10 Jan 50 Word Stories

Fresh Start

The alarm sounded. Distant at first, but now piercing and shrill. The dream had vanished, and while the snooze bar offered a temporary retreat into comfort, time was precious this morning. It was the first day of his new job, and John was anxious to make a good first impression. Feet on the cold floor. A painful crawl to the bathroom. The warm shower, a double-edged sword. Soothing waves of warm water would shortly give way to the icy embrace of his air conditioned apartment. His tattered towel was too small to provide adequate relief. Teeth brushed, hair combed, clothes on. John hadn’t worn this suit since his father’s funeral. He shuddered at the thought. An awful day, which gave birth to an even tougher year. But today he was hopeful. A banana and yogurt quickly down the hatch. “To new beginnings,” John said aloud as he stepped out of the door.

Peakhour Pause

Lights begins to filter in from above. The morning shyly announces itself. The crowd pays no mind as the music knows no time. Dancers smile as basslines roll, and friends embrace with no thought of stopping. Suddenly, the music cuts. The power has gone out. A party cut short at its peak. The crowd looks around in disbelief uncertain and shocked by the heavy silence. Then boom. The music returns, the crowd roars, and the party resumes despite skipping a beat.