By Hillary Lyon Viv badly needed a writing prompt. She had the urge to create, an urge building like a thirst on a mid-summer day. Imperceptible at first, then the longer she went without satiation, the more apparent, more demanding the urge became. She took a sip of her tepid green tea. I’ve got toContinue reading “The Last Time the Poet Looked Out Her Window”
Tag Archives: Crime Fiction
I Knew Her As Gracie
By Andy Betz Sometime after my father moved from the old house to the new house (in Missouri), I met Gracie. She was neither beautiful nor well accomplished, but she was nearby and that alone spoke volumes to her character. Our home sat on a small ten acre vegetable farm far removed from the centerContinue reading “I Knew Her As Gracie”
“10-54”
By Ron Riekki “Godzilla’s awesome.” “Godzilla’s weak.” “Godzilla’s the opposite of weak.” “Muhammad Ali’d kick Godzilla’s ass.” “Godzilla’s nine hundred feet tall.” “No, I’m saying if Muhammad Ali was nine hundred feet tall, he’d kick Godzilla’s ass. If they were the same height. If Godzilla was six feet tall and Muhammad Ali was six feetContinue reading ““10-54””
Good Friends
By William Foulke Tsssssss! The match hissed to life, its flame wavering a little in the late afternoon as if threatening to go out. Claire Frye put the flame to her Newport before it could, then sat back on the metal high top chair and looked out over Dauphine Street among the rows of rainbowContinue reading “Good Friends”
Smells Fishy
By Ruben Horn “Moin!” the jolly woman greets me with this common northern German salutation, as I step up to the counter of her fish shack. “Ein Bismarck-Brötchen… bitte!” I do my best to order my favorite, a Sauerlappen as they are also called, in her language. The woman with a short black tomboy haircutContinue reading “Smells Fishy”
Brotherly Love
By Kathleen Chamberlin In the moonlight, a large owl perched on the elm tree nearest the woods behind the Deerfield house. It scanned the surrounding area, blinking and turning its head, watching and waiting. Soon, some unsuspecting victim would scamper into sight, searching for food. The owl would leave its perch, talons extended, swooping downContinue reading “Brotherly Love”
The Campfire Project
by Matthew Downing “Oh, Calipari! The sun isn’t even out yet,” Mary groaned like a teenager asked to do their chores. Calipari pressed his cold snout under her chin. Pushing the whimpering bulldog off her face, she scooted to the end of the bed and crawled over Allen’s purple, gouty toes. Allen’s snoring stopped; MaryContinue reading “The Campfire Project”
Darklands
By Alec Cizak “It’s funny.” He scratched his khaki pants, picking at the sleeves of a pink button-down shirt. “A couple of nights ago, my daughter asked what it means to die. I always figured the sex talk would be the toughest. Turns out, explaining to a child that someday she’ll no longer exist, well,Continue reading “Darklands”
Today’s Lecture
Flash Fiction By Andy Betz “If you will take your seats please, we might be able to start today’s lecture. I am Professor Bigelow and this elective is entitled, Advanced Techniques in Serial Killing. The purpose of this course is to familiarize the student with a myriad of techniques in the art of serial killing. Continue reading “Today’s Lecture”
A Day at the Track
By Seamus O’Leary Jack and Nubs sat at the bar at Willie’s Blues Cabaret, while a smooth sax player rolled out a tune on the stage behind them. It was dark inside like all the best bars are, and the place was filling up. “Look, Mr.Roper expects you to pay on time.” Jack calmly explainedContinue reading “A Day at the Track”