Stories by JLPreston, by newest first

1 - 32 of 32
  • Cowpunk in the Nighttime
    Cowpunk in the Nighttime1
    by JLPreston 2000 words, on Aug 30 10:22 AM 2008
  • Bluebird's Comb
    It's like getting into a girl's pants, Jill told me.1
    by JLPreston 1600 words, on Aug 1 6:43 PM 2008
  • Tuesday Night Blues (poem)
    Your Tuesday night blues 1 / ain't what it use to be.2 / It ain't about you or me3 / ain't about what we see 4
    by JLPreston <100 words, on Jul 10 7:09 PM 2008
  • 132
    132. / Sunny looked at the number and puffed out a breath of relief. Not bad. Not great, not ideal, not perfect—but better than expected. A good starting place. / The mirror reflected her one hundred and thirty-two sid
    by JLPreston 1400 words, on Jul 9 6:42 PM 2008
  • Eugene the Miracle Fish
    Eugene the Miracle Fish1 / Eugene is staring at me. I can feel it.2 / This damn sunlight isn't helping anything. It stabs through the blinds in slatted spears that p
    by JLPreston 2200 words, on Apr 22 10:03 PM 2008
  • Patient and Doctor
    Patient and Doctor 1 / “So how does it make you feel?”2 / “How does it make me feel?”3 / “Yeah. How does it make you feel?”
    by JLPreston 300 words, 1 comment, on Mar 27 3:14 PM 2008
  • Thirsty
    Thirsty1 / Her toes feel the train approaching before anything else. / "Is this us?" she asks the concrete; it swallows her question. Concrete is everywhere—lining walls and pillars and runni
    by JLPreston 1100 words, on Mar 25 4:14 PM 2008
  • Journal (poem)
    "Journal"1 / I don’t like you very much, kid.2 / How can I, when you’re always waking me up3 / at ungodly hours4
    by JLPreston 200 words, 1 comment, on Mar 22 3:21 PM 2008
  • Very Early in the History of Sexuality: A Case Study
    "Very Early in the History of Sexuality: A Case Study"1 / Age: 6 years2 / Once upon a time there is a girl made to wear itchy tights.3 /
    by JLPreston 3400 words, on Mar 21 9:22 PM 2008
  • In Love: A Duologue
    In Love: A Duologue / by Melanie Griffin / [Curtain rises on dark stage. No scenery—bare expanse of clean floor, plain white / neutral back
    by JLPreston 1500 words, on Dec 31 3:02 PM 2007
  • Beam of Pride (poem)
    I pluck the beam of pride / fold it carefully / and tuck it into the hip pocket of my jeans / where it rides / denim-hugged, finger-loved /
    by JLPreston 100 words, on Dec 4 1:29 PM 2007. In
  • Arms, Hands, Fingers (poem)
    Plump white lazy snakes / dusted with flicks of freckles / and tiny tangled fluffs of hair / lie heavy / sleeping / twining through a nipping waist / sinking into a soft stomach / running into1
    by JLPreston 100 words, 2 comments, on Dec 4 1:22 PM 2007
  • Wait (poem)
    Wait for them1 / to tear you into shreds2 / hand you the gold3 / or pass by, indifferent,4 / which stings
    by JLPreston <100 words, on Oct 23 6:26 PM 2007
  • Fingers
    First I feel the pinky. / It has been fluttering around its own little circle of cafeteria table for twenty minutes, straining to the end of its leash, occasionally lapsing into sullen stillness. But always it starts
    by JLPreston 800 words, 1 comment, on Sep 23 10:46 PM 2007
  • Today I Met a Boy
    Part 1: Heather / Today I met a boy. / “Hey,” he said. / “Hi,” I said. / We looked away, me to a weed pushing itself up through a crack in
    by JLPreston 600 words, 1 comment, on Aug 26 10:44 AM 2007. In
  • Lifeguards
    “Possibly, if I’ve had too much to drink. Never, including and especially if we’re the last two people on Earth. And hell yeah. Who wouldn’t?” / “Eh. I wouldn’t.” / “That’s because you’re hopelessly stuck in a one-dim
    by JLPreston 1400 words, 2 comments, on Aug 5 2:24 PM 2007
  • Pier Pressure
    Timothy hates opening his wallet. Every time he peels apart the Velcro, he sees failure. / It’s unavoidable, cringing in the front sleev
    by JLPreston 2000 words, 4 comments, on Jul 30 5:50 PM 2007
  • Two Poems
    "Duct Tape" / There are people / who come to me / with broken hearts / and I fix them / with duct tape. / It's not the same; / the shiny grey tape / doesn't match /
    by JLPreston 100 words, 6 comments, on Jul 12 3:49 PM 2007
  • Please?
    by JLPreston <100 words, 2 comments, on Jul 4 8:19 PM 2007
  • The Haven
    Henry hunches over the typewriter, gunning down each word as it comes to him in a rattling burst of keystrokes. His thin body angles off the curves of the chair at an uncomfortable degree, and the bare bulb screwed into the
    by JLPreston 600 words, 2 comments, on Jul 2 8:26 PM 2007
  • Someone Else
    “There’s someone else.” / I wait, silent and expectant at the breakfast table, for the bottom (of what? The whole world? Yes, this seems se
    by JLPreston 1600 words, 2 comments, on Jul 2 8:05 PM 2007
  • Ugly, Myself
    I know what people say about me; I'm not deaf or stupid or anything. / I'm not blind, either. I know I'm ugly. / Look--come here, chickenshit, and look. Don't make it worse by pretending to have no idea what I'm
    by JLPreston 200 words, 4 comments, on Jun 25 5:50 PM 2007. In
  • The Huffle Puffle's First Show
    “Don’t forget your broom.” / I glance over at the bundle of sticks that rests in the umbrella holder. “Do we really have to do this?” / “Yes!” Danny stabs a finger at his glasses but misses and pokes himself in
    by JLPreston 1700 words, 2 comments, on Jun 9 11:44 AM 2007
  • Dreaming of Brooklyn
    Carrie left yesterday, right after the yelling. / Last night, I dreamed about her arriving in Brooklyn, dragging her suitcase like it was a
    by JLPreston 1600 words, 6 comments, on May 29 10:45 AM 2007
  • View From the Roof
    / / The view from the roof freaked me out, I won’t lie. On level with the telephone poles strung out across the street, my stomach churne
    by JLPreston 600 words, 4 comments, on May 24 12:18 PM 2007
  • The Decision
    The Decision / / Ruth saw them walk in, and paused to check her watch. It had lost four minutes somewhere since eight am--damned if she knew where. Between the sheets that needed washing, possibly, or the trash that needed emptying. Or the bills tha
    by JLPreston 2000 words, 2 comments, on May 24 12:16 PM 2007
  • Meat Market (beginning of a chapter)
    Eyes--hundreds of them, all staring at me in expectation. / / "Um." I have something intelligent to say, I swear, but it stumbles on its way out. "Ahempht--well, people tell me I'm a good writer." / / Pens dance across sticky notes during a sile
    by JLPreston 500 words, 3 comments, on May 24 12:11 PM 2007
  • The Suit
    “What are we doing Friday night?” / I had looked over at Laura. “Are you joking?” Our Friday nights have not changed in thousands of years. / Blonde curls flopped every which way as she studied a piece of paper. “No.” / “Well.” Stretching in the
    by JLPreston 800 words, 5 comments, on May 23 7:57 PM 2007
  • Sinner in the Hands of a Boring Sermon
    / At exactly two minutes past eleven on a Sunday morning, Preacher Andrews stood to approach his podium. Behind him the choir rustled expectantly, and the organ cleared its throat with a sudden chord, muted quickly. / “Let us pray.” / Sitt
    by JLPreston 600 words, 3 comments, on May 23 7:45 PM 2007
  • Thank You Very Much for Watching
    Once upon a time (a time that was all times and every time, except perhaps three Tuesdays from the second Wednesday in March at half-past four), a fat woman rides a tiny pony wearing nothing but a black lace corset with a bodice so red it drips, mingling
    by JLPreston 700 words, 2 comments, on May 20 4:38 PM 2007
  • The End
    The End / / That’s it--the last of them. No going back. / / I don’t feel any different, not yet. The box said something about waiting half an hour for the full effect. But maybe I should multiply thirty by the number I used, then…subtract fro
    by JLPreston 600 words, 3 comments, on May 18 8:16 PM 2007
  • Interesting Eyes
    by JLPreston 2000 words, 5 comments, on May 18 8:10 PM 2007. In Young adult
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