Five Minutes explores five minutes of a life in one hundred words. Five minutes is edited by Susanna Baird, with editorial support from managing editor Maria s. picone, newsletter editor kate meen, and founding reader bobbi lerman, plus our rotating team of guest readers, who you can meet in the latest newsletteR. Five Minutes was founded in October 2020, with the Salem (Mass.)-based writing group Carrot Cake Writers supplying the journal’s first pieces. We’d love to read your five. Submit here

Never Before

The teacher cajoled me onto the chair so my tenth-grade classmates could sketch a live model. Charcoal sticks scuffed as he ambled, then stopped near my elbow. “You have lovely lips.” The scuffing slowed. I had thought about my eyes before. My hair. Never my lips. “But not that nose!” The scuffing stopped, then restarted like a power surge as he turned. I had thought of my boobs before. My hips. Never my nose. The bell rang and the other students rushed out. But I was welded in place as he raised his thumb to wipe away the next tear.

Louella Lester is a writer and photographer in Winnipeg, Canada. Her new flash CNF book is Glass Bricks (At Bay Press). Find Louella at louellalester.blog, on Twitter @louloubellish, and on Instagram @louellalester.

Will-o'-Wisp

Anointment Day