Creative Prose
Header Image by Ethaniel Haboush
Metal
By Hudson Navarro
“It had long worn out its welcome. The many innocents, the few supporters, the even fewer survivors have all long lost their feelings towards It. “
About the Writer
Hudson Navarro is a student at Folsom Lake College. He is an English major who aspires to transfer, and eventually graduate to become a writer. He specializes in fiction, specifically action and adventure short stories and novels. Hudson is a part time lifeguard who enjoys swimming, writing, drawing, and playing a bit too much video games in his free time.
The A Word
By Justin Hite
“As a child, it was difficult believing that I had to hide certain aspects of myself in order to escape judgment and ridicule from my peers... and my friends... and my family. “
About the Writer
Justin Hite is a student at Folsom Lake College who is transferring to Sacramento State in the fall. He is currently majoring in English and is pursuing an MA to hopefully become a teacher of higher education. He thanks his friends and family for their support in his endeavors.
Almost Home
By Eren Bussard
“Most people only go through one puberty in their lifetime, and it has all the ups and downs that come with it. Acne, growth spurts, and mood swings. “The Big PB,” as my pediatrician called it all those years ago. “
About the Writer
Eren Bussard (they/them) is a student at Folsom Lake Community College. They are in the midst of finishing coursework to eventually transfer to a state college and get their bachelor's degree in English. Eren has a deep passion for writing and is currently working on their first novel. In their downtime, they are usually found watching anime, hanging out with their friends, or working on new stories to write. This is their first time being on the team for The Parlay and looks forward to possibly being on a future edition as well.
Dragging Your Gut
By Darien Doyoan
“They usher me in before I can put up my singular finger. Table for one. I AM KNOWN. I am known to stand on my own two feet. They see me and think, ‘Here is a man who can tackle the mountain of sustenance bestowed before him.“
About the Writer
Darien Doyoan is originally from the Sacramento area. He is an aspiring writer, focusing mainly on fictional and comedic pieces. Darien gets most of his creative impulses from live music, film, and television. He has always viewed life as strange, yet endearing.
The Dancing Snail
By Sebastian Flynn
“The Noises, here they come, here come the noises that are protruding from the dark gloomy sky. “
About the Writer
Sebastian Flynn is a 20 year old self taught Filmmaker and writer based in Sacramento California. He creates many short films and typically writes short stories that he can try and translate into a visual form. Most of the work he makes is based in horror or surreal based narratives that don’t feel like they belong in reality, in a very colorful and artistic sense. His main inspiration of his style is the American filmmaker David Lynch, and many genres like Italian Giallo horror. His main goal with storytelling is to articulate interesting simple stories into a very strange visual medium that feels like it can adapt in a unique way. He believes that Horror is used in a way to speak on our own personal fears and demons that we can hopefully use to become better people or to truly dig deep within ourselves to explore what makes us human, and a deeper understanding of what is beyond us.
The Day I Became A Woman
By Bird Weise
“Womanhood never sat right with me. In my childhood home, I was just that,
A Child.”
About the Writer
Bird Weise has always been fascinated by how writing and stories can convey emotion. Most of their current writing is about their relationships and experiences, but they hope to write more fictional pieces in the future. Bird found an abundance of joy in working with the rest of the editorial staff, and they believe that these experiences will continue to shape their path as they continue writing.
What Do I Wear to My Friend’s Funeral
By Zach Murphy
“I didn’t reply to Jacob’s last text message to me, but I did show up to his funeral. I’d spent the entire morning deciding what to wear. A lot of the clothes that I once wore don’t quite fit me the way they used to in high school.”
About the Writer
Zach Murphy is a Hawaii-born writer with a background in cinema. His stories appear in Reed Magazine, Still Point Arts Quarterly, The Coachella Review, B O D Y, Litro Magazine, Eastern Iowa Review, and Flash: The International Short-Short Story Magazine. His chapbooks Tiny Universes (Selcouth Station Press, 2021) and If We Keep Moving (Ghost City Press, 2022) are available in paperback and ebook. He lives with his wonderful wife, Kelly, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Far Apart
By Mouna Mokeddem
“Samira sighed deeply, hands on her hips, and stared up at her brother. The horse fidgeted, and Zaki wobbled while he tried to take a sip from the warm coffee Samira brought him. He could tell she was annoyed with him; it would not be the first time.”
About the Writer
Mouna Mokeddam was born in Sacramento, but grew up all around France and Algeria. She is currently an English major at Folsom Lake College with much uncertainty about the future. Mouna loves reading and writing, and hopes that whatever future she experiences, it is filled with creativity. Her talent is recommending books she has never read, and all recommendations have so far ended in success!
Flight of The Fearful
By Nathan Johnson
“There is a seagull on my windowsill. Pure white, with dotted black eyes. Every morning, and every night, it waits along the coast of my room. I walk in its shadow to school, looking up occasionally to remind myself how it haunts me.”
About the Writer
Nathan Johnson is a hopeless English major who writes prose and poetry at the demand of Folsom Lake Colleges literary magazine students. He’s not sure how he ended up in this class, but credits are credits. His writing can be found in the Parlay, and only the Parlay (for now…).
Finality
By Michael Fenenga
“One final ring of the bell signified the bar’s closing for the night. As the door finally finished closing behind her, the woman locked it. Long, black hair fell past her shoulders and traced the edges of her blue, backless dress.”
About the Writer
Michael Fenenga grew up in the Somerset area. He is currently a FLC student planning to major in Psychology, along with having an interest in creative writing as a hobby. Additionally, Michael’s other hobbies are gaming and reading.
The Art of Silence
By Abigail Elizarraraz
“Yes, it’s fun to chatter, sing, and laugh until the whole room is filled with echoes of sound, but there is something so peaceful about a sliver of silence. Some people get uncomfortable during moments of no noise and I understand where they come from. Silence has been perpetuated as mysterious and uncertain, sometimes even eerie.”
About the Writer
Abigail Elizarraraz is a writer from sunny Sonoma County! For the longest time, writing has been her form of peace and reflection. She's passionate about morning sunrises and all thing. flowers. Abigail is currently a student at Sonoma State University, pursuing her liberal studies degree in hopes of becoming an educator.
War in the history of my family
By Iryna Levko
“War... An insanely frightening word. Its every letter is soaked with blood and pain, and its syllables are filled with groans and pleas for help. There is no light in war, only death and destruction.”
About the Writer
Iryna Levko was born in Ukraine in the city of Vinnitsa. In 2006, she graduated from high school and received her high school diploma. In 2017, she moved to the US together with her children and became a citizen in 2022. She is currently working and studying at Folsom Lake College with the goal of becoming a social worker. Social Worker. She enjoys spending time with her three children and loves traveling and vacationing by the ocean.
Last Words
By Julia Norris
“Thinking about what your last words might be is scary. No one wants to think about death. It's frightening and serious, but it’s also inevitable. Our entire lives, we are holding our breath, knowing that death will one day come and take it away from us. Upon our last exhale, we are finally free from that fear.”
Lonely Children
By Julia Norris
Tomorrow
By Julia Norris
Stars
By Julia Norris
“I’m looking at the stars right now. I haven’t done this in a while. I usually come out here to look at them on my birthday, just a bit before midnight. It always fills me with a sense of wonder. The last time I did this, I was about to turn 18.”
Tear-
Stained
By Julia Norris
Mother-Daughter
Relationship
By Julia Norris
About the Writer
Julia Norris grew up in the El Dorado Hills area. She is currently a student at Folsom Lake College. She enjoys creating art in various forms and writing about whatever piques her interest. She hopes to continue doing so in the future.