By Don Cummings I haven’t seen Jim since college in—it must be—twenty years; Meryl, nineteen or twenty; Gabe, sixteen; Robyn—Jesus—the same. Jim lives in Burlington, Vermont—the last time I checked. Meryl—Connecticut. Gabe moved, somebody said, to St. Louis from Ann Arbor…. And Robyn’s somewhere—Laguna Hills? Laguna Beach? in Southern California. Burlington’s near the border. Connecticut’s … Continue reading Friends
Libby
By Cynthia Li During recess, my friend Libby asked me if I would like to fly to Saturn with her. She spread her color pencils in front of my desk, leaning over with her legs open. “How are you going to make this happen?” I asked. Libby rolled her eyes and said: “Go to bed … Continue reading Libby
Our class president is a vampire hunter?!
By A. R. Tivadar For once in her life, Olguța was not running late to class. She saw professor Dumitrașcu at the other end of the wing where the classroom was located, but blessed be all gods in the sky, he was stopped by Miss Gorun for a morning chat. She slipped into the classroom … Continue reading Our class president is a vampire hunter?!
The Very Best
By Colin Payton Bruno was listening to the 8AM BBC News as he drove along. The main news item over the past few weeks had been about the disappearance of Josh O’Connor, a violent, career criminal awaiting trial on multiple charges. He had disappeared without a trace, without sightings at airports, train stations, ferry terminals, … Continue reading The Very Best
12 Days of the Holidays: “A Little Bit of Hope” by Claire Griffis
When Jamie was eight years old, her family loaded into their eight-seater suburban and drove to the neighborhood on the west side of town, where the neighbors had decided either collectively or in an act of bizarre subconscious unity of the mind, to cover their yards in the biggest spectacle of lights, red and green … Continue reading 12 Days of the Holidays: “A Little Bit of Hope” by Claire Griffis
Muffin in the Mailbox
By K.C. Dunford A mailbox is no place for an unwrapped dessert, specifically those carelessly plopped on lined paper. But there it was—a muffin—top glistening in rusted darkness. Chocolate chunks stuck out—those tiny mysterious mounds. And after the events of late, they looked more like freshly heaped graves. I took the muffin, latched the mailbox, … Continue reading Muffin in the Mailbox
The Night Shift
By Saleah Yusuf “She approached the unfamiliar door, and nervously took the key from her pocket. She took a deep breath, unlocked the door, paused, then opened it. To her horror, she saw… Leslie with no makeup on!” Charlotte exploded into a fit of giggles, at her last statement. Her shoulders shook with every laugh. … Continue reading The Night Shift
Family Affairs
By Karen Kinley The private dining room, despite its sophisticated walnut accents and warm tones, was both stifling and somber. A fitting place for this particular family dinner. Sliding open the paneled screen, a waiter entered the small space and set a plate of edamame down on the white linen tablecloth. He then stood waiting … Continue reading Family Affairs
8 mn 20 s
By Zara Thustra “This is it,” Natalia says as she stares at two tickets on her kitchen table. Stencilled on them, in brown and sandy letters, is World Chess Championship – Lincoln Center – Sat, July 9, 2039 2:00 PM. “I’m doing it today. No more getting cold feet.” Last Friday at the coffee house, … Continue reading 8 mn 20 s
Brave Ramon
By Lewis Brett Smiler Whenever Jen sang at the nursing home, her boyfriend Ramon would forget himself and start singing along. But when Jen looked at him from the piano, he would stop immediately. His off-key voice was very distracting. Yet, seeing her dad’s old coworker Mr. Spinelli was far more unsettling. He used to … Continue reading Brave Ramon
Academy of the Heart And Mind 