By Alan Ford When Jamie went out he usually felt bored. Like some people he couldn’t put his brain on hold. He needed something to think about. One day he was looking down at his cell phone, sending a text message to a friend, when he fell down a sewage manhole. He ricocheted off the … Continue reading Manhole
The Face of the Oppressed
By Michael Emeka A brisk wind stirred up waste papers, old cellophane bags, dead leaves and empty containers from the refuse dump by the roadside and chased them across the street. I didn’t see the objects because it was pitch-dark. But I felt them skitter past me, some getting caught at my feet. And I … Continue reading The Face of the Oppressed
Tea With Honey
By Laura Teodorescu Tea time is at eight o'clock every morning, without exception. Emily puts milk into hers, but mama and I take it with a hearty amount of honey. We drink it slowly, in the Great Dining Room, without exchanging any words. When we're done, Emily cleans up quickly, mama goes in her study … Continue reading Tea With Honey
Inconsequential Memories
By Natasha Rogers I remember when I wrote the letter volunteering for this. A woman takes my hand and carefully leads me down some stairs. Her arm is barely grazing my shoulders as we descend, “There you go, good, one more step,” she says. I can’t see anything; I’m blindfolded. It’s voluntary, but I probably … Continue reading Inconsequential Memories
Hedge Your Bets
By Doug Dawson "Bless me Father, it's been ... three years since my last confession and these are my sins." "Just a minute, my son ... why so long?" "I've been very ... busy, Father." "Too busy to come to confession?" "I've been ... doing other things." "Have you … Continue reading Hedge Your Bets
Nellie: A Story About A Childhood Regular
By Maureen Barron Nellie was BIG. When she came to visit when I was small she blocked the light out in the doorway, I could see some sky above her head and some of the yard through her ankles. She would haul herself into the house by clutching either side of the door frame with … Continue reading Nellie: A Story About A Childhood Regular
Formal Request
By Allison Futterman For LMF You come to my dorm room holding your pants in your right hand. In your left is an iron, and a jacket is crisply folded and draped over your arm. I realize this is your ROTC dress uniform. You pull out a roll of iron-on fabric tape from your backpack … Continue reading Formal Request
The Practice
By Jim Woessner With great difficulty an old man climbs a creek bank carrying a large stone that looks as if it weighs twenty pounds. Although he walks slowly and bends at the waist, he appears relatively fit for someone in his eighties. His short white hair and stubby beard accentuate the deep lines in … Continue reading The Practice
Seeking the Color of the Shadows
By Chitra Gopalakrishnan I sit with old and young relatives in Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu, in the south of India, in my aunt Radha’s home, or rather on her balmy thinnai, her long and wide red oxide porch, its polish alive and glistening at a level of perfection that can be achieved only by hundreds … Continue reading Seeking the Color of the Shadows
Grate Garden
By Alex Andy Phuong A man stepped out into the sunlight. Dawn had just came about, and then this person felthis feet upon the grass. Unfortunately, there were many weeds scattered throughout the lawn.The man toiled the soil, yet remembered the beauty of the Earth. Through love and care, thisman felt connected to the land, … Continue reading Grate Garden
Academy of the Heart And Mind 