Five Minute Observations

Tag: fantasy

  • Rule One: Know What You’re Walking Into

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    Evening at Gemini’s, the hanging filament bulbs give an amber glow to the inside of the bar. Low-level laughter and conversation echoed through the establishment. A platinum-blonde strolled in. Not a care in the world, she popped her gum, sounding like the poppers adolescent boys threw at each other on the 4th of July. Tossing…

  • Truth Wears the Crown: Why Integrity Matters

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    No sugarcoating. No fibs. Not even the little ones grown-ups call ‘harmless.’ Tiny little Anya, four years old, wild blonde curls dancing in the sunlight when she ran. When adults looked her in the eye, they could see something missing in most people – honest, heartfelt emotions. At Happy Trails Daycare, Anya’s preschool, all the…

  • The Collector

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    When an aging coin collector discovers a strange coin outside a small-town store, he has no idea what secrets it holds. A quiet moment becomes the start of something far more unusual in this atmospheric tale of mystery and memory.

  • Key? What key?

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “You don’t have the key?” Marcus yanked at the handcuffs, chaining his wrist to the steering wheel. The metal clinked, sharp, final. “What do you mean you don’t have it? Where’s the key?” Sunlight reflected off the chrome cuffs, flashing straight into his eyes. No sunglasses? Zero mercy from the star. His hangover pounding behind…

  • The Funeral of Nickolas Gather

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “How would you describe Nick Gather?” Father John Jacobs, a Catholic priest stood in front of the pulpit in the viewing room, the guests, visitors, and family far exceeding the room’s maximum capacity. It was warm for the second day in May in Missouri. The central air conditioner unit barely kept the room cool enough…

  • Seraphina and her companions – Meeting in Veritaville

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    “Seraphina, you can’t be serious!” Alexander’s voice boomed through the tavern, his fists clenched in frustration. Six men. Four women. That was the council and Seraphina? She was the natural choice to lead Veritaville. Alexander, a natural-born leader and herder of goats on the outskirts of their village, protested Seraphina’s announcement. “I thought we were…

  • Lila Leaves Flibberflop

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “Did you ever wonder what it would be like?” Lila asked Glitters. “What it would be like? You mean?” her talking horse, resembling a unicorn, looked down below, disgusted by the mere mention of ‘earth.’ “Um, down there? Yeah. No way. Nothing doing. Look how much fun it is to just float. I mean, down…

  • The Stranger of Veritaville

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    Between verdant undulating hills, where nature’s splendor met the skyline, frigid streams glistened as they flowed from the imposing Verita range. Their icy summits towered above, guardians over the expanse below. Nestled at the base of this mountain chain lay the hamlet of Veritaville. The settlement was a mosaic of picturesque homes, lush gardens, and…

  • The New Kid

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    Hermes. I know. I laughed when I first heard his name, too. I couldn’t help it, but there it was, my laughter out in front of the classroom. He was a scrawny guy with curly, dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. From the back, it was easy to mistake him for a girl. My friends…

  • Lost and Found

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “Put that back, Jen! You don’t know where it’s been. Or worse, who had it before you. I’ll bet there’s a reason someone threw it away.” Shelly wasn’t the kind of woman to mince words. If anything, her introverted self spoke volumes. Her friends knew her quiet demeanor meant if she had something to say,…

  • Inside Walmart

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    Walking through the sliding doors, Tabitha took off her sunglasses, letting both the shoppers and employees see her eyes. Making eye contact with her? Most of the people inside avoided that as much as possible. There was a terse, tense feel behind her eyes. It made you feel awkward. And if she may glance in…

  • Why Storytelling?

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    Sitting back in the corner of the café gives you an exciting vantage point to see most interactions between the staff standing on the other side of the register and the patron purchasing coffee, a muffin, or some other food or drink item. There is the yoga mom with a wealthy doctor for a husband…

  • The Harrow Club

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    Jasper spent more hours at the Harrow Club than some of the club’s guests. As the maître d’, he knew how to attend to all the staff and the club’s patrons. He was gifted with an uncanny ability to understand what someone needed before they asked. His mother, a prim and proper servant of the…

  • Pearls? Meet Blink-182

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “Wait, what was that?” Pulling out the earbuds, Gina looked over her shoulder where the sound came from. “Can you please move?” The woman was wearing sunglasses inside, which was the first thing Gina noticed. Second were the extravagant pearls hanging from her neck. Gina saw lots of women wearing pearls in southern California. But…

  • The Old Friend

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “Well, well, well. I wondered if I would ever see you again, Zack.” I recognized the voice. Not the hair, makeup, and clothes. I closed my eyes, wondering if it might help me remember the perfume she wore. It didn’t. I must’ve looked like a deer caught in headlights standing at the valet station because…

  • 299

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “299.” “How do you know that?” Standing over the spilled various colored Skittles, a young girl asked. Blonde. Tightly braided pigtails trailed down her shoulders, tied in bows with a bright red ribbon. Her bib overalls were a little too big, the cuffs falling over her well-worn Chuck Taylors. On the front of the bib…