On the morning of her fortieth birthday, Lena took literal steps to reclaim her life. The weather had just begun to take notice of autumn, and a crisp breeze blew gray remnants of yesterday’s storms so that the sky was… Continue Reading
I repainted each detail for Milo, that first evening. I described the rock growing in my throat, the sudden sense that the supermarket was dangerously big. I described rushing back to the Honda with a jellied barrier between the biting… Continue Reading
I hadn’t seen much of Neil for several years. At the end of primary school he’d gone private and I’d gone comprehensive. I didn’t think of him often but a time came when my friends were being dicks, not bullying… Continue Reading
Fear is our most base instinct. Fear can be a good thing. In our days in the animal kingdom, fear kept early humans alive. Today fear can be a hell of a motivator; it can also be a hell of… Continue Reading
The door banged against the wall as I bounded in. Valerie stood frozen with her aluminum bat clenched tightly. My arms wrapped around her as I looked to the shadowy lump on the floor. Some neighbor’s kid? I flicked on… Continue Reading
There are no grizzly bears in Michigan. I used to tell myself this when I was out alone, bringing the horses in from the pasture. Sometimes, it helped. When the moon was bright, and the animals quiet, it helped. But… Continue Reading
Terence Waldrip, like most sentient beings except snakes themselves, was born with an instinctual fear of those narrow reptiles, but it was by no means his only fear. He was afraid of being late for work. He was afraid of… Continue Reading
I quit the band after our drummer cracked up the van while steering with his knees and rolling a joint. Now instead of sleeping all day and staying up all night, I’m stuck in this hospital basement from nine to… Continue Reading