Speaking to seniors, the emcee referred to iconic moments in vintage radio programs. Jack Benny’s vault and Fibber McGee’s closet struck a chord with everyone except one stone-faced woman.
“Was she afraid a smile of recognition would give away her age?” the speaker asked the organizer.
“No. Too much Botox.”
John H. Dromey has micro-fiction, flash fiction, and short stories published in over 200 venues.
Because the previous gods had created one apocalyptic fiasco after another, fraternization among The Entities was now forbidden. But that didn’t stop The Sun and Death from stealing kisses whenever they got the chance. They grew bolder and their love burned brighter, until a scorched Earth was all that remained.
Dominique Gélin is a writer based in Los Angeles, CA. Her book, Heebie Jeebies: 31 Creepy Stories You Can Read in 5 Minutes Or Less, is set to be released October 2024. You can learn more about her work by visiting her website at dominiquegelin.com.
The ice cream was melting.
I raced the sun, licking faster.
“How is it?” he asked, smoking a cigarette.
It dripped on my shirt: evidence.
At home, an interrogation. “Don’t lie,” she said. “I smelled it on him.”
I stared at the ground and shook my head. “I’m not lying.”
Peter Wilson is a freelance writer living in Toronto.
The story of the week for April 29 to May 3 is…
Dot-to-Dot by Joanna Norland
There’s a mirror in the box that makes it look like he’s disappeared. This is his best magic trick. He’s so good at it he sometimes refuses to come out from behind the mirror, having convinced himself that disappearing leaves behind a wonder that can’t be achieved by being present.
Ran Walker is an award-winning author of over 30 books and the creator of the 100 x 100 micro novel. He teaches creative writing and lives in Virginia with his wife and daughter.
On his 104th birthday he has to ask his great-granddaughter to blow out the candle on the cake.
He says he has two wishes. One, Seabiscuit win the Kentucky Derby. Two, more for emotional than political reasons, FDR get re-elected.
If ever there was one good way to stay young…
John Szamosi is a wordsmith and peace activist who has published over one hundred short stories, satires and poems.
In his dreams he can see. He’s darting across the lawn after the sassy Shih Tzu in a pink pinafore. His paws thrash the air; he twitches and whines; he’s just about caught up with her now.
His person wouldn’t dare disturb his reverie now, would she? He can see!
Susan Israel is the author of two crime novels, Over My Live Body and Student Bodies (The Story Plant) Her short fiction has recently been published in Dark Winter Literary Magazine, JAKE and MacQueen’s Quinterly. She lives in Connecticut with her dog.
The dark car pulls up to the curb.
Door shut, the unblinking driver ferries you away.
Your first impression: Why so many pine-tree air fresheners?
You wrap yourself in a snow-pale blanket and notice the smell, not of petrichor, nor the dangling pressed-paper forest, but the first notes of rot.
Tim Boiteau writes in Michigan. He is a Writers of the Future winner and the author of several novels and many short stories. See more at timboiteau.wordpress.com.
I want to write words that are polished and pretty
poetic, prophetic and wonderf’ly witty
with verses and stanzas and pages galore,
and when I am finished write ten pages more.
Except there’s a rule that I need to address.
The word count is fifty. No more and no less.
Helen Ksypka lives in Eliot, Maine. She is the author of “A Chef for the Queen,” and her humor has been published by Meadowrook Press, Reader’s Digest, The Saturday Evening Post, Light Poetry Magazine, and elsewhere.
She left me unexpectedly. I now have eleven houseplants of various shapes and sizes. She took very good care of them… treating them as if they were her children. She spoke to them, fed them, healed them when they were sick. Now they stare at me. Will I be enough?
Barb is retired and lives at the Jersey shore with her plants.