Andrew timed it perfect: he opened the front door just at the moment Mama’s thrown picture frame hit the wall right behind Daddy. Neither of them heard him leave. He learned early to get out unnoticed when he wasn’t the… Continue Reading
A heart lands softly on the ground below the monkey bars, a left arm sways back and forth on the swing set, and at the foot of the slide, a human head balances topside down. She blinks. Not again. Delia… Continue Reading
My paddle glides through tranquil waters, reflecting my image but obscuring what lies beneath. A fish jumps skyward then plunges into the swampy depths, startling me out of my trance. I look around. Everyone is still here, slinking through the… Continue Reading
I decided to get my sister drunk so I could steal her pocket watch. I chose a bar close to home where people were used to seeing her, and she wouldn’t attract too much unwelcome attention. “Bro,” said Olivia with… Continue Reading
The candy jar was crushing my brother’s hand. “When will he get here?” Todd whimpered. In the conflict of magical glass vs. college sophomore, the glass was winning. We sat in the corner of my bakery, the Snackdragon, and I… Continue Reading
The best part of setting fires is the beginning. Mama’s new shag carpet has tempted me for days. I lie down in the living room late one afternoon while Mama’s out, matches in hand. Janie smells it right away and… Continue Reading
By mid-afternoon there is nothing left of the garage but charred wood and heat-warped tin. Three firefighters, her mother and four neighbors speak of how lucky no one is hurt and that the fire hadn’t spread and that someone spotted… Continue Reading
He spoke as soon as she reached the kitchen. “You go through the boxes on the table. Kimmie left those for you to get rid of.” “Okay, Papa.” The clean-out had begun. Her mother’s things were being sorted and awarded… Continue Reading
Show and tell at school was lame. Stamps and coins. Post cards and match book covers. Fred’s squashed frog. Even Bobby’s tarantula in a plastic cube. So I set out to find something worth talking about. I decided to collect… Continue Reading
Michelle dried her hands on her apron and took it off, while her brother Eugene remained ensconced in the living room and was probably glancing at his watch every few seconds. His fourteen-year-old son Andre was nearly an hour late.… Continue Reading