Two Stories
Fiction by Caelyn CobbI’m sorry about the things I said when I thought the world was ending The morning after the end was supposed to happen, I woke up in the bunker I made for us. On the surface cameras there was still nothing. Just the woods and the wind and everything going along as it always had.… More
Three Things
Fiction by Thomas ElsonThis morning, after the Sheriff and two state investigators left his office carrying sealed boxes, the man did not return home—instead, he drove to a neighboring town and bought three things: Dancing shoes. A hamburger. A shotgun. The dancing shoes he delivered to his daughter whom he would never see again. The hamburger he ate… More
Cats and Dogs
Fiction by Adam GalanskiI saw a cat give birth today at my buddy Anthony’s apartment in Logan Square. Her name is Nezumi. Anthony named her. I found her and gave her to him. It was the dead of winter and me and my girlfriend, Rosa, were walking home from the semi-truck mechanic shop our bands practice in, down… More
Black Licorice Memory
Fiction by Billie PritchettBecause my regular toothpaste tastes like black licorice, brushing my teeth every night brings back childhood memories of me sitting with my grandfather in his den, he in the La-Z-Boy, I on the couch with a handful of black licorice jellybeans. The reason I can have this recall of memory, that is, the reason my… More
When Things Break
Fiction by Michael CugliettaThey woke up to a puddle on the kitchen floor. The seal on the freezer door broke. Since they weren’t allowing people in the house, they couldn’t call a professional. But he assured her he could fix it on his own. It was a matter of pride. First, he emptied the contents of the freezer.… More
Cowboy Rooster, Rooster Cowboy
Fiction by Simon NagelRooster tipped back his slouch hat and chomped down on the American Spirit between his beak. It was a hot one down in San Miguel, a lot like the year he slummed in the cockfighting dens of Pamplona. It ruffled his feathers, gave him some character. Not like now. Some birds won’t scratch around until… More
The Afterlife
Fiction by Robert DetmanGary stands by the side of the road that killed his wife. At least, he can imagine this is the road. Rickety tuk-tuks leave contrails of greasy exhaust. Mopeds bear down, brushing close, deliberate acts of disregard. Students. They ride in sandals or even bare feet, helmetless, alongside cars, trucks, and tuk-tuks, all competing to… More
Batting Practice Apocalypse
Fiction by B. K. ElroyAs the sun rises, the rays brush Mickey’s neck and reveal a raw impression left by the belt. A premature scar, fighting for life. The skin has the texture of used chewing gum stretched to the point of tearing. Bronson hopes it will fade soon, so he can stop looking at it, so Mickey will… More
The Diamond Ghosts of the Southern Plains
Fiction by Mason ParkerThe stack of lumber behind my feet in the batter’s box let Coach Connor know that I stepped away when I should have leaned into the swing. That I was scared of the ball. Collapsed two-by-fours meant three laps or twenty push-ups, red grit dusting my lips and teeth as I hustled around the baseball… More
The Barber
Fiction by Daniel AdlerThe World’s Best Barbershop has a sign in the window with a number below the words Call Flame, and when you call Flame says he’ll be there in ten or fifteen minutes and eight minutes later rolls up in a ten-year-old Cadillac, tinted windows a quarter-rolled down so you can see his dry cleaning hanging… More
Two Stories
Fiction by Jason ArmentA Man’s Life as Wet Dog Story There is nothing more lied about than a man’s life, because there are usually at least two groups of people lying: the man’s kingdom and those loyal to the man himself. A man goes to war and fights for his country, comes back to an indifferent horde of… More
Floater
Fiction by Greg JenkinsAnd everything stays fine for a while. During this time life smells pretty fragrant to me even if the basic facts that comprise it haven’t really changed. … More
Bringing it all Back Home
Fiction by Colin Brightwell“I’ll take the I Love You Today,” I say. I take out a crumbled five dollar bill and hand it to her.… More
Boys Play
Fiction by Robin GowShe should have gone grocery shopping, she thinks. She has to go anyway. Who was she kidding? She wanted to spy on him—she wanted to see what he was up to.… More
The Milk of Sorrow
Essay by Scott NeufferI feel the voices of a million women surging up in song. Their pain rings across the bony beaches, across the centuries. I feel their projections on me, their hopes and fears. But I’m not strong enough. I cast them to the side, where they fill the air with sorrow.… More
On the Brink of Making my Big Move
Fiction by Amy LyonsIt’s just me and the stack. I adjust my chair. I breathe deep. I plant my feet. I Google productivity tips. I play a round of e-solitaire. I stare into my screensaver and see Marie laying with me in pixilated fields beneath a trademarked sun. … More
