Descriptive Prose

I wanted to challenge myself to create a short story brief enough to fit within a social media post. I had never heard of Centralia, Pennsylvania, despite its tragic history beginning in 1962 when an underground coal fire forced the town’s residents to flee, leaving it a ghost town. Inspired by this haunting past, I bring you the tale of The Whispering Ashes.

In the abandoned town of Centralia, where the earth still smolders beneath cracked streets, a lone traveler stumbled upon a forgotten cemetery at the edge of town. As dusk settled, the air grew thick with smoke, and he heard whispers carried by the wind, soft but insistent. Drawn to the sound, he approached the gravestones, noticing one in particular — an old, weathered marker with no name, just a date: 1962.

Suddenly, a cold gust blew through the cemetery, and the ground beneath him rumbled as if…

Max, thoroughly stoned and staring intently at the toasted bagel on his plate, suddenly found himself grappling with what he believed was the most profound question of existence: What if the hole in the bagel is a portal to another dimension?

Max sat at his kitchen table, eyes locked on the bagel before him. It was toasted to perfection—golden and warm, its edges lightly crisped. A knife dipped into the tub of cream cheese, scooped a generous dollop, and hovered above the bagel. Then, Max froze.

The thought came unbidden, like a whisper from the universe: What if the hole in the bagel is a portal to another dimension?

He blinked. A quiet laugh escaped his lips, but the thought lingered, settling deeper in his mind. His knife, still suspended, trembled as if wary of disrupting the sacred geometry of the bagel.

“Think about it,” he muttered to himself. “It’s…

On New Year's Eve, Charlie the mouse found himself in the heart of a grand celebration, where a mysterious sparkle in the air promised more than just a feast.

Charlie the mouse peeked out from behind the velvet curtain of the grand ballroom. Glittering chandeliers sparkled overhead, casting golden light across the polished floor. A band played lively tunes while guests in shimmering gowns and tuxedos laughed and twirled. Charlie's nose twitched—he could smell cheese somewhere. Brie? Gouda? It didn’t matter. He was going in.

Carefully, Charlie scurried beneath a table draped in white cloth. He weaved past silver shoes and chair legs, ducking behind a fallen napkin. That’s when he saw it—a bottle of champagne lying on its side, golden liquid dripping onto the floor.

Curiosity got the better of him. Charlie sniffed the bubbly puddle, licked it cautiously, then took a bigger sip. A tingle ran through his…

In a kingdom where love and loss intertwined, Snow White's life took an unexpected turn after a kiss from Prince Charming changed everything.

Once upon a time, in a distant kingdom, Snow White woke from the deep sleep that had been cast upon her by the wicked queen’s poisoned apple. She opened her eyes to find Prince Charming, his lips still warm from the kiss that had broken the spell. Snow White’s heart swelled with joy, and for a time, they lived in bliss.

But as the days passed, Prince Charming's affection began to wane. He was not the man Snow White had once dreamed of; he was a prince with duties, and she was a princess with her own dreams. Their bond weakened, and after a fleeting moment of passion, the prince vanished, leaving Snow White alone once again.

But Snow White was no ordinary princess. She had been…