first_en.json

[
  "The place where the world had come to a halt felt oddly familiar, yet a wave of dizziness washed over her. The girl couldn’t decide whether jumping was a wise choice.",
  "The gears turned. One cog meshed with another, and then with yet another. His eyes followed the mechanism’s inner workings until he discovered the spot where light leaked through.",
  "A jagged static hiss seeped from between the monitor’s bezels. Sparks crackled from the television, and the sh-sh-sh of water flooding the living room slowly faded.",
  "The hand was pale, as though all color had long since drained away, and the ring on the creature’s finger glimmered with a flame flickering inside it.",
  "People say that if you die in a dream, you die in reality. I can prove that isn’t true, because I died in my dream, and what happened to me was far stranger.",
  "The pack’s weight made her spin in slow circles. Shifting her balance from one foot to the other grew harder, and her movements became increasingly wild and erratic.",
  "The face in the mirror wasn’t his. It was more handsome, the eyes brighter, the skin clearer. Confused, he frowned, but the face in the mirror smiled.",
  "Long ago, on a night with neither stars nor moon, there was a single shadow in the darkness.",
  "The sapphire lake held the starlight until she dived in. For a while the water stayed still, and the silence grew uneasy. When she finally surfaced, she lifted a wishing-star from the northern sky high above her head.",
  "Muddy water crashed over her like a wave. That moment turned her day into the worst of her life.",
  "“Again—one more time. Focus. It’s not going to be easy.”",
  "Something about her presence felt wrong. She didn’t fit here— not merely awkward, but so powerfully out of place that every eye in the room was drawn to her.",
  "With nothing but finger finesse and a twist of the wrist, he changed the flowing cloak’s shape. In one blink it shifted from a heavy green wool coat to black satin suited for the nightlife’s revelry.",
  "I’ve been many things— a henchman, a dancer, a master of the blade. But never in the way you imagine, and none of those shapes lasted more than a moment.",
  "When the torch met the river, it sizzled, and the flame died in the current. He was left alone in darkness, save for the glow of crimson ember-like eyes.",
  "Like a dream, she left the room; like a dream, she looked unreal; like a dream, she vanished.",
  "A pencil was stuck point-first into the ceiling, a ribbon of green goo dangling precariously from its tip. Before I could sprint across the room—or throw the stapler one more time—Mr. Smythe walked back into class.",
  "The lower deck was already waist-deep in water. Hull plates on the starboard side had burst, letting the sea pour in. Young sailors thrashed about for buckets, while the older ones muttered prayers and ran for the ladders.",
  "The river had been home to countless lives drifting together in its current. It never rushed, never changed suddenly; it was always full of fish and clean to drink. Then one day, the river lost its calm.",
  "The sphere was forged from a metal he had never seen—steel-like yet faintly blue. It hovered a meter above the ground, and lightning kept striking its exposed surface, flooding the air with white flashes.",
  "The woman swung her sickle with the steady, mechanical rhythm of a pendulum.",
  "Frost spread across the ground. At first it crept lazily, like autumn’s last yawn, then gathered speed. The creature flew behind the advancing frost as it swept over the fields.",
  "A shadow of ruin wrapped the village like a thick fog. Had it been a peaceful night, stillness would have settled, but now only a deathly hush lingered.",
  "Just another dull night, he thought. The village lay silent, no signs of life, no sound— yet it was anything but ordinary.",
  "She didn’t blink. Not when he made silly faces, not when he screamed. He tried a gnome joke, even a flea-circus tale, but she didn’t flinch. He tickled her with a feather and jabbed near her eyes, and still she refused to blink.",
  "His favorite color had always been blue— not because blue was sad (blue isn’t sad), but because it seemed to hold light and return a little of it. Black was similar, he mused, only less alive and more drab.",
  "The ballet shoes wouldn’t go on. Absolutely impossible. Someone would knock on the dressing-room door any minute, and her sister’s shoes still refused to fit her feet.",
  "One must never hold conversations through a fitting-room wall, especially in a boutique where the clerk outside asks, “Does it fit all right?” Yet here she was, having the most mortifying talk imaginable.",
  "There was no gravity here, so she floated, waiting for the moment she drifted close enough to something solid to push herself toward the exit.",
  "They say bleach removes blood, but the stench is awful. Hydrogen peroxide is best, though buying thirty bottles at 3 a.m. would look strange, so she settled for a few gallons of bleach.",
  "The doctor lifted his eyes from the manila folder. “Your test results came back positive.”",
  "The instant she tossed her luggage into the back seat, the oncoming car’s headlights lit the driver’s face— and she realized he wasn’t the Uber driver she’d called. He was the man from the news all week.",
  "When the doctor placed the newborn in her arms, she inhaled until her lungs ached.",
  "She tilted her head, savoring the blossom of spring trees, when she saw her ex-husband watching from across the street. How had he known she was here?",
  "The girl looked barely five or six, yet something about her sent a chill down the spine.",
  "She might never again be alone with him. Her husband was in a distant country and would never find out, so why not?",
  "“Is this your handwriting?” the officer asked, scowling.",
  "I could have been anything— a doctor, a lawyer, an architect. Instead, I became a wandering circus performer.",
  "When state troopers stood on his porch steps, he thought they had the wrong house. But when one removed his hat and asked, “Mr. James Cooper?” he lost the strength to answer.",
  "“I knew you’d come back,” she whispered. “A lifetime passed, but I knew you would.”",
  "The surgeon pushed through the double doors. “There’s been an unexpected complication.”",
  "At last, the moment he’d trained for. He tightened his helmet and took his stance.",
  "She kept running, but the drops of blood grew darker and closer together, so she left the green trail and followed the crimson one. She had to know whose blood it was—beast or human?",
  "The moment he looked around, he froze. He had been here before. This was the place he always found himself trapped in dreams. Could he escape it in the real world?",
  "She turned off the kitchen light and started up the stairs, unaware that two pairs of eyes tracked her every move.",
  "He ransacked the lab but couldn’t find a trace of the invisibility potion. This time he couldn’t risk a botched batch—someone had stolen it.",
  "She listened to his snoring beside her and wondered how long she could keep this marriage alive. She hoped he’d die in his sleep—or get hit by a car. Then her gaze drifted to the pillow at the foot of the bed.",
  "“Mr. Dempsey, we can’t save both. You must choose—your wife or your child—in the next two minutes, or you may lose them both.”",
  "“Are you certain you want to do this?” the man asked, holding a syringe over her heart.",
  "Nothing had grown on that patch of lawn for fifty years, ever since a stranger called down fire and left it a wasteland. Yet Tommy saw a single green sprout in the middle of the barren ground. What was it, and how could life take root where nothing else survived?",
  "The car jolted. She knew there were no speed bumps on this road. In the mirror she saw blonde hair—and what looked like a body on the pavement. Should she turn back? Had anyone seen her drive by?",
  "“If you walk out that door now, don’t ever show your face in this house again,” his mother said.",
  "“I’m getting my money back, one way or another,” he growled, twisting her arms behind her.",
  "“Freedom costs whatever you’re willing to pay,” the old man said. “Tell me—what’s your freedom worth to you?”",
  "She fumbled in her bag for the keys, hands shaking with fear. Just as her fingers brushed the familiar key ring, a sweaty hand clamped onto her shoulder.",
  "He had seen her. She knew by the faint curl of his smile. She pushed through the dense crowd, racing for the exit before he could block her path.",
  "She glared at the thick bracelet on her upper arm. Why had her parents made such a fuss about never removing it? It was heavy and ugly. She toyed with the clasp, doubting their dire warnings were really true.",
  "He offered his hand. “Hi, I’m Pinkle Wolfson.” She stared at it as though spiders and roaches crawled across his palm. “Oh, I’ve heard about you,” she snorted. Pinkle blushed—three thousand miles from home and she’d heard of him.",
  "“One of us has to try that.” Amir pointed to the bumpy, unknown fruit hanging before them. “If we don’t, we starve. If it’s edible, it’s worth risking poison to find out—right?”",
  "The old woman’s door creaked open. Outside, leaves rustled in the night wind.",
  "When he delivered the news, she burst out laughing— exactly what she expected. The charade was over, and she knew it.",
  "He glanced in the rear-view mirror. A blue sedan was still tailing him.",
  "She stepped off the elevator wearing a look of grim resolve. This time she would succeed.",
  "He flicked his cigarette butt into the pile of ashes and walked away without looking back.",
  "Just as they reached the village’s edge, the car began to thump with a terrible noise.",
  "“What’s that smell?” she muttered as a rancid odor wafted in.",
  "He rolled down the window and shouted, “Hey—need a ride?”",
  "“Get to headquarters quick. It’s happening again.”",
  "The dog charged at her, teeth bared; she had no time to dodge.",
  "“You’re someone who doesn’t know how to love,” she said.",
  "He picked up the shining stone. Where had it come from? How had it landed in his backyard?",
  "When Johnny got home, thousands of pages lay by the printer, each bearing the same bold sentence: “I’m coming for you. You can’t stop it.”",
  "“How could you marry him? You promised you’d wait for me!”",
  "“I lost him!” she screamed, though none of us understood exactly what she’d lost.",
  "For a moment time seemed to slow, and the only sound was the storm roaring toward us.",
  "“Watch out!” he shouted, desperation ringing in his voice.",
  "If I’m ever jailed, I won’t last. Trap me in a small space and my nerves shred—I’ll try to crawl up the walls or worse.",
  "She scanned the list once more, tears welling. Her name wasn’t on it.",
  "“I’m pregnant.”",
  "He watched her leave, knowing she’d locked the door with that flimsy latch. She wouldn’t be back for at least two hours.",
  "“Where… am I?” he muttered, looking around.",
  "“What… happened to you?” she whispered.",
  "There are three things you never mess with if you have any sense: heroin, the border patrol, and the Valdez cartel.",
  "The first explosion made her drop to the ground. Run or hide? She had no idea.",
  "“We’re sending you to live with another family—for your safety.”",
  "She watched a huge, shaggy beast lumber across her backyard. What two creatures had fused to make that monster, and what had it come looking for?",
  "“He hasn’t spoken a word since the accident. Friends say you might be able to help,” the mother said.",
  "“Don’t lie to me. I already know the truth.”",
  "As he walked away, his smirk spread into a full grin.",
  "“Why are Dad’s things all out on the lawn?”",
  "He counted the money in the till again. How could it be $2,500 short?",
  "The teacher saw the child’s worn shoes and threadbare clothes and knew something was wrong at home. If she didn’t find out what, the kid might end up in foster care. “Want to work on a project with me this weekend?” she asked.",
  "If he had hurried, he might have made it back to the office before anyone discovered what he’d done.",
  "Under the table she whispered, “Have you ever dealt with a demon before?”",
  "“This drug will dull all pain but permanently numb your pleasure as well. Still want it?”",
  "“Mr. Whipple, we’ve just learned your wife is a secret agent for the Russian government. We need your cooperation in arresting her.”",
  "She slipped into the unmarked building as soon as she was sure no one was watching.",
  "The next morning, stepping outside, she knew his curse had worked.",
  "He pulled his hat low and melted into the crowd, praying no one would recognize him.",
  "He was inside a video game! But wait—who was holding the controller now?",
  "She bent to pick up an odd shell on the sand, but the moment her fingers touched it, the ground began to tremble.",
  "He opened the letter and sank to his knees in the driveway.",
  "“When this food runs out, what do we do?” he asked.",
  "Looking closer, she realized this tree bore dollar bills instead of leaves and quarters instead of acorns.",
  "There’s no better time to say ‘I’m sorry’ than when karma is finally catching up.",
  "A pigeon fluttered down before her, and she noticed a note tied to its right leg.",
  "“Before I date you, I need to talk to at least three of your ex-girlfriends to check your reputation.”",
  "“Mom, there’s a ghost in my room!”",
  "Something felt wrong. No one seemed to recognize her— in fact, no one seemed to see her at all. Had he erased her existence?",
  "They had never climbed this high before. She reached for the next outcrop, judging whether she could grasp it or plunge into the canyon below.",
  "“We don’t usually show this to visitors,” the docent whispered, opening a door marked ‘Danger!’",
  "He looked both ways before crossing, unaware he had just made the worst decision of his life.",
  "“How did you get that scar?”",
  "He stirred the potion, murmuring more incantations. This time he could not risk a misfire.",
  "Everyone in the streets and malls looked the same— red shirts, blue shorts, light-brown hair. What had happened, and why was she the only one who looked different?",
  "“You don’t understand,” she said, eyes sad. “I’m not the person you think I am.”",
  "When all the city lights went out, they realized monsters were closing in.",
  "“One step closer and it’ll be your last,” he warned the strange shape, weapon raised— but the threat was useless, for the creature had no feet.",
  "Nestled deep in the woods lay the very object he’d waited for since he was twelve.",
  "“Is someone there?” her voice echoed against the container’s metal walls. Only her own echo answered.",
  "They were lost in the forest, and they knew it. But this time was different— this time they were the ones being hunted.",
  "Staring into the campfire was a mistake; he found he could no longer tear his eyes from the flames.",
  "Only after my father shoved me off the cliff did I believe he’d been telling the truth.",
  "The sign hit them like a heavy blow.",
  "Even a second dose couldn’t stop the pumpkin’s growth. The witch had lied.",
  "All four tires were on the ground, yet somehow I was floating.",
  "Smoke poured from the airplane’s exhaust like an old Mustang’s tailpipe, and the craft began to descend. She looked at the jungle below and feared the impending crash.",
  "Picture us, marching into that blizzard, armed to the teeth, ready to face the world.",
  "If romance is dead, blame the hopeless romantics. A boy once taught me that true romance isn’t a lifeless cliché or a stale compliment.",
  "I can’t say exactly how many times I’ve come back.",
  "The moment a pet dies feels strangely dense. That day I carried the shoebox felt like the longest of my childhood, though harder times were still to come.",
  "The girl tiptoed past the open doorway, listening for clues hidden in the voices beyond.",
  "Thunder doesn’t roar like a wave; it ripples outward like a pebble tossed in a pond. When lightning struck, I was the first to hear that thunder.",
  "Heroes wear masks for many reasons. I wear mine so no one sees the frost at my temples or the fatigue of my years in my eyes.",
  "The sun had never shone so fiercely. Even in the shade, it felt like my skin would burn, yet I never blistered. Nothing happened that day.",
  "The paper tore once, twice, three times. I shredded it and let the wind scatter the pieces.",
  "Mom always told me not to climb too high. She worried because I never took care of myself. I wish she were here now.",
  "People think they know me, but they don’t. I only hunt at night, and only when I’m sure I have the upper hand.",
  "A city boy buying a piece of country land was foolish. Everyone knew it, including me. No one in that room was happy I bought it.",
  "Family sticks together, sure—but that doesn’t mean it’s rosy. When you have nothing, family endures; when you have everything, that’s when things twist.",
  "Painting that damned cow wasn’t my idea; it was all Johnny’s. But I can’t deny my share of the blame.",
  "Stars move so slowly you can’t see them unless you have the time and patience to truly look.",
  "Honestly, I never liked PE class. I don’t get running unless something’s chasing you. But here I am running—guess skipping class paid off.",
  "Guns and drugs vanished from the streets years ago. It didn’t happen overnight, but it was fast. I’m still unsure how I feel about it.",
  "Dad taught me time is money. But now that money has become time, I’m not sure his lesson means what I thought.",
  "When I thought, ‘I’m getting married,’ I knew something was wrong—it wasn’t ‘I’m marrying John,’ just ‘I’m getting married.’",
  "That winter wasn’t happy, but it wasn’t terribly sad either—at least not yet. Compared to what spring would bring, winter was peaceful.",
  "Everyone knows the phrase ‘Blood is thicker than water.’ They never say the rest: ‘The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb,’ which actually means nearly the opposite.",
  "Never imagined I’d dance on his grave—couldn’t even picture it.",
  "That September night, while pulling weeds in the dark—against my better judgment—the clouds parted, and moonlight flooded my garden.",
  "Dreamers like me exist, but none dream as vividly. No one knows the clouds and sunshine of my heart like I do.",
  "When you’re truly sad, you can’t sing a happy song. But I’ve learned that when you’re happy, you can sing a sad one and breathe life into it.",
  "One foot in the water was enough; I knew I was home.",
  "If every love story starts with wonder and ends in tragedy, this can’t be a true love story.",
  "She looked out the window. Shadows moved as far as she could see, yet she was grateful for the lone light shining from the house on the hill.",
  "“I’m falling for you,” he said, then instantly regretted it at the look on her face.",
  "Give me five minutes— I’ll turn that silly grin into shock.",
  "At dawn we were swallowed by darkness, and we didn’t care— we’d waited all night for that moment.",
  "If loss had a flavor, I’d spit it out the moment I could. But it’s not—loss is a sound, a scream, a never-ending wail.",
  "That September night, the body count matched the temperature.",
  "“Those people aren’t normal,” the little girl whispered. “Look, Mom—the men have gills on their ears.”",
  "She closed her eyes and pictured the flowers in her mother’s yard and the red roses in full bloom.",
  "Watching the world burn together, there was nothing left to say but ‘I love you.’",
  "“Mom, someone’s here to see you,” the daughter said, voice trembling. I already knew who the ‘someone’ was.",
  "Lost in a sort of Wonderland, I wandered the slanted halls of that house until I found the right room.",
  "“There!” she cried. “I see—” But before I turned, she screamed, and her words cut off.",
  "The explosion was visible for miles, yet only two people saw it.",
  "She couldn’t identify the creatures before her, but she knew they weren’t human— and they were anything but friendly.",
  "“Here, take this mask,” she said. “They mustn’t know who you are.”"
]