After a night on the phone, I learned two things. First, he was a total mess. Second, it’s extremely difficult to clip your toenails while cradling a cordless handset between your shoulder and neck. Speakerphone seemed too impersonal.… more
Tag Archives: flash fiction
Daddy Said I Had To
FICTION by Caralyn DavisThis was different than squirrels—revenge not supper.… more
The Inheritance
FICTION by Robert John MillerI know he never would have drag-raced Ferraris or had three women massage him in a kiddie pool filled with room temperature spaghetti and farfalle pasta or watch another man murder someone for a few thousand dollars…… more
Holy Thoughts
FICTION by Christina DalcherCatholic, Jewish, Mormon, or Muslim–boys will be boys.… more
dwindle, peak, and pine
FICTION by Timston Johnston—with thanks to the Columbus Zoo We find Hay-Zeus on what we think is a Sunday. He is in Cruciform. He is missing below the chest, his neck gnawed away. His fists clench fur. Shame, another says. He is our cook and we have not eaten since what we think was Friday. Not fish… more
One Hundred Twenty Sunny Nights
FICTION by Justin HerrmannBefore I left Illinois, I told Julie I needed to do this once, meaning Antarctica, not adultery. More and more I don’t know what I want in this world.… more
Male Bonding
FICTION by John TalbirdSwitching lanes at eighty without a signal, you bite the Baby Ruth to the wrapper, snap fingers, press play and shout, “Yeah! I don’t care what people say—Nugent’s got balls!” Raising your voice to compete with “Cat Scratch Fever” you ask, “Did you hear what that cocksucker Davis said to me? God, he jerks me.”… more
The Pine Barrens at Night
FICTION by John Crawford“Our friend said he wasn’t feeling right, that he didn’t trust himself to be alone. This isn’t the first time he’s called in a moment of crisis. We don’t want to leave a man behind, so we go… more
Scrabble
FICTION by Chris Tusa“Kidnappers should feed the girl they steal something cheap, like frozen dinners. But have you ever tasted frozen dinners? … more
Respect
FICTION by Kaj Tanaka“Everyone was watching, at that point. I was watching too. I should have intervened, because animals on the playground—dogs, cats, snakes, even raccoons sometimes—it happens a lot.… more
