There is Lie

Sacrificial lie by Anna Andriychuk

"Hey, Theo, you... okay? You've been seeming kinda out of it lately…" A concerned voice echoed from somewhere seemingly far away, yet so close at the same time. If Theo were to tilt his head to the right, perhaps he could even discern its source.

Oh. He could.

Theo’s conscience gnawed at him, like a tiger slowly licking the meat off a bone with its coarse and bloody tongue. They were friends. He should tell him. But Henry already had so much going on.

"What do you mean?" Theo asked, eyes turned away, his side betraying him with a painful treacherous tug. He kept his voice steady, as much as he possibly could.

"Don't play dumb with me," Henry snapped with anger. “Something’s clearly wrong.” Or resentment. Or realistically - worry.

"I'm fine," Theo got up, biting his lip as he turned to flee. "We should just keep going."

Daria Kobylianska

A whispered promise, a hidden text, a smile that doesn't reach the eyes. The air crackles with unspoken deceit. A carefully crafted story crumbles under a single, pointed question. The truth, a fragile thing, is bent and broken. Reality warps, a mirage shimmering in the heat of betrayal.

Diana Hnizdytska A little boy took his dad's cigarettes from the fridge to impress a classmate. That same evening, his dad returned and noticed the loss 

- Have you seen the pack of cigarettes? They were on the fridge.

- Dad, something terrible has happened! We were with my classmate at home, watching films.Suddenly, a man in a long black coat and a black hat came by and asked me to bum him a cigarette. I said you weren't home, but he insisted, and I found your pack of cigarettes in the kitchen.

The father was shocked. He looked at his son carefully, his eyes wide open 

- Why did you let a stranger into the house? When did he come? I have to call your friend immediately

Alisa Yunes 

The room is full of fake confidence, where lies are told with ease. A handshake seals a deal based on false numbers, while a nervous smile hides the truth. In the corner, a student sneaks a look at a secret note, hoping to pass the test. Somewhere else, a lover believes sweet words, ignoring the small signs that something is wrong. Lies, cheating, and self-deception mix together, creating a false world that could break at any moment.

Anastasia Shvets 

Miranda said she could be trusted and as time has shown, it turned out to be the biggest mistake. She lied to me about cheating on my boyfriend for four months. I felt so much pain that I thought it would break me. It was a betrayal of both - a friend and a lover.

Zlata Karbovska 

Now, because of that small but so passionate stupidity, I have to run through the rain to get to the library on a Saturday morning. I will definitely get sick. But maybe, this time, it will be a lesson for me to think before I speak.

A few days ago, I was walking down the school hallway when I heard a group of girls talking about being productive and things like that. I decided to join and make a few jokes, saying that I wake up every day at 5 a.m., go for a run, then come home, cook, and do so many other stuff. But they all listened so attentively that I felt too embarrassed to confess it was all a joke.

So now, on a rainy and dark 7 a.m. morning, I am heading to school - because apparently, 5 days a week isn’t enough for me. Great!

Ani Arutiunian 

Bright orange light penetrates the obnoxiously vivid green curtains, bought somwhere on a garage sell for a cheap sum. It encircles huge piles of cardboard boxes of various sizes, covering them in a blanket of gleam. There are dust particles circling around in the air, creating intricate patterns worth an award or two. For now, serenity is the true lady of the house, overseeing every little movement in the appartment since the previous night. Her presence in the household is sporadic, usually scared away by the chaos of the infamous duo residing there. Their untamed energy is too sharp for the gentle senses of the mistress.

 Suddenly, a loud yawn tears away the delicate tranquility created by the gentle hands of the yesterday's spirit. A shrill immediately filles up the broad space, reclaiming the reign over the dwelling. The lady is overthrown yet again, forced to retreat to her humble hiding.

- Hey, Dereck, did you throw away the trash yesterday?

A tired voice came up from the above, barely reaching the ears of the blond. It was hoarse, filled up with a barely distinguishable wavering. It was the type of uncertainty invisible to the eye of a stranger, carefully wrapped in layers and layers of deftly crafted deceit. 

- Sure, Dom, of course I did...

The tone of the response has awaken a bit of a misdoubt in the heart of the young man. And yet, he continued his walk to the destination. Each breath in the direction of the kitchen filled up his lungs with a smell that could only be described as rancid. Its intensity only grew as the man took his steps, forcing him to recoil in disgust. Soon enough, he saw it. The trash can stood tall in the middle of the room, filled up with putrid content.

Denis Vinnik 

- Could you leave out the hazelnuts, I've got a very bad allergy - the sound came from below.

Detective found it strange, but couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. And then it hit him, what a stroke of luck hit our detective! He's been on this case for days and now things started to form a clear picture. The voice coming from the restaurant below his balcony belonged to John Smith, who, when questioned about his reasons for attending the wedding of complete strangers told the detective that he came for the cake.

-BUT IT HAD PEANUTS IN IT!- the detective cried out loud. Shortly after he realized his mistake he closed the curtains in a flash, hoping that John didn't overhear his epiphany. Who could've guessed that this small lie would become John's downfall!

Frank Crosses by Artem Novosolov

I was staring at her, so was she staring at me: glancing at me in sheer denial—shaking her head, repeating “No”, with her eyes watering. Even though it was cold, I wasn’t shivering. She frowned with her gaze clouding, as if she was going distant, howbeit she was so close I could feel her stutter breath with every inch of my face. “You can’t have done that to me, Jess”