2023 Best Short Stories: Riversong Short Story Contest, #2

By Neela Tudurí-Kłepfisch

Enjoy these five winning short stories from the Riversong Short Story Contest, 2023. Unique, quirky, thought-provoking stories in various contemporary genres.

 

• "Showpiece" by Mikal Dobrovski
• "A.I. in the Jungle" by Admi Freoman
• "Forest" by Endy O'Hara
• "Looking Through Me" by Tiffany McNamara-Smith
• "Karma and Santayana" by Susanne Perry

• Language: English
• Publisher: Riversong Books
• Release date: Aug 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9781958139257

Book preview

Preface

This is the second volume of the annual Riversong Short Story Contest. I am proud to edit this volume of winning stories for publication. We had peer 30 short stories submitted in a wide variety of genres. Many were excellent, and our judges struggled over the final 3 or 4 to fill out our limit of no more than six stories. There were so many splendid works, and I look forward to next year’s submissions. It is encouraging to see the number of fine writers in a digital age of short texts and attention spans.

Thank you to my fellow Contest Judges of the Contest:

Sheri Addison, freelance editor

Anthony Holmes, Director of Publishing, Sulis International Press

Mira Innes, literature blogger

Mark McFaddyn, editor, Sulis International Press

John Sparks, editor and reviewer, Historical Fiction Review

The winning stories include genres of literary fiction, poetry, AI-generated and edited, contemporary fiction, poetry, and fantasy—from writers as young as 17 and as old as 65, from all parts of the globe.

Congratulations to Mikel, Admi, Endy, Suzanne, Tiffany, and Susanne, from all of us here at Sulis International Press and Riversong Books.

Neela Tudurí-Kłepfisch

Miami

July 31, 2023

Showpiece

Mikal Dobrovski1

Hey, friend, what’s up?

Shaun looked up from where he was working near the corner of his house. Walking down the sidewalk was a heavy man in his 30s or 40s, wearing a jogging suit and tennis shoes, looking a bit like he hadn’t left the 1980s. His salt-and-pepper hair was cropped short—Shaun could imagine the smell of pomade. The man smiled and spoke again. You just moved in last week, didn’t you? Welcome to the neighborhood!

Shaun straightened up, and shifted the pipe wrench to his left hand. Thank you. Yes, just last week. Making some repairs, getting the house in order.

My name is Ben—Ben Nabors. I live down at the corner. He pointed back the way he had come.

Shaun Pantas. He strode across the small front lawn, wiping his hands on his trousers, and extended his right hand, still holding the wrench in his left.

What are you working on? Ben asked, nodding at the house.

The main water pipe is leaking, and the valve is broken, so I’m trying to repair it. Having trouble getting the old fittings off.

Yeah, these houses are pretty old. I imagine the fittings are pretty corroded if it hasn’t been maintained. He leaned in towards Shaun. It was no secret the Idantes didn’t keep up the house. Did minimal stuff on the outside, but the inside was a mess! But I guess I don’t need to tell you that! he said, pretending to give him a nudge without touching him.

Yes, it was pretty bad.

Last time we were there, a few weeks before they left, we saw the staircase railing had come loose! Not to mention some missing baseboards, open electric sockets…my wife and I said to each other, ‘oh, how sad for the next owner!’ Ben flinched a bit, and laughed. To each his own, though, right? It was their house. He hesitated. I figured you’d be inside working, not outside, I guess.

Well, I enjoy all kinds of handiwork. It’s one reason I bought this house. Came out for a change of pace—I have been working pretty hard on the inside, though. Making progress. The inside is where we live, after all. Shaun smiled.

True, true. Well, I need to continue my walk, Ben said, If you ever need any help, let me know—I am pretty handy myself—and we’d love to see what you have done to the place when you’re ready for visitors! He paused again. Not that I am inviting myself. We’ve just always thought the place could be such a beautiful home.

Oh, yes, of course. I’d love to have guests—when it is in better shape. I’ll let you know. Enjoy your walk!

Shaun stood for a few moments watching Ben lope down the sidewalk. He turned and went back to work.

*

Three weeks later, Shaun was standing on the sidewalk at the end of the walkway that came down from the front porch, gazing back at his house and his latest effort. He had repainted all the porch framing and wooden flooring, having replaced any wooden planks that had rotted or split from long neglect. He still needed to repair the concrete steps that led up to the porch. And he wanted to replace the double front doors. He envisioned two heavy oak doors with beveled glass windows up high—enough to let in light and set off the beauty of the wood, but not big enough for people to see inside.

He heard a door open behind him.