The beeping started out quiet and high-pitched like the squeak of a violin strike, then grew louder and louder until Tommy had to reduce the gain on his radio or risk breaking the speakers in his tiny headphones. After the beeping peaked, the pitch would dropped like a slooping trombone, as the beeps faded into … Read moreThe Radio and the Russians
As a hairstylist, Ellen spent her days on her feet. The more hours, the better. Having downtime between clients meant she was losing money. She paid rent on a fifty square foot workstation in a prestigious salon. Years of standing in place, a sedentary after-work lifestyle, and habit of buying breakfast or lunch at nearby … Read moreSlightly High
Bennie and Rob had passed by the empty lot hundreds of times. They’d been walking to school together since first grade in the most gentrified neighborhood in Idaho. The fifty blocks of formerly blue-collar Victorian, Gothic Revival and Craftsman homes nestled against the nearby mountains drew thirty-somethings from around the country seeking a taste of … Read moreThe Best and the Brightest
Ron’s birth was unlike any the midwives had seen before. His mother, Verdella, said the contractions felt more like firm hugs instead of bands of barbed wire roping around her abdomen. When the baby crowned, light burst from her vagina. As the birth went on the light grew brighter and brighter until the midwives were … Read moreThe Messiah and The Peanut
“Just put your fingers in it,” Simon said. “No. I’m not doing that,” Tucker replied. “That’s how it works. You have to,” Simon explained. “I’ll just hold it with two hands and give it a toss, like a big rock.” “They won’t let you play like a five-year old. You have to put your fingers … Read moreBrotherly Love
Clarence was nearing one of the bright green plastic buoys that marked his lobster pots. The rights to lobstering in the bay had been in his family since before his grandfather’s day. Now retired, Clarence rowed out to the pots every other day or so, depending on the weather. He had lost his tolerance for … Read moreThe Puzzling Lobsterman
Tony hated afternoons. All the promise of the morning had been spent and all the good TV was hours away. Something about watching TV while the sun was shining made him feel depressed. As if he should be out there, where the achievers were, finishing up whatever it is they had been doing all day–skiing, … Read moreChaos Theory
King Edward improved the lives of his people by keeping the villages safe from marauding thieves, maintained peace with nearby nations, and promoted farming advances that not only increased the land’s yield but planned for storage of food and firewood throughout the winter. The people loved King Edward and the King loved his people. He … Read moreWhen Justice Prevails
The cold made Arnie want to stamp his feet to get some circulation going but knew it might spook his dog Gunther, who was crouched on four feet in the classic pose of a dog taking a shit. He was a mixed breed; some basset hound, probably some chow, maybe some terrier. Gunther was twelve, … Read moreGrowing Comfortable Together
The truck carrying Jeff hit a corner too fast, causing his would-be coffin to slam against the side of the pickup bed. The impact woke him. He was in the dark, inside what felt like a cardboard box and rattling around like loose change in a cement mixer. The truck left the pavement and turned … Read moreA Mother’s Love