By Mark Benedict When your parents first pitch you on their idea to steal a laundry basket full ofcash, you know you should skate. Not that you’re above petty crimes. Heck no. In fact, petty crimes are kind of your thing. But it’s a dark, do-nothing chapter in your life, not to mention that theseContinue reading “Poison Marsh Summer”
Category Archives: Crime Fiction
A Scene Illuminating the Perils of Truancy
By B.W. Carter So, yeah, this boy, he’s standing on his usual corner, right, watching traffic dissolve into the vast white wash of the sun. The day is loud as a concert and very bright. The boy is slouching against a streetlamp. Squinting into the beeping, belching exhaust-sweet bustle, he smokes his last cigarette. Smoking,Continue reading “A Scene Illuminating the Perils of Truancy”
An Inconvenient Death
By Ben Mimmack Inspector Forsyth looked across at the doctor and considered whether to unbutton his trousers. Dr. Tyler was driving them both to a black-tie Christmas dinner in Devizes and Forsyth’s suit trousers were a relic of a younger and fitter past. The cummerbund would hide the undone button, but he doubted he couldContinue reading “An Inconvenient Death”
Buxom Burgers and Flirty Fries
By Dave Larson Chapter One Katie turned to her sister, “Kathy, do you expect me to kill a cow myself. We needground beef to sell hamburgers. And to make hamburger gravy for the fries. I don’t want to do this, but I’m going to quote Clara Peller, ‘where’s the beef’”? The sisters, called the burgerContinue reading “Buxom Burgers and Flirty Fries”
For Your Protection
By Chris Bunton “Tracy and David Santos, come out of the house!” A voice spoke through a loud speaker. Tracy and David both jumped up from the couch in their living room. They looked around in terror. Their favorite show flickered on the TV, and the image was replaced by a message which read. “DavidContinue reading “For Your Protection”
Fun in the Sun
By T’Naus Nieto I tried to control my breathing. My heart knocked against my rib cage. My stomach was in knots, and at times I had to fight the urge to vomit. I knew what I was doing was good, but I couldn’t help but feel bad about it. I comforted myself with the knowledgeContinue reading “Fun in the Sun”
The Perfect Shot
By Erik Suchy “Ah, I take it you must be Edith?” A sarcastic military salute, followed by a low chortle. “Present and reporting for duty,”she giggles. “Erm…Gus, is it?” A snicker, one that makes her feel embarrassed once it penetrates her ears. “No,” he chuckles. “Off by only five completely different letters and an extraContinue reading “The Perfect Shot”
Warhawk Road
By Ken Wheaton Tyler’s shadow stretched before him in the moonlight, landing on his girlfriend’s back. The first time they’d driven up 285 into the mountains just west of Denver, they’d picked a moonless night and the dark was too much. It pressed, it smothered. Every sound was amplified, every crackling twig a mountain lion.Continue reading “Warhawk Road”
Discretion
By M.C. Herrington I was sure I’d seen the face before. The illustration looked like a police composite, maybe hand drawn in pencil, maybe computer generated– I couldn’t tell which from the TIF. I received at least fifty new illustrations for the magazine each week, and I had a slush pile of a few hundred,Continue reading “Discretion”
Water
By Andy Betz and Jaysa Brown Water is patient It yields easily to gentle force It recovers without fanfare; without notice Water is patient It persistently waits the proper time To steadily erode the foundation of all who resist its presence Water is patient It may dissolve the most formidable of opponents It will diluteContinue reading “Water”
