I loved how Liam is never framed as fearless, just experienced. That focus keeps showing up in such subtle ways. And the narrator’s inner spiral felt painfully familiar in the best way. You’re so good at letting characters reveal themselves through pressure instead of exposition. Looking forward to reading more of your short stories in the future!
Wow! Reading this as a writer, I really admired how much you trust restraint here. You let the physical exhaustion and the emotional tension do the heavy lifting instead of explaining it away and that’s hard to pull off. I found myself paying attention to the quiet beats just as much as the big ones. Always glad when you share another short story. This one will linger with me for some time. Great work Idris Elijah and Happy Friday!!
This felt less like a plot unfolding and more like being trapped inside a moment with someone who is tired, scared, attached and unsure. The way connection formed under stress felt incredibly true to life. I appreciate how you don’t rush resolution to the story either. Really pleased to see another entertaining short story from you Idris Elijah!
I really connected to the tension between them. All the closeness, the restraint and the things left unsaid. It felt honest in a way that sneaks up on you, especially how intimacy and distance kept trading places. The ending was great because it made you think about where their story continued or if it continued at all. So glad to read another engaging short story from you Idris Elijah!
I was fully inside this story from the first page. The physicality of the sea, the exhaustion, the way fear just hums in the background… It all felt so real I kept holding my breath without realizing it. I love how you let the story move at its own pace, especially in the quiet moments after the storm. And we get to decide in our minds what ends up happening with these complex characters. Short story day at The Potential Paradox is always a treat! A wonderful read Idris and Happy Friday!
What I enjoyed most was the sense of endurance…Not the dramatic kind but the slow, grinding kind where you just keep going because there’s no alternative. The storm scenes were intense but it was the stillness afterward that stayed with me. There’s such a patience to your storytelling. I’m always happy when you drop another short story. Thank you for sharing this with us Idris Elijah and have a great weekend!
Mmmh, the endurance is also my favorite part, yet in contrast to the stillness parts linger. Thank you for sharing that with me. Have a great weekend! 🤩🤗
I loved how Liam is never framed as fearless, just experienced. That focus keeps showing up in such subtle ways. And the narrator’s inner spiral felt painfully familiar in the best way. You’re so good at letting characters reveal themselves through pressure instead of exposition. Looking forward to reading more of your short stories in the future!
Thank you so much Julie for your kind words, and understanding. Indeed there will be more short stories 😜☺️🤗
Wow! Reading this as a writer, I really admired how much you trust restraint here. You let the physical exhaustion and the emotional tension do the heavy lifting instead of explaining it away and that’s hard to pull off. I found myself paying attention to the quiet beats just as much as the big ones. Always glad when you share another short story. This one will linger with me for some time. Great work Idris Elijah and Happy Friday!!
Mmmmh, thank you so much! So pleased you enjoyed this short story! Your words are touching, thank you again! ☺️☺️☺️ Happy Friday!
This felt less like a plot unfolding and more like being trapped inside a moment with someone who is tired, scared, attached and unsure. The way connection formed under stress felt incredibly true to life. I appreciate how you don’t rush resolution to the story either. Really pleased to see another entertaining short story from you Idris Elijah!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Beautifully said. So pleased you enjoyed it ☺️🤗
I really connected to the tension between them. All the closeness, the restraint and the things left unsaid. It felt honest in a way that sneaks up on you, especially how intimacy and distance kept trading places. The ending was great because it made you think about where their story continued or if it continued at all. So glad to read another engaging short story from you Idris Elijah!
Sounds like I struck a very careful balance here, which was the intention. You get it! Thank you! You’re most welcome! ☺️🤗🤩
I was fully inside this story from the first page. The physicality of the sea, the exhaustion, the way fear just hums in the background… It all felt so real I kept holding my breath without realizing it. I love how you let the story move at its own pace, especially in the quiet moments after the storm. And we get to decide in our minds what ends up happening with these complex characters. Short story day at The Potential Paradox is always a treat! A wonderful read Idris and Happy Friday!
Thank you Brian for sharing your experience with this short story. It’s eye opening for me. Happy Friday indeed! ☺️🤗
What I enjoyed most was the sense of endurance…Not the dramatic kind but the slow, grinding kind where you just keep going because there’s no alternative. The storm scenes were intense but it was the stillness afterward that stayed with me. There’s such a patience to your storytelling. I’m always happy when you drop another short story. Thank you for sharing this with us Idris Elijah and have a great weekend!
Mmmh, the endurance is also my favorite part, yet in contrast to the stillness parts linger. Thank you for sharing that with me. Have a great weekend! 🤩🤗