By Charlene Hoit I didn’t know where that noise was coming from. It was dark in my tiny old bungalow aside from the Christmas tree lights, still gleaming because I like to keep them on all night. Especially on Christmas Eve. It reminded me of childhood magic, and anticipation of the surprises waiting for meContinue reading “Santa is Dead”
Monthly Archives: September 2023
I Remember Mama
by Harry Neil They buried Mama alive. I know because I monitored her smart watch on my smart phone. But they don’t know me, and they don’t know I know, so I’m probably safe, at least just for now. I hid in bushes far from the crazed mob, and I watched from a safe distanceContinue reading “I Remember Mama”
The Phoenix Mafia
By Adyasha Acharya 1 Rebecca A party with security detail is always dangerous. But a party without one is always worse. And it tells a lot about the host of the party. The world is a dangerous place after all. However, the man owning this property is even more. I pick up a champagne fluteContinue reading “The Phoenix Mafia”
Amber Dream
By Melissa R. Mendelson The rain poured down on the Town of Chester as cars drove along Route 17M. People scurried into the supermarket, movie theater, or other stores in the shopping center as others stood by the bus stop and watched the rain fall. Further down the road was the Chester diner where aContinue reading “Amber Dream”
Seabirds
By Harry Neil It’s the screaming of the seabirds that calms my mind. I imagine that I’m running down a deserted beach, filling my lungs with the fresh, clean air and really exulting in getting my heart pounding. I’m told that there’s a line where the wet sand and the dry sand meet, and thatContinue reading “Seabirds”
Snuff
by Daniel Robinson “Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.”–Bob Dylan Some days in October, Seattle can be an old city without any hope as the clouds huddle heavy above the city, threatening another rain. The buildings between First and Second Avenues block even the stray bits of sunlightContinue reading “Snuff”
Black Flies
By J.P. Seewald A short, heavy-set man bustled into Lieutenant Bill Granger’s office with an air of authority. Sergeant Karen Maitland raised her eyebrows questioningly. “Dr. Cannard is an entomologist at Michigan State University. He’s here to help us solve the Larson case.” The professor of science, dressed in a funereal black suitContinue reading “Black Flies”
The Downward Spiral of an American Princess
By Hillary Lyon “So how about you come over in around an hour—I should have the brat in bed by then.” Serena giggled and twirled a strand of her hair as she listened to her boyfriend’s reply. She moved her phone to her other ear. “Nah, her folks aren’t supposed to be home until midnight.Continue reading “The Downward Spiral of an American Princess”
I Remember the Sound
Flash Fiction by Andy Betz As a child of six, I played with my much older brother and sister (17 and 16 respectively). I learned much a six-year-old should never know as a six-year-old. That spring, my brother and his girlfriend began fighting. My sister told me it began with trust issues so common toContinue reading “I Remember the Sound”
Labor Day with the Family
By Dick Johnson The food smelled delightful and everyone was there; even Uncle Fred. Nobody talked to him or even went around him. You’d think he’d get the hint, but apparently not. It was Labor Day. Everybody was drinking and the music was playing, just like all our family functions. It was a party, andContinue reading “Labor Day with the Family”