Curb Stomp Aftermath Novels & Stories

Her breath stutters. The candle flame bends suddenly as a breeze slips through the window. They both notice it at the same time. Alicia reaches forward to steady the candle. Their fingers brush. Electric. Brief. Unmistakable. She pulls back immediately. “I—sorry,” she says. “It’s okay,” he replies, just as quick. They sit back in their places, hearts beating louder than the rain. “This doesn’t change anything,” she says after a moment. “We’re still just roommates.” “Yeah,” he agrees. “Just… two people sharing space.” “And honesty,” she adds. “And honesty,” he echoes. The candle burns low. When they finally lie down that night, the rain continues to fall. And though neither of them says it al

He pointed at Cindy and screamed in desperation. But Cindy was already cowering in the corner, sobbing helplessly as she cried, "It wasn't me! You told me to prepare this surprise and instructed me to keep quiet about it! I only did what you told me!" They went on shifting the blame onto each other. I stood quietly at the side and watched them embarrass themselves completely. "So this is what your so-called love amounts to." Edward was immediately suspended from duty. He and Cindy were arrested and charged with possessing and transporting drugs.

My mom always told me I was a natural beauty that I didn't need it anyhow but aren't all mothers supposed to say that to their daughters. I wait for Landon to come to my cabin, so we can go to the ceremony. But he never shows I hear the horns that it's getting ready to start. I grabbed my shoes, put them on, and I go out the door. As I'm running my heels are getting stuck in the ground, so I take them off and begin to run without shoes. I would be lying if I say that I didn't enjoy the mud going in between my toes. It's such a crazy feeling, but I like it.

By the time the fire trucks rushed over, the place was nothing but ash and broken walls. It was such a bad fire that they could not find anyone inside. The cops checked the surveillance cameras around the area and saw that nobody got out. It looked like whoever was inside did not make it. Walter's hand shook a little as he flicked past the news, his mind somewhere else for a second. "Hey, Walter, give me a smile," Anna said, snuggling up with her selfie stick. Walter's nose was filled with the light scent of jasmine as he slung an arm around her, smiling for the camera.

​The aftermath of the cauterization left the University smelling like a graveyard of burnt cedar and scorched copper. The purple aggression had been halted, but the cost was etched into the very walls. The lush moss had turned into a brittle, black crust that flaked off the iron beams like old skin. We weren't living in a paradise anymore. We were living in a scar.

But then I caught a faint scent on his skin — expensive perfume I didn’t wear, mixed with the powdery sweetness of baby formula. My stomach twisted. I shoved him away and stumbled toward the bathroom, retching. He rushed after me, holding my hair, wiping my face. He hated messes. He hated the smell of sickness. And yet there he was, on his knees, whispering, “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” It almost broke me again — because in that moment, he was the man I fell in love with. The one who used to walk through fire for me. The one I thought I could never live without.

Colin replied diplomatically as he raised his glass to toast him. "Thank you in advance, Mr. Fuller!" Bruno laughed as he drained his glass, his face blooming with pleasure. Colin took a sip as well, but his stomach churned violently. He endured the discomfort and continued to navigate through the crowd. After some time, he felt as if someone was squeezing his stomach tightly, causing him to break out in a cold sweat from the pain. He couldn't hold on any longer. His vision darkened, and he collapsed to the floor.

I hacked and coughed, trying to get a handle on things without them swirling in a horrible way around me. Refocusing, my eyes swept over the forest floor. Leaves and similar debris were scattered everywhere, as expected, in this clearing. However, I took note of round flat black stones with crimson flames painted in the center and realized the cult was active here, which was nothing good at all. My heart pounded as I coughed and choked, tears streaming down my face as whiplash from the entire situation plagued me.