Category Archives: FICTION

FICTION (1000 WORDS OR MORE)

Vape

Vape

FICTION by

The sun responds, transiting notches away, farther this time. Rozie vapes a few more puffs and sits up. She wraps herself waist down with a slit saffron sarong. Her top part mostly bare, can barely keep up with the tremors.
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THE GUIDE TO KING GEORGE

THE GUIDE TO KING GEORGE

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If Dad had to die, I wanted to give my new best friend a chance at eternal life. Something that would keep me from losing him, too. So, I named him King George.more

Horace Poor, Horace Mint

Horace Poor, Horace Mint

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Horace once wrote, “Don’t think, just do.” He also wrote, “Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans. It is lovely to be silly at the right moment.” That’s why I thought Perry quoted the Roman, not an ex-roofer with a broken back. There’s nothing more “roofer” than a man acting fool while concocting serious plans.more

Long Ago

Long Ago

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Greta March brought Evan up for one last tryst. Years had passed since they’d seen one another. Now everything was different. It wasn’t quite the end yet, but she was beginning to betray a deeper degree of illness—a general thinning of figure, feature, and voice. She wanted to see the lake house alone this last time.more

Derailed

Derailed

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At 5:06, the tracks start singing. HG’s beer can rattles the metal arm of his chair and stops. Rattles. Stops. The tracks hum, then skip, hum skip hum skip humskip humskip humskip humskip. The sound is wrong, plain wrong…more

Gender Soldier

Gender Soldier

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There was a time that you can now no longer remember, when someone scraped you off their shoe and taught you how to be human. How to have arms and legs, how to have a face and a body, how to wear clothes and cut your hair and see things and be seen. There was an adjustment period, but after that it was a gloriously certain time, when meaning could be plucked fully-formed from thin air like ripe fruit. You loved that.more

Fighting my enemies in the Applebee’s Parking Lot

Fighting my enemies in the Applebee’s Parking Lot

FICTION by

My therapist tells me I need to start making amends. Instead, I post to Facebook. Anyone who has been wronged or offended by my past actions is welcome to fight me tomorrow at the Applebee’s on Route 30. I provide the details. Starting at noon, I will be in the Applebee’s parking lot all day,more

My Beautiful Father

My Beautiful Father

FICTION by

A coming-out is kind of like a reverse surprise party: the invitation is an ambush, and once you receive it, you’re at the party. more

The Magic Boots

The Magic Boots

FICTION by

“Quentin, you know I hate football.”

Quentin nodded. He knew. And it was just another reason to break up with Marcie. He just had to get her to ask how much the boots had cost, and it would be smooth sailing from there. Yes, there would be tears and pouting, angry recrimination, but it was something that had to be done.more

Anchor Detail

Anchor Detail

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I lifted a quick prayer for that fisherman, even as I watched him throw his back into reversing his course. What chance does a little guy have in this world, you know?more