To confront your suspicions, go to paragraph 4. To trust this is just paranoia and finish breakfast with your family, go to paragraph 5.… Continue Reading
I knew about dreams. I knew they could cost you what you already had, if you weren’t paying attention. If you spent too long keeping your eye on the wrong prize. They could cost you your wife, your house, your kid. If those things didn’t cost you your dreams first. I never figured out which cost me which.… Continue Reading
Outside, the sky is island blue. No clouds. No wind. No hint of the dormant volcano below.… Continue Reading
The couple said, “it will get better.” They said, “let’s do that tomorrow.” They said, “we got through today and it could’ve been worse.” They said, “God willing,” and they said, “from your mouth to God’s ears.” The husband said, “that’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul,” and death rattled inside him.… Continue Reading
Working somewhere as temporary and replaceable as a fast food restaurant, you can pick a new identity and try it on for a season. I become obedient, quiet. It’s easier that way.… Continue Reading
I woke up on a podcast—the host asking, “What do you think about the plight of zebras?” I tried remembering their plight. Zebras? Zebras? Had I recently seen something? On my feed? I’d search Twitter, but my iPhone was in my purse. This whole time I sat thinking, I tried keeping a neutral but slightly pensive look. “Spinach,” I said.… Continue Reading
They drank to the good times, and then drank the good times away. It wasn’t two years in until she stabbed him in the gut in the middle of the night after catching him messaging multiple other girls on his burner phone.… Continue Reading
Don’t blame yourself that you expected the bartender’s age to equate to maturity. It’s not your fault that your dad died four months ago and he never showed you an example of a good man anyway. It’s not your fault that you’re the worst kind of cliche now.… Continue Reading
Monday night, judo class. Ishaan is on top of me, struggling with his grip. Though sensei Frank just demonstrated the choke for us, slowly, thoroughly, Ishaan’s already forgotten the hand work. His thin fingers grasp and re-grasp on my lapels, his knuckles grazing my face.… Continue Reading
It isn’t about feeding lasers to all those invading aliens, dishing out smith-forged steel to those marauding goblins. It’s about being the woman behind the smoking barrel; the female that grips the rawhide hilt. When she puts down the laser pistol, the gleaming, blood-soaked blade, the adventure persists. The adventure is being the new me—her.… Continue Reading