Eli has driven hours to be here, where rocks jut into the glassy Connecticut River on a still December evening. He cannot stand himself anywhere else, and he does not know what to do next. The deepening dusk is a… Continue Reading
“Checkmate!” Harold said as he knocked his opponent’s bishop out of the way. “Dang it, not again,” Roger muttered. “What do ya say, one more shot at redeeming myself?” Harold glanced at his watch. “I guess I’ve got one more… Continue Reading
“You seem lost, can I help you?” As she turned into the side street from Third Avenue, Laura felt disoriented. The sidewalk was crowded with people, but one concerned stranger stopped to offer assistance. She swallowed her pride and handed… Continue Reading
“We’re going on a clown hunt. Wanna come, Sarah?” Spinks gave me a sly look, leaned his bicycle against the park bench, and slid a serrated combat blade from his wrist sheath. He was like that, always at the forefront… Continue Reading
I was scratching under the stiff collar of my Sunday dress when Toby, our bulldog, growled. He raised his hackles and stared into our empty fireplace. That’s when the two round lights floated right out of the chimney. They spun… Continue Reading
The peach tree loved the young master of the house. She loved his golden locks and sapphire eyes, and the way he treaded her branches to pick mellow peaches at the top. She loved the way he laughed, his chuckle… Continue Reading
When I was a boy, my father showed me a hunting knife that once belonged to my grandfather. The knife was serrated, hefty, meant to saw through muscle and bones. My father told me my grandfather had killed himself with… Continue Reading
Louise tore his shirt on the last occasion. She didn’t know how she did it, but can hear it still. The sound of cotton tearing is like a glass breaking—it stops a room. It stopped them. Abe seized her hand… Continue Reading
I manage to reach the mail room without encountering a living soul. It’s a relief when the locker’s largest compartment swings open, and the smile on the Amazon box greets me. I guide it into my arms. It’s bigger than… Continue Reading
My sister hands me guest towels, kisses my forehead and then goes up to bed. Her husband and I watch the commercials, listen to her footsteps across the ceiling. I’ve been away a long time and it’s cold outside. He… Continue Reading