A mild breeze pushes at my back as I walk across my yard to Stephanie’s. She crouches in front of the wilted rose bush, studying its leaves. “How goes the gardening?” I ask, even though I can see for myself… Continue Reading
“Thanks for taking the job, Jake. Holidays and all. And more rain coming.” Handing him the keys to the empty house in the rear, before walking off. “Gonna be another wet Christmas.” Wet Christmases. He knew all about those. If… Continue Reading
I worry ‘bout that boy. Now that I know what he did. I’d been thinkin’ bout goin’ to the hospital and seein’ the father — sorta like investigatin’, ya know? Then I could maybe tell if whatever was done to… Continue Reading
Raythene was a stunner, her mother was a glory — lustrous, the pair of them. The grandfather — people called him Beautiful Joe, and you know what that means. Scare the shit out of Satan. If you claimed you weren’t… Continue Reading
Lakeisha’s Momma called her “Princess” every morning, as she braided Lakeisha’s hair into fat black pigtails. Lakeisha was very glad that Momma had no idea of the ogre her Princess faced on the school bus every day. Red lights were… Continue Reading
The first storm of the summer rolled in as Karen walked home from her day job, waiting tables at the corner bar for two bucks an hour plus tips. From her right hand dangled a plastic grocery bag containing a… Continue Reading
I’ve been afraid of certain things — loud noises, the dark, the boogey man — but you learn that those things don’t touch you, hurt you, or hate you. That everything that scares you about them is what you don’t… Continue Reading
She took the impact just above her heart. Hardened skin fractured, smaller fissures spider webbing across her chest and down, splintering her belly button. “How dare you?” Her words frosted in the air. Christine felt her icy core softening under… Continue Reading
Sidney bulled his way in from the farmhouse porch, slamming the screen door, ignoring Maggie’s protests. She backed away from his advance, across the room to the very sofa she and Delia had occupied in peace, moments before. When her… Continue Reading
Timra dabbed at her eye. It was swollen and black, reflected in the water from the cistern. Omri had loosened a tooth this time, too. Behind her she heard steps and a few stifled gasps, as the other women from… Continue Reading