MY BAD • by Mike Pemberton
Bob bent down on one knee and popped the tops on the last two cans of paint. He flipped the lids of “Royal Lavender” onto the canvas drop cloth and stared at a muddled mess of grey and white satin.… Continue Reading
MUCHLY MOONDOG • by Brenda Anderson
Ben walked faster. The earthy scent of chamomile combined with heat and blinding sunshine gave him sensory overload. He upended his water bottle, drained it and shook his head. Focus. Round the bend in the dusty road, weatherboard houses came… Continue Reading
ANNALISE (AVOIDS HER PROBLEMS AND) IS PERFECTLY FINE • by M. J. Ryan
Annalise (avoids her problems and) is perfectly fine. She has a(n un)fulfilling job (that doesn’t use her degree). She works hard (because she can’t make it more than two weeks without a paycheck), arrives early (because her anxiety wakes her… Continue Reading
RAPUNZEL • by Rosalie Kempthorne
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” He stood at the bottom of the tower, tracking its stonework all the way up to the faint glow in a high window where he could see her silhouette moving against the light. “Rapunzel.… Continue Reading
NOTES REGARDING THE CALAMITY JUKEBOX AT THE SUPER! HERO! RAGTIME CAFÉ • by Jude-Marie Green
We occupied the café, waiting, as always waiting, bathed in music constantly spinning from the Wurlitzer 1015, the Bubbler, the smells of bacon and coffee ever present. We waited on doom, on disaster, on mobilization to rescue the hapless. We… Continue Reading
GOTTA SEE THE CANDY • by K.C. Ball
The girl stood stock-still, her arms at her sides, on a bus bench along a two-lane road near a fast-food restaurant. She had on a ragged purple corduroy jumper and a blouse that never would be white again. A backpack… Continue Reading
HALLOWEEN RING • by Marie Anderson
By the time Jack was driving home from work, costumed children were already crowding the sidewalks. I’ll go to the jeweler’s tomorrow, he promised himself. He patted the deep side pocket of his work jeans and felt his grandmother’s wedding… Continue Reading
THE GAME IS ON • by L.H. Maxwell
Ding-Dong! Ugh, I think to myself while walking, head cocked, to the front door. I lean back for one last glimpse of the television before reaching forward and turning the knob. “Trick or treat,” the children holler before the door… Continue Reading
FULL DISCLOSURE • by Paul A. Freeman
“And here’s the cosy breakfast room,” says the realtor. She makes an expansive sweep with her arm. The fraudulent smile on her face doesn’t falter — even when the back of her hand smacks into the wall of the cramped… Continue Reading
THE BOUNTY • by J.C. Towler
Grampa Don hated houseflies. To hear him talk you’d think there weren’t no flies in Chicago, but we visited once and there were flies a’plenty, I assure you. But when Grampa stayed with us he was forever complaining about flies… Continue Reading