SCIENTER, by Magne

I made a wish. It formed in my mind like bubbles from a gently flowing stream. It flowed from my consciousness, free as the soaring wind kissing the first rays of the sun. It gave me warmth, like the tendrils of a quiet fire. I made a wish. It traveled to the distant corners of my thoughts. Its frail being clashed against the endless smog of my worries. It did all it can to escape the screeching clutches of my woes. I made a wish. It breathed a short life, and then lifted its ethereal arms to ...

She took another peek at me before jotting down a few notes. Lovely red spectacles framed her hazel eyes, which narrowed for a moment as she strained to observe something. Clutching her clipboard firmly, she took down a string of numbers and smiled. "We're all good here for today!" Her cheerful voice rang clear in the sterile room. "I guess we could call it a day?" I closed my eyes as the lights around started to dim. Then, I heard distant voices filter through the glass. "So, any plans tonig...

Legend has it that love is a red thread, connecting the fingers of those whose hearts are destined for each other. I know for a fact this is not true. I closed my eyes for a moment, as I felt the strain of several hours of staring at a monitor. When I looked up, people were milling about as usual. As they did, several dozen gossamer threads of crimson fluttered about, following those whom they bound. They were invisible to the eyes of everyone else, except mine. Sometimes I see them slice clea...

He watched the smoke as it vanished into the incandescent glow of the street lamp. How long has he been here? He checked his watch -- it's been over an hour. Another drag and he dropped the spent butt, not even bothering to put out its dying embers. "Cold turkey beat you up?", he heard the voice almost as soon as he heard the footsteps. She was smiling as she approached. "Sorry, I took my sweet time." "Hey, fine by me," he said with a faint smile. Then, his eyes swept the cracked and dirty flo...

The smoke vanished into the incandescent glow of the street lamp. I can still feel its warm dregs in my throat as I smiled, glancing at the glowing tip of the cigarette. Beyond it, I can see her figure shake in laughter as another friend endlessly cracked jokes. "You're seriously quitting?" The voice caught me off-guard, and I could only muster a nod in reply. Had I spaced out again? She was suddenly beside me, her own cigarette held daintily between her fingers. I took a long drag before dro...

Her feet sank into the rough sand as she positioned herself in front of the keys. A finger ran softly across the ivory, its distant coldness just as sharp as the early morning chill. She closed her eyes for a moment, hearing the gentle ebbing of the waves, feeling the gentle caress of the ocean breeze. Then, she struck a note. The spark of a memory lit up in her eyes. Another note, another moment manifested from the past. Soon, her fingers were dancing skillfully across the keys, and her mind s...

The shadows were lengthening when they reached the bridge. Halfway through, she stopped and leaned on the guardrail, letting the orange sun strike her face in full. The half-empty juice pack was still in her hand. "Ah! Don't you wish vacation could come sooner?" He let loose a slight laugh in agreement, and leaned in beside her. When he looked, she was staring intently at the pinpoint lights twinkling into existence from the far side of the bridge. There was a wistful smile on her face, and he...

The rain slid down in lazy streams against the black canopy of her open umbrella. She kept checking her watch, the hem of her peach skirt swishing constantly as she fidgeted in the bus stop. "This is when we first... no, when we are supposed to meet," the man whispered to himself. He was certain that not even the softly falling raindrops heard him. All around, the storm's aftermath washed the suburbs in a strange light. Here it glistened on a drooping leaf, there it smudged the cracked concre...