Oren Shafir's Blog, page 4

The Sound of a Zipper Closing (a 400-word freaky flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

I never cry - but the very idea that a task as trivial as packing a bag was becoming so challenging that it might actually sabatoge my journey - had me on the verge of tears. 

I'd already packed, unpacked, repacked twice. The first time, I was only halfway done when I realized there was no way it was going to close, and I started over.

The second time, I  remembered that Jamie had once told me about a method where you roll everything instead of folding it. I was quite pleased with mys...

The sound of a zipper closing (a 400-word freaky flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

I never cry - but the very idea that a task as trivial as packing a bag was becoming so challenging that it might actually sabatoge my journey - had me on the verge of tears. 

I'd already packed, unpacked, repacked twice. The first time, I was only halfway done when I realized there was no way it was going to close, and I started over.

The second time, I  remembered that Jamie had once told me about a method where you roll everything instead of folding it. I was quite pleased with mys...

Orange (an 800-word freaky flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

Up until then, all the pink faces and blond heads had been difficult to differentiate for Joseph, and as the week went on, they had transformed into one indistinguishable, nameless mass of people. That is, until he stood face to face with her. 

Maybe 14 or 15, she was all skinny legs and bony knees and elbows. Strangely familiar, she reminded him of his sister; Miriam so dark and this girl so pale, but the same girl somehow, at least at this very moment for Joseph. They smiled a fami...

Red 2 (a 400-word freaky flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

Part of my brain can see that Paul grows tired of my chatter, but another part of me knows that he must recognize the truth; Truth is rushing through me like blood through my veins and only some act of violence can stop it. I cannot stop talking.

“Painting is a faith that inspires us to disregard public opinion; It is like love, yes like love, and like love, it is eternal, the aspect may change but not the essence, don’t you see – the essence comes from the dream, and the dream is all around u...

Revenge (a 400-word suspense short story) by Oren Shafir

At first, I thought it was a cultural thing like, I don't know, a story reading for the public library or something - but when I saw his face, I knew something was wrong.
He was quite the  storyteller though. He had on one of those headphone mic things, and there must have been a speaker somewhere; you could hear him all over the platform.  He was talking about this woman, his woman, in a way that made her real. He described her tumbling auburn locks, her delicate neck and the softne...

After the Accident (a 200-word suspense, horror flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

When she saw my face, my wife threw up right there on the hospital room floor. She tried to grab the trashcan, but most of it missed. I don't know what she'd had for breakfast, but there was a lot of it.
It didn't bother me though. For one thing, my sense of smell had been damaged, and anyway, by then, I already knew what I looked like.
After she'd cleaned up her mess and straightened herself out, I said, "Disappointed to see me like this?

She tried to look at me then.

I mean, you know, alive?" I...

After the accident (a 200-word suspense, horror flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

When she saw my face, my wife threw up right there on the hospital room floor. She tried to grab the trashcan, but most of it missed. I don't know what she'd had for breakfast, but there was a lot of it.
It didn't bother me though. For one thing, my sense of smell had been damaged, and anyway, by then, I already knew what I looked like.
After she'd cleaned up her mess and straightened herself out, I said, "Disappointed to see me like this?

She tried to look at me then.

I mean, you know, alive?" I...

Ugly (a 200-word horror flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

In this version of my hometown, there are no homes, no street names, nothing recognizable. Just rows and rows of concrete blocks on black asphalt roads, and I can't find the place where I'm supposed to be.


I'm especially afraid to lift my head and face the figure in front of me. As I slowly...

Happy, Healthy and Wise (a 500-word freaky flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

People tell me it's taking over.  You have no life, no friends, we never see you anymore. But I tell them like I'm telling you...
People grow apart, things change, you lose some friends, but you make new ones. That is life. Has it occured to them that I have new friends, and they're right here in the gym?

Sure I spend a lot of time here, but that doesn't mean I'm excercising all the time. Did you know that you can get significantly more aerobic and anaerobic improvement from a 4-minute wor...

Happy, healthy and wise (a 500-word freaky flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

People tell me it's taking over.  You have no life, no friends, we never see you anymore. But I tell them like I'm telling you...
People grow apart, things change, you lose some friends, but you make new ones. That is life. Has it occured to them that I have new friends, and they're right here in the gym?

Sure I spend a lot of time here, but that doesn't mean I'm excercising all the time. Did you know that you can get significantly more aerobic and anaerobic improvement from a 4-minute wor...