Three-Minute Fiction: Round Eight Stories http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=149740625&ft=1&f=149740625 For Round 8 of our contest, we asked you to send us original works of fiction that begin with this sentence: "She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door." en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Sun, 20 May 2012 17:49:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Three-Minute Fiction: Round Eight Stories http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=149740625&ft=1&f=149740625 Rainy Wedding She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. Her son lay dying on the other side, his blue, pale skin in stark contrast to the bright red blanket on his bed. His gray eyes looked at her dully as she entered the room. Sun, 20 May 2012 17:49:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/20/153116028/rainy-wedding?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/20/153116028/rainy-wedding?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. Her son lay dying on the other side, his blue, pale skin in stark contrast to the bright red blanket on his bed. His gray eyes looked at her dully as she entered the room.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Three-Minute Fiction: The Round 8 Winner Is... The end of Round 8 of our Three-Minute Fiction contest has finally arrived. We've read through more than 6,000 stories, and now our judge for this round, novelist Luis Alberto Urrea, has picked his favorite. Sun, 20 May 2012 17:49:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/20/153115410/three-minute-fiction-the-round-8-winner-is?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/20/153115410/three-minute-fiction-the-round-8-winner-is?ft=1&f=149740625 The end of Round 8 of our Three-Minute Fiction contest has finally arrived. We've read through more than 6,000 stories, and now our judge for this round, novelist Luis Alberto Urrea, has picked his favorite.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Overdue She closed the book, placed it on the table, and, finally, decided to walk through the door. We didn't talk about her, after she left. It was as though her absence, painted gray against the vacated chair, took on a permanence of its own. A relic of her being that prevented any discussion, any mention, of her lack. Sat, 19 May 2012 08:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/19/153063663/overdue?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/19/153063663/overdue?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and, finally, decided to walk through the door. We didn't talk about her, after she left. It was as though her absence, painted gray against the vacated chair, took on a permanence of its own. A relic of her being that prevented any discussion, any mention, of her lack.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> No Way Back She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. The sticky Georgia heat almost drove her back onto the worn motel carpeting. Back into hesitancy. But Annie reached across the threshold and pulled the door shut with unaccustomed intention. Sat, 19 May 2012 08:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/19/153063931/no-way-back?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/19/153063931/no-way-back?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. The sticky Georgia heat almost drove her back onto the worn motel carpeting. Back into hesitancy. But Annie reached across the threshold and pulled the door shut with unaccustomed intention.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Like Characters In A Book She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. As simple as that. The only memory I have of her is the book, always holding the book. No one knows where she went, or if they do, they don't want to tell me. Thu, 17 May 2012 17:29:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/17/152940418/like-characters-in-a-book?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/17/152940418/like-characters-in-a-book?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. As simple as that. The only memory I have of her is the book, always holding the book. No one knows where she went, or if they do, they don't want to tell me.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> The First Table "She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door." This moment would now be frozen in time. Her head still swayed and her eyes still clouded with tears. Her mind swirled with a million thoughts as she shivered with the gravity of what had just occurred. Thu, 17 May 2012 17:29:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/17/152944032/the-first-table?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/17/152944032/the-first-table?ft=1&f=149740625 "She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door." This moment would now be frozen in time. Her head still swayed and her eyes still clouded with tears. Her mind swirled with a million thoughts as she shivered with the gravity of what had just occurred.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Exercise She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. Had Ellen been a less sentimental person, she would have left the revolver as well, but it had been with her since the beginning, and she found it a comfort. Sun, 13 May 2012 07:12:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/13/152605328/exercise?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/13/152605328/exercise?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. Had Ellen been a less sentimental person, she would have left the revolver as well, but it had been with her since the beginning, and she found it a comfort.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Letting Go She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She cast her gaze upon the scene outside the window; the rhythmic swaying of the zombies transfixed her. As she watched, their number seemed to grow. They were an expanding mass of unfocused aggression. Sun, 13 May 2012 07:12:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/13/152605590/letting-go?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/13/152605590/letting-go?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She cast her gaze upon the scene outside the window; the rhythmic swaying of the zombies transfixed her. As she watched, their number seemed to grow. They were an expanding mass of unfocused aggression.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Pilgrims She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. The door slapped behind her like applause cut short. Herman had broken the hinge; the door was cheap anyway and it matched the rest of the trailer, painted the color of old mayonnaise specked with pepper. Sun, 06 May 2012 07:16:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/06/152114805/pilgrims?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/06/152114805/pilgrims?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. The door slapped behind her like applause cut short. Herman had broken the hinge; the door was cheap anyway and it matched the rest of the trailer, painted the color of old mayonnaise specked with pepper.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Fireflies She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. The light in the waiting room had cast a slight green, cold buzz but here the tones were warmer: wood paneling, one small lamp with an amber shade, low shadows. Sun, 06 May 2012 07:15:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/06/152115307/fireflies?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/05/06/152115307/fireflies?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. The light in the waiting room had cast a slight green, cold buzz but here the tones were warmer: wood paneling, one small lamp with an amber shade, low shadows.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Thups She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She opened it just a crack first. Thankfully, it was still too early for thups. But Emma knew that the day would come soon. Sun, 29 Apr 2012 07:41:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/29/151614388/thups?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/29/151614388/thups?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She opened it just a crack first. Thankfully, it was still too early for thups. But Emma knew that the day would come soon.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Cover To Cover She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. Not through the porch, she walked through the kitchen and down the steps, stepped into the shade of the pines. Hummingbirds flirting by the window shot away. Sun, 29 Apr 2012 07:41:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/29/151615585/cover-to-cover?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/29/151615585/cover-to-cover?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. Not through the porch, she walked through the kitchen and down the steps, stepped into the shade of the pines. Hummingbirds flirting by the window shot away.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Last Night She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She struggled into her boots on the mat, pulled on her heavy coat, but did not fasten it, threw her scarf loosely around her neck and ventured outside. Sun, 29 Apr 2012 07:41:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/29/151613765/last-night?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/29/151613765/last-night?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She struggled into her boots on the mat, pulled on her heavy coat, but did not fasten it, threw her scarf loosely around her neck and ventured outside.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Amelia She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She couldn't do any more. Amelia handed the test booklet to the proctor seated at a small, metal table just outside the door. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 07:42:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/22/151136635/amelia?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/22/151136635/amelia?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She couldn't do any more. Amelia handed the test booklet to the proctor seated at a small, metal table just outside the door.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Rid Yourself Of This Pest Today! She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She never entered her husband Ed's shed, if she could help it. It smelled like a pigsty, for one thing. In the kitchen, she frowned as she passed Ed's breakfast leftovers congealing on the plate he'd left on the table. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 07:41:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/22/151096017/rid-yourself-of-this-pest-today?ft=1&f=149740625 http://www.npr.org/2012/04/22/151096017/rid-yourself-of-this-pest-today?ft=1&f=149740625 She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. She never entered her husband Ed's shed, if she could help it. It smelled like a pigsty, for one thing. In the kitchen, she frowned as she passed Ed's breakfast leftovers congealing on the plate he'd left on the table.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]>