Crime Fiction by Daniel Bartlett The Time Out Tavern wasn’t much to look at, no doubt, but it was Martin’s, so being forced out of the property didn’t sit so well with him. Especially being forced out by a sleazy, corrupt son of a bitch like Jens Oberlin. Late morning on a balmy Tuesday, theContinue reading “The Last Days Of The Time Out Tavern”
Category Archives: Hard Life
The Quarry
Flash Fiction By Jason Smith Alex and his car were found at the same quarry where the man from 1984 was buried. The front of his car was a crumbled wreck. He had driven through a barricade and rolled down a hill before plunging to his final resting place. His autopsy showed his alcohol limitContinue reading “The Quarry”
Suicide Squeeze: Colton Lacombe’s Return to Baseball.
Crime Fiction By Jason P. Reed Stepping into the batter’s box at Bengal park had a way of transporting Colton Lacomb to Little League in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he first made a name for himself. Never mind that he was a 21 year old freshman. And never mind that the pitchers he faced clockedContinue reading “Suicide Squeeze: Colton Lacombe’s Return to Baseball.”
The Cheater
Crime Fiction by Michael Downing Night is the hardest part. The stretch that burns you out inside, drawing out the minutes until they snap like a whip against your skin. Cooper sucks on his Marlboro, feeling the burn, squinting his eyes shut, letting the smoke roll around his head until it stings. The darkness neverContinue reading “The Cheater”
Chuco Has A Bad Day
Crime Fiction by J. Marquez Jr. The world is an anthology full of short stories and small clips. Everybody has a story to tell and everyone has something to say. But not everybody tells their story. The majority cruise through life creating interesting stories that they eventually take to their graves. Alike the world, IContinue reading “Chuco Has A Bad Day”
Friends 5-Eva
Crime Fiction by Shivani Sivagurunathan We get out of Donna’s glossy midnight-blue BMW. The air is filled with spikes. It’s not supposed to be cold in the tropics but tonight is special. We’ve finally done what we’ve been threatening to do since we were teenagers. Poor Anwar. He’s just the in-between person in this, ifContinue reading “Friends 5-Eva”
Possessed
Flash Fiction by Ferdi Wheeler Jack Weir is not in jail, or dead. He hides in the moonlight in my garden, of that I am sure. I can discern his figure where he stands pressed against the trunk of the pine tree. I am looking through a slit in the curtains in my sitting room.Continue reading “Possessed”
What The Dead Know
Flash Fiction by Hillary Lyon “You can’t keep any secrets from the dead. They know everything, they see everything. Past, present, future—it’s all the same to them.” Mikinos lit his clove cigarette, took a deep drag, then blew out a cloud of pale gray smoke. Carlyle, seated across the red silk scarf covered table fromContinue reading “What The Dead Know”
Happy Meal
Flash Fiction by David Margolin Malcolm lay quietly, enjoying the memory of his meal last night. Chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes, ham and eggs, and a peanut butter milkshake. None of his requests had been denied. He felt the chilly, dry air on his skin and in his nostrils. He only perceived the medicinal smell whenContinue reading “Happy Meal”
True Crime: Our Story
Ronald and Reggie Kray book review Our Story is an autobiographical book written by Ronald and Reginald Kray of London’s East End. They were twins and they grew up poor. The saying was, “The only way to get out of the East End was boxing or crime.” The Krays did both and became very successful.Continue reading “True Crime: Our Story”