Tag Archives: Heather Chang

3 Words: 9 Words: Compression, Hurry, Romantic, Paperback, Discriminate, Rich, Canopy, Expedite, Heedless (April 27, 2012 prompt)

Save the Date

by Heather Chang

She turned down a quiet evening for this. She could be nursing a paperback and a frappuccino while ignoring the fact that the barista, Jake, likes to discriminate against anyone he deems rich or a hipster like he’s not enjoying the benefits of their need to mainline caffeine to the latest acoustic ballad on heavy rotation; she knows he thinks she’s slumming it without a cup of kopi luwak and gives him a new name every time he sneers and asks her what he should write on the cup. Francesca Chadwick-Barnes is not without a sense of humor.

She’s never been much of a romantic, but the fact that Bobby’s idea of a great second date is crashing his cousin’s wedding reception is a new low in the realm of worst dates ever, Continue reading →

3 words: Therapy, Organizing, Fixed (April 20, 2012 prompt)

Diagnosis Normal

by Heather Chang

“An overactive imagination,” he says, each syllable falling from his tongue with great disdain, as though the pronunciation of the words alone might infect him with the most horrible of afflictions, “is often the first sign of psychosis in children Emily’s age.”

Greg clenches his jaw while Sarah studies the drawing the doctor has presented them with; in the center of the paper, Emily has drawn a group of fish reading books, carrying backpacks, and holding pencils.

“Her teacher says she’s a bright little girl, so if we can remove the cause of the psychosis and treat her symptoms, the chances are good that there’s nothing wrong with her mind.”

Continue reading →

3 words: Chaperone, Sloped, Dismayed (October 14, 2011 prompt)

Burden of Proof

by Heather Chang

Lucy drops the knife and closes her eyes. She’s fairly certain the surge of adrenaline from the hour’s events should be on the verge of subsiding, that the weight of what she‘s done should be hitting her, but she’s not dismayed. He’s still sitting there on the couch, sloped shoulders, the smug grin once gracing his lips erased by the lack of blood in his body.

She killed a man tonight and she doesn’t feel anything at all. Continue reading →

3 words: Severity, Maximize, Impending (October 6, 2011 prompt)

For Once Upon A Time

by Heather Chang

Not every grey skied morning is a harbinger of impending doom, but this one feels good for it. There’s a brilliant flash of yellow as the wind gathers every last sycamore leaf shed in the past two weeks and hurls them into the oncoming traffic. Charlie taps her brakes gingerly on the too slick road and hopes the onslaught of dead foliage won’t ruin her wiper blades. It’s bad enough she already needs another oil change from excessive use of her heater; she’s starting to believe that changing seasons are overrated. Continue reading →

3 words: wombat, smile, skilled

Marsupials For The Win

by Heather Chang

The first thing he notices, as the silence floods his ears, is the stillness in the room. A pink tinge rushes to his cheeks as he realizes the game has stopped and he‘s the center of attention, not the zombie army now overrunning the previously fortified base. It seemed like a good idea at the time is the best defense Mike can muster in justification of his latest tattoo, but anything seems like a stroke of genius when you’re eight drinks in; he can’t exactly count on it as the soundest argument, but with six eyes holding him in the doorway, it‘s the one he‘s going with. Mike clears his throat and takes a step into the room. 

“Dude, what is that? It looks like a deformed bear.” Continue reading →