By Emily Wahl The ax fell. She was expecting it, but it still hurt. “Why me?” was her first thought. She had gotten her hopes up, only to have them dashed. She tried to put a brave face on it, but she was in shock. Combined with lack of sleep and a mild hangover, her … Continue reading Far from Perfect
The Gravestone
By Lewis Brett Smiler Dan could not believe how much clutter his Aunt Sarah had left behind. She was such a hoarder. The number of books she had collected was probably more than the local library. Dan wondered how many of these books were still in print. Would he be able to sell them for … Continue reading The Gravestone
Love Song Competition Fiction Winner: “Easy Like Manicotti” by Angie Curneal Palsak
The garage door creaks open, and Ned, who probably shouldn’t be driving, eases his car in. The headlights slice through the cluttered garage, revealing a teetering stack of Amazon boxes piled on a wobbly sofa table against the wall. The headlights also illuminate the garage walls, plastered with our old posters of punk bands we … Continue reading Love Song Competition Fiction Winner: “Easy Like Manicotti” by Angie Curneal Palsak
With All Due Respect to Raspberry Jam
By Enid Cokinos Lady Cavendish’s untimely passing had the manor house staff scurrying about, dispatching possessions hither and yon, as the family’s solicitor, Mr. Fielding, pinstriped and bespectacled, directed from his perch beside the library fireplace between sips of Earl Grey. “Ah, yes, crate the heirloom china for Beatrix Von Ernstrom in Switzerland.” “Deliver Lord … Continue reading With All Due Respect to Raspberry Jam
To Whom Is It Granted?
By Asta Bender Binjol placed the rug in the middle of the living room–rolled it further and fixed it properly to align at the center. The rug was too big for the room–wasn't even something he could afford. But he inherited the rug from his grandfather, and wanted to honor his last wish. Binjol never … Continue reading To Whom Is It Granted?
Becoming
By Sydney Frandsen The first time I teleported, I was with Hamish, and we were about to tumble from the edge of a cliff that we had ventured to close too. One second, we were sliding over the loose gravel, about to fall a thousand feet to our doom, the next, we were a heap … Continue reading Becoming
No Place for Rain
By Oliver Hickman Raindrops pecked at window sills. Streaks ran down the glass— channels between clinging mist. The clouds had slumped low, visiting the ground in person rather than by gift of drizzle. They hugged the roads, the hills, the gradual moor, laying a blindfold on the town of Teatrees. The views and vistas which … Continue reading No Place for Rain
A View From My Window
By Leslie Selbst It is snowing heavily, and the flurry at the bird feeder gives credence to the fruitless search for food. The birds are hungry, and the fluttering and chirping grow louder as each struggles to maintain ownership of the seed pile. Their techniques vary, for size is not a predictor of control as … Continue reading A View From My Window
Cloudy Day for a Run
By Megan Nicholson I have felt consciously, emotionally asleep, wanting to stay awake for some unknown purpose other than to be away on these last couple of Saturday nights into Sunday mornings, and not let another day pass to further the timeline of distance between the last time I saw you until the unknown day … Continue reading Cloudy Day for a Run
After Your Funeral
By Mike Zimmerman The five of us promised your mother we would clear out the apartment. Grief-stricken, she’d tried her best, but left us with whatever she couldn’t take or toss. So, we’d divorced ourselves into two cars, and Jessie made an appointment with a disposal company. We had until 8 pm tonight to sort … Continue reading After Your Funeral
Academy of the Heart And Mind 