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

Recess

Teri Boland commanded two friends to chase after me during recess. They held my arms behind me so she could lean forward and kiss me on the lips. I wiggled and squirmed, enough to demonstrate protest, though not so much to stop her. "You have a girlfriend," Lloyd whispered in Social Studies. I raised my middle finger. He held up a stick figure drawing of a boy, penis extended, and a girl, on her knees. "This is next." "Fuck you," I replied, but my heart was pounding and my voice cracked. I pursed my lips, trying to recall Teri's touch. 

Michael Barbato-Dunn has appeared in 101 Words, Microfiction Monday Magazine, Shacklebound Books’ The Book of Drabbles, Sci-Fi Shorts, The Dribble Drabble Review, and other publications. michaelbarbatodunn.com

Pitter-Patter

The Fridge