The Less you have, The More it Hurts to Lose it.

By Andy Betz Two Socks Mismatched No longer paired with their mates Two Socks Alone Singular purpose to keep that close-by warm Two Socks Attracted by static Kept attracted by a greater force Two Socks Needing a mate to be complete No longer needing an identical mate Two Old Socks Now together One New PairContinue reading “The Less you have, The More it Hurts to Lose it.”

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”

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”

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”

Shots Ring Out

By Matthew Senn My daddy was a paranoid man. Had every right to be too, ‘course. He’d always figgered someone would come lookin’ for ‘im one day. Never went into much more detail than that. One mornin’, he hears some shots ring out. He was a corn farmer then, our patch a land went fromContinue reading “Shots Ring Out”

A Bottle of Vodka

By Dick Johnson It was summer when Joe walked into the bar on 2nd street. It was the same old place, and Billy was sitting in his same old spot, while the juke box played the same old “Sweet Home Alabama”, and people danced around. “Joe! You’re out! Let me buy you a drink.” BillyContinue reading “A Bottle of Vodka”

Future’s Cold Hand

By Sebastian Iturralde Waiting by a cliff, as the cold twilight wind blew around her, Licana Rose watched the light of a lonely house come on. Darkness surrounded her. Little did she know that Death was standing next to her. “What do we have here?” asked Death. “Who is our target for the night?” LicanaContinue reading “Future’s Cold Hand”

Friends with Benefits

By Seamus O’ Leary Doctor Derek Goldberg sat at the bar in Louie’s Sports Pub, watching the game on one of the big screen TV’s He was excited. It was Friday night, and his new friends were coming for another night of partying. He could not wait. He took a drink of his Old StyleContinue reading “Friends with Benefits”

Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

By Ernie Sadashige “I thought you said you loved me.” Won Ton’s words cut deep, deeper than the katana sword which he aimed at my heart. Red reflections pulsed along shimmering steel, mirroring blood on water whenever the neon sign on the window blinked: Eat in. Take out. Won Ton and I were holed upContinue reading “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”