Yes, there is love to gain, as we know. But there also is love to lose, and they rarely mention the misery gained from that. Gaining the misery might not even be worth gaining the love in the first place, but who’s to say that to the heartbroken?… More
Art’s Wife
Fiction by Ken RodgersHis eyes blinked like a machine gun’s stutter. He swirled his Chivas and mumbled something—I couldn’t hear it well over the racket of wild fucking in the bedroom. Maybe he said, “Mother would never have written that.”… More
Everyday Miracles
Fiction by Benjamin WoodardThe day after your cousin’s funeral, you say you need to see a miracle, so we don our heavy coats, I usher you to the car, and we motor into the gray wintertime early afternoon that drains the world of color.… More
A Kid is a Kid
Fiction by Scott Mitchel MayThings I have in my pocket: a Zippo lighter with an iron cross given to me by my uncle who fought in the big war, a sense of self-doubt, a pack of Pall Mall cigarettes, sense that the 90s were the best of us, a picture of you.
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Quitter
Fiction by Ed KomendaI’ll smear Hot Cheeto dust on the headrest of the passenger seat that sits empty and by accident cast a spell that ripples through stars and time. And those stars and time will stop. And a secret compartment will open upon the Chevy dashboard. And up will pop a button the color of Lake Superior. And that button will say “REWIND.”… More
St. Petersburg
Fiction by Devin JacobsenIt is my firm belief that a fellow should always marry a gal who’s head and shoulders smarter than he is, that way he knows he’ll never be having to worry about having to worry about nothing.… More
Arm-Cami
Fiction by Lukas TallentI worried she had fallen asleep, then wondered why exactly our relationship had never been sexual, why I had started to think of everyone in these terms.… More
The Day the Lions Won the Super Bowl
Fiction by Elijah SparkmanAfter the clock ran out, they, NFL admins or whoever, walked real lions out onto the grass. The real-life lions were distinguished and strong. Big manes and bigger claws. Clear-eyed and assured, the way we’d always wanted to be, us fans, really, in the deepest part of our football-watching souls, which now we were.… More
The Rage of Silence
Fiction by Frank ReardonOne hundred T-bones a day, both cut and trimmed. Fifty ribeye, sixty Porterhouse, it didn’t matter over and over he thought of Tara’s face. He studied his boss’ actions. He learned the movements of his coworkers. It was out of habit to study people. He couldn’t help himself. He let them bust his balls often, even smiled, but he knew he could end every single one of them if he truly wanted to, but he never wanted to entertain the thought at the same time.… More
COPS AND COMFORTABLE CLOTHES
Fiction by Dave NewmanI’d bought my first dress for six bucks because I was the only waiter in the restaurant and I thought it would be funny. Then I thought it would be hilarious to buy another dress. Then a skirt. I liked working with women. I liked the gossip. I liked the feel of the fabrics. I liked being less restricted.… More
The Build-Up
Fiction by Hunter McLendonI started dating this girl named Nichole, hoping to prove that I was straight, that I was a boy. That I was the things I was supposed to be. But I didn’t think about her when I masturbated. Instead, I imagined Zack in his football uniform.… More
