By Mehreen Ahmed As a lightning crackled, Claudia drew the curtains apart. She stood before the long French windows of her penthouse apartment and looked down at a wet alley. The cobblestones of the boulevard shone in the falling rain of dismal clouds. It hadn’t rained for days. She yawned and then she stretched. Across … Continue reading Coffee and Rain
Lost and Found
By Michal Reiben One evening as I’m laying on my bed, reading, the phone on my bed-side table rings. I pick up the receiver, “Hello.” “Anna?” inquires a woman’s voice. “Yes,” I reply nervously, for a strange voice usually signifies some sort of nuisance-call. “I’m your sister Imogen,” explains the lady at the other end … Continue reading Lost and Found
Waking You Up
By Nancy Lou Henderson There was an aroma of coffee perking, as the alarm buzzed loudly. Elsa knew it was time to get out of bed, but she laid there thinking, with her eyes closed, before turning the alarm off. She loved the bookstore downstairs, but as the owner, she knew it had monopolized … Continue reading Waking You Up
The Atlas of Disappearing Places
By Ciaran J. McLarnon The shortest distance between any two points is a straight line. Gladstone had this in mind as he aimed to walk down the middle of the corridor. He wasn’t sure why he was going to the dining room anymore, but he a deep sense that whatever he had to do there … Continue reading The Atlas of Disappearing Places
Pancakes
By James Bates Auntie Gertie spent more time that summer teaching me how to make pancakes than was probably necessary but I was just a ten year old kid who'd rather have been playing baseball or video games than fooling around in the kitchen learning to cook; that didn't matter to Auntie. She had a … Continue reading Pancakes
The Park Bench
By Nancy Lou Henderson What a drab day, Elsa thought to herself as she stood at her office window. Elsa prayed the rain would stop and the skies would clear by lunchtime. The park was her refuge while eating her lunch. Elsa had a favorite bench where she sat, ate her lunch, and watched … Continue reading The Park Bench
Letter Writing
By Jim Bates The week before breaking for the holidays in December Sue Beasley teaches a section on letter writing in her sophomore English class. She always begins this way, "Okay, show of hands. How many of you regularly write letters?" It's a loaded question because it's a rare hand that goes up, especially given … Continue reading Letter Writing
Someone’s MFA Thesis
By Thomas Page Pictured before you is a Sunday Chicken Dinner. There are greens, macaroni & cheese, biscuits, and a pitcher of sweet tea. Around this banquet there sits our characters: the Petersons. There’s Adam who is the father. He sits at the head of the table. He works at the swanky office downtown and … Continue reading Someone’s MFA Thesis
Contest Announcement
Springtime Contest March 01- April 3, 2020 It's time for our next contest! Our editors are looking for a way to say goodbye to Old Man Winter and welcome the upcoming Spring season. We are looking for poems, short stories, and art pieces which celebrate Springtime. They can be from any genre. The requirements: Entries … Continue reading Contest Announcement
By Faith
By Thomas Page The cave was only recognizable from the top of the hill. The way the pilgrims made it sound it should have been a lot bigger. Fire should have been scorching the rim with demons and adders hissing at you as you approach. This wasn’t the case. This made him uneasy for some … Continue reading By Faith
Academy of the Heart And Mind 