Inside the Lines – Rebecca Andem – 4200 words (Literary)
A mother packs up her daughter and sneaks out of a perfectly good marriage in the middle of the night, but once she crosses the state lines, she questions her decision.
Inside the Lines
Across the border, Valdosta, Georgia, had great air. Like an idea taking form, it hung visibly between the tall skinny palm trees that lined the road. It filled the spaces between the franchised restaurants and motels, and like an embrace, it made them appear cared for. Nikki knew that in a few hours the sun would burn the illusion away, but at that moment, dawn and dew infused the air with hints of color, soft like hope, and she rolled down her window to breathe it in. She needed a taste of hope.
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What Would Rosa Do? – Rebecca Andem – 3480 words (Literary)
On a bus in Vietnam. two English teachers struggle with unexpected discrimination and a tense romantic relationship that may not weather the demands of travel.
What Would Rosa Do?
Matt’s first attempt at public transportation was fairly successful. He got on the right bus. He deserved points for that. After all, he was on his own, and he didn’t speak the language. Unfortunately, the bus was headed in the wrong direction. He should have known better, but he was busy basking in the triumph. It never occurred to him to cross the street in order to board the bus headed in the actual direction he wanted to go.
“Hoi An?” he asked the men doing business on the corner. “Hoi An?”
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Why Are Your Here? – Rebecca Andem – 2300 words (General)
While volunteering in Cambodia, a young husband chafes against his wife’s definition of their marriage, but their roles change after a humiliating encounter at a school.
Why Are You Here?
I was still in bed when she got up. She’d set her phone on a vibrating alarm, hoping not to wake me, but I felt the buzz against the sheets. I think I was already awake. She tiptoed to the bathroom and dressed behind a closed door. I could hear the water running and the steady stroke of her toothbrush.
“This doesn’t make sense,” I whispered when she came out. She carried her sandals and slipped the messenger bag onto her shoulder.
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