“My Lady,” said the Duke of Baria, his silver fork speared with venison poised in the air before his mouth, “I am informed that you attended the Aldermen’s Ball last week without me.” The Duchess did not look up from… Continue Reading
In a virtual space designed to feel like a pickup bar, but I wish we’d seen each other across the ravaged land of the apocalypse. Rubble of the old life slowly decaying under warm light of the indifferent morning sun,… Continue Reading
You’ve just brushed your teeth and stand before a basin of cloudy water. The cause of blockage is head hair. Your spouse washes her hair in the sink. You can fix this. Don’t get in a tizzy. You won’t be… Continue Reading
With Susan it was different. Susan and Tom lived one house away from each other, and had been born only a week apart, so they had splashed in wading pools, stroked wooly bear caterpillars, picked up toads and climbed trees… Continue Reading
My wife Sophia swatted my hand away from her waist, her lips in a tight thin line, her brow furrowed. “We can stop pretending, now that the ship is underway,” she said. I knew she didn’t mean to hurt my… Continue Reading
Ben’s yellow emoji sticks out among the red hearts and love eyes—a sore-loser’s thumb. We were a Molotov cocktail. Forever holding matches to already scorched skin, craving the relief of explosion. Intoxicated by the ride. His fuse fizzled out two… Continue Reading
The magnified moon, which had chased a reluctant, still radiant sun over its horizon only hours earlier, blanketed the tranquil sea. And with Autumn picking up the scent, their summer was about to set. “I’m not sure this is as… Continue Reading
I. In Edinburgh the bagpipes are for tourists. I’m sorry but it’s true. I don’t mean to be a snob. But in Stirling they’re more genuine. They roll over the floodplains and you never see who’s playing them. You can… Continue Reading
During the day, Paul gave his opinions on things. Pencils, backpacks, decorative yard rocks, things like that. No one read his opinions except for the people who commissioned the people that he worked for. His desk was on the 12th… Continue Reading
Kelly met Frank on a snowy night in January because Megan kept her late at Patrick’s bar. “Megan, it’s snowing. We need to go.” “Just one more,” Megan pouted like a kid, her lips full and red. By the time… Continue Reading