By Steve Cristinzio Kevin is a writer. Kevin spends much of his time writing stories. Everywhere he goes, he carries a notebook with him in case inspiration strikes. Every so often, his stories turn out quite good. Sometimes they don't, though the quality of his work never mattered to him. He revels in the joy … Continue reading The Blank Page
Quick Harvest
By Donna Gum At the Orange Sparrow Grocers, Shanda saw with dread that the people in the blue and purple robes focused their attention on her. I don’t have any money for them. She felt uncomfortable. They collected donations about once a week. Thus far, Shanda had evaded them. As she neared the entrance, the … Continue reading Quick Harvest
Winter Deer
By Zary Fekete The town of Cokato is almost exactly halfway across the state of Minnesota on Highway 12. The name Cokato comes from a Siouan word meaning “amid”, helpful for orienting the original indigenous travelers across the territory many years ago before the railroad was built. Despite the encroachment of modernity, the land in … Continue reading Winter Deer
Into the Light
By Debbie Robertson “Mom, I’m home.” Luz clicked shut the heavy oak door and gently dropped her faux fur backpack on the bench nearby. A stack of mail, as usual, was piled on the table in the hall, but there was something in it that caught her eye: something pink. Her hands grabbed at the … Continue reading Into the Light
Stay Put
By Akinkuolie Steve The harmattan wind roared through the village of Omoloro, dragging with it a shroud of dust that veiled the sun and set men coughing into their elbows. Women crouched low over their mortar and pestle, pounding yam with a rhythm older than memory, their faces lined not just with age but with … Continue reading Stay Put
aren’t you cold?
By Jade Metrillo When Won’s brother calls to ask how he’s doing, he says he’s doing good. He talks about getting new glasses and contacts, about the stray cats in his neighborhood he sees on his walks, and the rains they’ve been having lately. He doesn’t tell him about the reason why he needed new … Continue reading aren’t you cold?
A Library’s Secrets
By Mattie Brown It was just another quiet night for Sam, the night guard at the Alderbrook Public Library. This being only his fourth day on the job, he is starting to become familiar with the twitching broken screen of the security camera computer and the eerie silence of the empty library. The only noise … Continue reading A Library’s Secrets
Strong at the broken places
By Matt Eidson When sleeping in WalMart parking lots got old, I started parking between semis at gas stations. Then one night a trucker with a beer belly and a MAGA hat knocked on my driver side window for five minutes straight. I quietly rolled out of the bunk in the back of the van, … Continue reading Strong at the broken places
Getting Better
By Sophia Williams “Good morning, Via.” “Good morning, Doctor Molloy.” “So, Via, how are you feeling today?” “I’m feeling the same as yesterday, and the same as the day before that, and the day before that. It’s always the same feeling every day—it never changes.” “Okay, I hear you. And how does that make you … Continue reading Getting Better
Spring Contest Fiction Winner: “Solar Life” by Gail Brown
Sunlight peeked over the horizon. Elanora pushed the woven grass curtain back. No need to call Traden or Shadel from onvine chatting with distant friends. The weather forecast for today was bright sunshine for a full eight hours. She tapped her final vine mail of the night. The vine quivered as the message shifted off … Continue reading Spring Contest Fiction Winner: “Solar Life” by Gail Brown
Academy of the Heart And Mind 