He’d felt the particular ache of a thing compressed… more
Tag Archives: Masculinity
Silence, Father
FICTION by Delvon T. Mattingly“When grandmother passed away, father grew reticent. And I was okay with it, since he abandoned his routine of scolding me for lacking masculinity. Since he didn’t condemn every tear that fell from my face, spewing the same toxic rhetoric of how I needed to emotionally withdraw and appear similar to a parapet wrapped in black derma, to protect everyone around me, just like him. When I thought I would cry most, I felt nothing.”… more
Cigarettes After Sexism: The Shy-Boy Misogyny of Indie
CREATIVE NONFICTION by John ShakespearI spent most of high school wearing hoodies, reading guys like Salinger, and thinking about a girl called Laura, whose name is not really Laura.… more
Where The Big Bad World Begins
FICTION by Justin ThurmanTall as the devil, they said. At thirteen. Wingspan of a rare stork. Hands fat as chuck steaks. He should have been ruining worlds, not having his own destroyed by a pint-sized Indian in a second-hand Raiders jacket.… more
Two Stories
FICTION by Steve ChangIt all comes out, no matter how many years later. He hated that photo, but it was telling the truth.… more
Somewhere Without Trees
FICTION by Jordan FennellNo one broke Jesus’ legs, but someone made Him bleed. … more
Real Fun
FICTION by Emily HooverWilliam didn’t need keys to successfully steal his mother’s navy blue Camaro. He knew how to hotwire it in ten seconds flat and lived for the jolt of electricity that shot through his body every time the engine roared without a fuss.… more
Landmine
CREATIVE NONFICTION by Ray Shea“Wife-beating has a unique and unforgettable sound, especially when it wakes you up in the middle of the night…”… more
Dolls for the End of the World
FICTION by Bradley SidesThe warmth came and left, and, no sooner, it left and came. There was no way to guess what the world would become. At least it remained. Charred oak trees surrounded by misplaced puddles. Rivers as black as burnt cherries. Sputtering flames along the receding riverbanks. Days shorter and, still, longer. Patrick stood on the… more
BULLshot: Chris Tarry
GENRE NON-BINARY by Pete WitteThe author of “Here Be Dragons” on the genesis of stay-at-home dads of the Dark Ages… more
