2024 NATIONAL MEDAL
for Museum and Library Service Finalist

Short Stories

The "73 Words in the 732" contest seeks original short stories that contain seventy-three words or fewer. Stories can be on any theme or topic, and a panel of library staff will select the best short stories, which will appear on the library's website.

The contest is open through the month of May every year. All ages are welcome to participate and East Brunswick residency is not required.

Recovery Walk

Other’s success stories inspired the man’s practice following his doctor’s declaration of permanently lost walking ability. After enough recovery for independent slow strolls and questioning the...

Maina

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

The Next Mourning

You didn’t need a doctorate, to know something was wrong. Grief was a beast,
and attacked from the inside out. So, they stepped up. Church was on Sundays,
and couldn’t kill them. Long...

Amanda Visokay

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

The Interrogation

Detective Rappaport decided Gordon Tho's guilt the day they met. A weird man with difficulties socializing, Tho brought down Rappaport's wrath. The detective \"interviewed\" Tho in a small, tight...

Shikhar Dixit

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Run

I am K99. My training began at the tender age of five, to kill one man. A specific man, the same age as I. He will attempt to commit a crime. The greatest crime, in my estimation.
Mass...

Shikhar Dixit

Friday, May 24, 2024

The Monster

Dylan shook under his covers. There was a monster under his bed, he was sure of it this time - he could hear its claws skittering across his floorboards. He had to check, to be brave like his...

Virginia Lee

Friday, May 24, 2024

The MonsterDylan shook under his covers. There was a monster under his bed, he was sure of it this time - he could hear its claws skittering across his floorboards. He had to check, to be brave like his father was always telling him to be. He picked up hi

Dylan shook under his covers. There was a monster under his bed, he was sure of it this time - he could hear its claws skittering across his floorboards. He had to check, to be brave like his...

Virginia Lee

Friday, May 24, 2024

Sunsets

""Come on, Bear.""

The leash dangles limply from Rebecca's hand as her Labrador trails behind her, tongue lolling out of his gray muzzle. She sits on the bank of the lake and he flops down...

Virginia Lee

Friday, May 24, 2024

Triumph

The school bell rang the end of day at Lincoln High School. Marcy ran
frantically out the door before her tormentors could dump on her.
She heard them laughing, shouting, ""FATTY you'...

Diane Alfinito

Friday, May 24, 2024

Holes

Shawna wanted a fresh start. The breakup with Rick was bad. He hadn't taken it well. She moved into The Chaosium. Her friends were concerned; thought she needed rest. Time to grieve.
She...

Shikhar Dixit

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

The Empty Side of the Bed

Bernard ambles down the block tethered to a small white terrier he used to call That Damned Dog, because it chewed his favorite loafers, woke him at 5 a.m. for walks, and wormed its way into the...

Jen Doktorski

Thursday, May 16, 2024

New beginning

He was so sweet, this blonde, blue-eyed man who shyly said hello when I first met him. But then he left for America. As I sailed to meet him, I thought about leaving my family. I supposed it could...

Angela Cleaver

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

The Hole

The Hole by Shikhar Dixit

Jake discovered the hole on Saturday. Behind the recliner, a circular tunnel in sheetrock vanished into shadow.
That night, a sound awoke him:
Was it...

Shikhar Dixit

Tuesday, May 14, 2024