Short stories around 17 minutes

Sister Paula O'Hare thought she heard God's call and achieved her degree from University College Dublin. She built a strong reputation as an excellent teacher in Mercy Grammar School for...

Shane O'Rourke outperformed everyone in his class, but hated Bony M. and never did his homework. He fought for Holy Trinity, where Speedy protected the weaker lads. Mr. Morrison's face reddened as...

Sarah leaned backwards, opened her desk drawer, and spun towards her father, opening her legs. She learned to rid herself of the guilt, the gift game. The following week, Sarah became apprehensive...

Billy Weaver had travelled down from London on the slow afternoon train and was feeling fine. He caught sight of a printed notice propped up against the glass in one of the upper panes. Billy...

A small, oldish man walked briskly around the edge of the swimming pool and smiled at me. He thought the bathers in the pool were American sailors. One of the American cadets was standing in front...

Mary Maloney made her husband two drinks and noticed that he drained his in one swallow although there was still half in it. Darling, would you like some cheese? She stood up and placed her sewing...

“The Police are coming to the Omni!” Addison shouted across the campus quadrangle in early October of 1983.

After lunch the family sat on the back porch chatting leisurely, watching who was walking down the street, and speaking to those they knew.

After a pleasant stay at the conference, where his talks had gone well, and everyone had been so kind, it was distinctly uninspiring to fly home to a wife whose love for him had long been in doubt.

I’d been hiding behind a particularly impressive tomb. It was like a big chest freezer carved out of stone, with a figure lying on top. “Recumbent,” as Kate informed me.

Joey Mason lived in a small farming community with his grandmother, who had taken guardianship of him after his parents perished in an unspeakable tragedy.

The aftermath of the collision was silent and haunting. One car was on its side with crippled wheels spinning; the other was off the road in a shallow ditch.