He Remembers there were Gardens by Kate LaDew
It’s darker than he ever imagined, like a great plug pulled on the world, with nothing but the sound of his own breath beating slow. Darker than nights he dreamed of oceans…
Carmela by Robert Joe Stout
Curled like a stray cat in the sand around the fire’s dead ashes Pedro Cesar twitched and grunted, simultaneously trying to emerge from the dream and sink into it, deeply, forgetfully, forever.…
A Terrific Cook by J. P. Bohannon
When Jim comes home Wednesday night, he has a woman with him. A skinny-assed woman around twenty-eight, with a kid about four dragging behind—Italian or Puerto-Rican. She has a head full of…
New Vocation by John Gorman
After the Great Kerplooey, everything was worth about a penny. If that. The Stock Exchange had become a Mausoleum, precious metals became superfluous, and the word entrepreneur got 86ed out of the…
Choreography by Phillip Temples
Winston approaches the pedestrian walkway crossing the busy, four-lane road. He sees it will not be easy to navigate today. Normally, there are breaks in the traffic and he can jay walk…
FictionDown to Size by Terry Sanville
I hate tall women. Well, maybe hate is too strong. Begrudge or even envy might be more accurate. I first felt this way in High School while watching Mother bend over her…
FictionLeaving the last line
I grew up in the West Side, a corner of South Bend, IN., where the poor managed to get by. My father spent his mornings driving the back-alleys, rooting through garbage, looking…
FictionBig Sky Falling
I met Big Sky when I was 14. It was the only family vacation we ever took, the one to Glacier National Park to “see the bears.” The road from Indiana to…
Love Works in Strange Ways by Melissa Davis
Margaret jumped in the car and breathed a sigh of relief. Now her sort-of-mother-in-law would have to deal with the baby for a few days. She and Frankie could finally have some…
Resolutions by Troy Farah
When I woke up, it was 12:32 AM January 1st Year Whatever. Coming home from work a few hours prior, I took a nap and when I awoke, the New Year had…
O Fathers, Be a Compass to Your Sons by Galen R. Faison
Ernest Hemingway is attributed to saying: “To be a successful father…there’s one absolute rule: when you have a kid, don’t look at it for the first two years.” I’m certain that Hemingway…
Never Was by Dixon Hearne
I’m serving kibble and greens to stick people who “do lunch” here to be seen. They hide behind designer sunglasses to make absolutely sure they’re noticed by paparazzi and tacky fans that…
The Comedian by James Croal Jackson
The comedy club Rob performed at was closed for the next ten hours. He lingered by the door, didn’t have a change of clothes. Here’s to hoping he’ll be able to pay…
What We Pieced Together About Our Father After His Death by James Croal Jackson
A father needs to have a secret room to do whatever it is that a father does in his secret room, so our father turned the oil-changing pit (six feet deep, eight…
Dickey’s by James Croal Jackson
Dickey was a white-haired humpback with one eye. His place had a small crowd: old men waiting around the bar for younger women to croon a tune on the old karaoke machine;…
Where Everybody Knows Your Name by Brandon Barrows
Nick Collins pushed his way through the pair of swinging doors into the bar, doffed his dark-colored forage cap then wiped the sweat from his forehead onto his uniform jacket’s sleeve. It…
The Marriage Test by James E. Guin
Placing the handset back to the telephone base, Tim looked across the room at Meili. She was sitting next to the window waiting for his response. His vision switched from Meli to…
The Traveler by Travis Lee
The traveler pulled out a chair and sat down across from me. I looked up, “Tonight’s the night?” The traveler was quiet. He was here before me, and I always figured he’d…
Saving the World with Frozen Coffee by Eliza Horn
I had always wondered what would happen to frat guys. Occasionally, on the weekends in college, when I was bored of girls’ night and inspired by some sappy rom-com about finding love…
Horse Training by Renee Rivers
“You can’t train for riding a horse like Pink,” Beth said that day after I dismounted and shakily handed her the reins. As a middle-aged, suburban mother, I should have known better,…