By Gratia Serpento My steps echo down the slippery stairway, tapping the growing moss and mold. I need to come back down and clean, get on my hands and knees and scrub the wood with soap and water, but I hate coming down here. I hate it. Terrible conditions but I won’t make it betterContinue reading “The Canary, The Shadow and The Knife”
Tag Archives: Crime Fiction
Barber Billy Bob, Dixie Butcher
By Russell Guenther William Robert Dixon was as professional a barber as ever lived, though he was perceived around town as a rubish country bumpkin, who was referred to as “Barber Billy Bob” behind his back. He had moved from his native Tennessee to upstate New York, setting up his own shop. He built upContinue reading “Barber Billy Bob, Dixie Butcher”
Crawling
By Matt McCain A dense layer of fog covered the long countryside road—the layer so thick, Deborah Peacock was unable to see more than five feet in front of her from the pavement level perspective she had. Her body ached in pain, but she continued crawling down the road, trying to get away. Much ofContinue reading “Crawling”
Crash and Dash
By David Larson Chapter One They had always been lucky, but it was dumb luck, the optimal word being dumb. Bobby and Jimmy Janes fancied themselves as brilliant criminals. They called themselves the Janes Brothers Gang. They didn’t even realize that two didn’t constitute a gang. The brothers looked like tweakers, skinny, dirty, with badContinue reading “Crash and Dash”
Sweet Little Straight Razor
By Michael Fontana It was after midnight and rain beat my head like tympani. I checked my look in a shop window: mid-thirties, five-ten, black haired, green eyed and gaunt, nose flattened to my face from a case where it was broken by a punch from a semi-professional football player, a woman who seemed atContinue reading “Sweet Little Straight Razor”
I Knew Her As Tigist
By Andy Betz Report Date: January 01, 2008 The last couple entered from the dining room to the grand ballroom of the Excelsior Hotel just as the employees denied further entrance due to fire code occupancy restrictions. Even as the main doors closed and the many television screens began broadcasting, she was still nowhere toContinue reading “I Knew Her As Tigist”
Eating Long Swine
By Chris Bunton The video turns on and we see a man standing in a kitchen. He has long black hair tied in a pony tail, and a scraggly beard. The kitchen looks as unclean as he does. “Hey everybody!” The man says to the camera, as he leans forward and places his hands onContinue reading “Eating Long Swine”
Last Meal
By Matthew Senn I sit down to the smell of steak and skunk beer. There’s a greying woman behind the saloon bar flipping meals and meat with a rusty fork. She turns and smiles holding out a finger for me to wait. “Take your time. There’s no hurry.” “Cold out there?” “Yes, ma’am.” I adjustContinue reading “Last Meal”
Blackout
By Sam Cooke It all started with the cast list for the spring musical. “Ms. Combs has posted it,” Dominic said as he climbed into the passenger seat of my Volkswagen Beetle. I pulled my sunglasses down and stared at him over the rims. “How do you know?” “She told me.” I reversed out ofContinue reading “Blackout”
Teddy Bear
By Stuart Stromin Even when I was a cop, I was a criminal. It’s not what you think, I wasn’t on the take. I wasn’t corrupt in that systemic way, when there’s a brown envelope on the desk every Friday, in exchange for someone to look the other way. That sort of thing probably wentContinue reading “Teddy Bear”