Between
Gertrude rocked back and forth on the front porch. Her frame was draped in white linen and her hair was concealed behind a cotton scarf. No matter how her grandmother attempted to conceal loose tendrils and coils a few would always escape to frame her face. The rogue strands were as white as the snow she had never seen anywhere but school books. Humidity in the air created a thin sheen of dew on both Gertrude and her granddaughter . Their contrast was striking, and yet they seemed to be two sides of the same coin, united by the same café au lait skin.
By N.R. Pachecker5 years ago in Families
