By Tammy B. Tsonis I was born to be miserable like my mother and her mother before her. I was five when I discovered my destiny. I ran toward the kitchen for my favorite snack– a hostess twinkie - and saw my mother crying, tears rolling down her cheeks as she held a dirty mop … Continue reading The Miserable
Clam
By Miss Kay CLAM. From his bent position it was hard to make out his face. He seemed unfazed by the happenings around him. The town centre was abuzz. Honking cars, traffic slowly building. The park close by engulfed in activity. It was Saturday and the town’s people descended upon the park to flex their … Continue reading Clam
Face to Face
By Uday Mukerji Face to Face I threw off the comforter and ran to the bathroom. I was perspiring, and my heart was pounding inside my chest. I sat down at the edge of the bathtub to put the whole incident into perspective, although I feared the harm had already been done. The words had … Continue reading Face to Face
By the Clock
By Barry Kritzberg He said he would meet her under Marshall Field’s clock. Everyone knew the clock, he said, it was a Chicago landmark, even though Marshall Field’s had become Macy’s. He said all of this quickly, for he was hoping to conceal that he was without wheels and would arrive by public transportation. He … Continue reading By the Clock
Excisions
By Kim Charles Younkin January 22 Dear Dad, I’m scared. Don’t worry, though. It’s different this time. It’s Maisie. She has this infection in her glands, the vet says. I didn’t even know dogs had these glands until Maisie started scooting on her bottom all over the yard in the snow a few weeks ago. … Continue reading Excisions
Garden Views
By Candi Lavender Reaching for a towel to dry her hands, she noted the towel next to hers. It was haphazard. No, that was the wrong word. It was carelessly hung. Everything he did was careless, except when it was in his domain. Tools were hung precisely on the shed walls and if she returned … Continue reading Garden Views
Luzia’s Dowry
By Jozef Leyden The plane bringing me from Copenhagen to Lisbon was half-empty. So was the ‘Arrivals’ at the Lisbon-International on that late warm October evening when I came across her ̶ my inamorata-siren ̶ for the first time. With no checked baggage, just a backpack, I smoothly sailed through ‘Immigration and Customs,’ briskly pacing … Continue reading Luzia’s Dowry
Academy Classics: O Tannenbaum
By Thomas Page The tree sort of slumped over. Ornaments scattered all over the ground. On the way down, the tree took out several pictures on the mantle. The ground was covered in broken glass, clay, and porcelain. Their dog, Sparkles, was trying to eat the remains of a surfing Santa. “Well, I’ll get some … Continue reading Academy Classics: O Tannenbaum
Reframing Walter
By Russell Richardson Tom felt true affection for his therapist Walter. Unlike confused parents, expectant girlfriends, and demanding employers, Walter accepted Tom unconditionally. For years, the silver-haired man had nodded sagely while Tom talked on the office’s leather couch. When Tom’s ramblings developed into a meaningful thought, Walter expressed satisfaction; when the babble went nowhere, … Continue reading Reframing Walter
Leaving For Love
By Luke Beling The sea was a candle in his eyes. If he hoped to find what lay underneath it, he'd need to kiss her on the lips and promise to be back one day. Mary considered herself more than obtuse, undebated over like the choice of a holiday in the mountains or at the … Continue reading Leaving For Love
Academy of the Heart And Mind 