“Yikes,” said Silence when her partner appeared in the secret library with a dirt-smeared, naked, hairless doll with picture nails through its eyes, hands, feet, and heart. “That’s a poppet!” “It’s not a puppet, silly,” said Ethan. “It’s a Thoroughly… Continue Reading
After lunch, the teacher asks: “Children, is it possible to make something invisible and, if so, how might you achieve that?” This, for once, interests him. His current life goal is to be a close-up conjuror at weddings. “Invisibility cloak?”… Continue Reading
When Nurse asks if I want an epidural, I nod my head. Why hurt any more than I have to? I’ve dreaded this part for months. Those nights I laid awake with little feet striking my ribcage and wondering if… Continue Reading
While the grown-ups conferred in the hospital room, Lena filled the dim hallway with her anxious energy. She hopscotched up and down the checkered floor, avoiding the white tiles. Black tiles only. Black tiles only. Grandma alive. Lena pictured Grandma… Continue Reading
The Shire of Loretto – Gavin Road Police Station10th December 2022, 9:45 AM “His English was basic but he was an excellent worker. Here from India on a temporary 482 visa. Brought to us by his brother, Arjit, who also… Continue Reading
Brunch with Edgar was splendid. I awarded full marks. Imagine the surprise when my own report arrived and Edgar had hit me with a C+. C+? Really? I called him. “C+, Edgar? Brunch was splendid!” I couldn’t see Edgar’s face,… Continue Reading
I was so tired. I arrived at my grandmother’s house, Z___abad, at a little past 3pm. It was a cool mid-March evening and the slight chill in the air felt soothing. I made my way up the broad walkway towards… Continue Reading
Insects always died beneath the paisley curtains of my childhood bedroom. It never bothered me to see the dried-up bodies of ladybugs in the dust of the hardwood. Their rust-colored exoskeletons were amusing to play with, making a satisfying pop… Continue Reading
BOINK! “This is Paul.” What the hell? It felt as though I had just been whisked into existence. And yet, I knew most of the people around me. I remembered coming here. I took a sip of my gin and… Continue Reading
We’ve made our way from the station to post in La Mirada. The call comes in as a stabbing. “Head for Santa Fe Springs,” I tell Armando, typing the address into Google Maps. As is too often the case, the… Continue Reading