Crime Fiction By Mark Cassidy In his office in the Elembe Police Division compound behind the Oil Mill market on Ikwerre Road, Captain Odike sat down at his desk and stirred a handful of crumbled McVitie’s digestive biscuits into his milky tea while he opened the newspaper brought for him by his sergeant. Outside theContinue reading “Captain Odike Reads His Newspaper”
Category Archives: Hard Life
Salvatore
Flash Fiction by Shara Janae The piercing headlights of passing cars blur and blotch the road in front of me. I blink them away, but my head throbs with the beat of every white line. I’ve been driving for hours, arms pulled tight as bands, balled fists on the wheel. I unwrap each finger fromContinue reading “Salvatore”
Swimming Under Barges
By Jason P. Reed You couldn’t practice swimming under a barge and coming out the other side alive. It was something you had to just do. Or not. Most guys didn’t. Wouldn’t even think of it. But sixteen year old Neville Breaux wasn’t most guys. There was something about his chemical makeup that made himContinue reading “Swimming Under Barges”
The Bad Sleep
By William David Higgs III Seventy-two hours. That’s how long I had been awake. My downstairs neighbor blasted Korean soap operas at full volume. I would’ve told the asshole to turn it down, but the asshole was my landlord. Ms. Hwangbo. If her love of bad K-drama wasn’t enough, the hag was deafmute, which sheContinue reading “The Bad Sleep”
Gone
Flash Fiction By Jo Ayker The house was quiet when I got back from work. I put my briefcase down next to the door, taking my time walking into the living room. No one was there. I loosened my tie as I made my way to the bedroom. I could see from the threshold thatContinue reading “Gone”
Catch And Release
By Devin James Leonard Daryl was in the basement washing his knives under the faucet when his father called to him from upstairs. He stuffed his instruments inside a plastic bag, stashed them in the sump pump pit, and wiped his bloody hands with a rag on his way to the kitchen. His dad toldContinue reading “Catch And Release”
The Illustrated Moll
By Russell Thayer “Doctor Vatel will see you now, Miss Davis.” The receptionist wrinkled her aggressively tweezed eyebrows. “What’s it been? Two weeks?” “Where’s Doctor Dymple?” asked Gunselle from her green leather chair. “He quit. Couldn’t take it anymore.” “That old cream puff couldn’t knock the skin off a rice pudding,” said Gunselle as she closedContinue reading “The Illustrated Moll”
Thirty Years Of Silence
By Melissa R. Mendelson Today said good-bye as its warm light flooded the compartment, settling on her knees. The glass window reflected both hope and sadness, yesterday felt far away, but tomorrow was even further. Her fingertips lingered along the metal frame, shaking with each vibration, and her hand fell toward the speaker near herContinue reading “Thirty Years Of Silence”
Back For Seconds
Crime Fiction by Gregory Meece George hadn’t eaten since Monday. It was Wednesday afternoon. He got in line as quickly as he could because Harvest House sometimes ran short around the holidays. “Man, you stink,” said George to the fellow ahead of him. He recognized Iggy by the man’s heavily tatted arms that protruded fromContinue reading “Back For Seconds”
It Stank!
Hard Life Story by Dick Johnson (Graphic Sex Warning) Tommy held the window open so Mandy could climb inside the old brick building. It was sometime in the 80’s and Tommy was going to get laid for the first time. Her parents were at the flea market in the park across the street. They wereContinue reading “It Stank!”