The story of the week for February 20 to 24 is…
Sunday Afternoon in Ward C by Mof Afdhaal
BRIAN MAYCOCK: A Last Dance
He played one of the scratched 78s he had found with the wind-up gramophone. Danced through the rubble with no one watching.
He had spent years telling himself that tomorrow he would start trying to meet someone. Now it all lay in pieces around him: the last man on earth.
Brian Maycock’s short stories have appeared recently in Paragraph Planet and Creepy Pod. He lives in Scotland.
MOF AFDHAAL: Sunday Afternoon in Ward C
Conversation didn’t hold as much interest as Tom Cruise running for his life on the fun-size flatscreen did. But in the misery of intrusive catheters and a relentless urge to retch, her soft snores from the visitor’s chair said “I’m with you to the end” better than any conversation could.
Moh Afdhaal lives in Sri Lanka and writes flash fiction. Find him on Twitter at @mohwritesthings.
HNK: A Look To The Past
I’m in a crowded banquet hall shaking hands with the Governor’s son-in-law. She’s peering at me from across the room. I once passed her notes through a chain link fence in a nameless hometown. The sadness behind her eyes ruminates on those days. We’ve outgrown all juvenile afflictions except desire.
HNK is an up & coming young writer and aspiring novelist located in coastal North Carolina. In his free time he likes to fence, play chess and practice physical comedy. His writings can be seen at prayaboutus.net.
DEIRDRE SMITH: Bedtime Soothsayer
He asks for my hand and inspects every wrinkle, connects every freckle, traces every line with his fingers.
He quietly analyzes my palm, with a look of angst drawn on his young face.
He tells me how many babies I was supposed to have and when I’m going to die.
Deirdre Smith has dabbled in writing for as long as she can remember. She is a part-time Guidance Counsellor and a full-time mom. She resides in the always colorful St. John’s, Newfoundland.
BOB THURBER: Sudden Sunrise
A moment before you wake, a bird escapes your dream. You find it waiting for you, watching you, flapping and fluttering, perched atop a stack of books arranged like a staircase. When you grab for it, the bird turns into a sunbeam slanting down from a pinhole in the curtain.
Bob Thurber is the author of six books. Regarded as a master of Flash and Micro Fiction, his work has appeared in Esquire and other magazines, been anthologized 60 times, received a long list of awards, and been utilized in schools and colleges throughout the world. He resides in Massachusetts. Visit his website at BobThurber.net.
DEBORAH TAPPER: The Beach
We built enchanted castles, sailed driftwood boats, raced pirates and mermaids, carefree feet printing unfinished stories across sun-rippled sand. Now I watch the sea and wonder if the restless waves stir old memories, if you ever stop to look for sirens or sea monsters.
If you ever think of me.
Deborah writes at an old desk surrounded by five hundred pet bugs.
CHRIS LIHOU: Aromatic Wood
The project did not matter; it was all about the aroma. The more sawdust produced, the more shavings he curled off the wood, the more his nostrils were filled with a smell that transfixed him into a Zen-like state. On some days he was even known to make something useful.
Chris Lihou is retired, now finding his voice via writing; including 50 word fiction.
ALAN KEMISTER: Curmudgeon
Decades ago, in high school, he joined friends singing a song. One took him aside. “You’re hopeless. You shouldn’t even try.”
He vowed to never sing in public.
Today, in the nursing home, they encouraged him to join their singalong. He shook his head and wandered away.
“Curmudgeon,” someone said.
Alan Kemister is a retired scientist experimenting with more fictitious writing. He’s currently working on a climate change trilogy. Two books are published. Get the gory details at alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com.
JONATHAN ODELL: Inventing Time was God’s First Mistake
Eve didn’t blame the snake. It was Time that got her and Adam into trouble. When God showed them that apple tree, their mouths watered. Then he told them, “Don’t eat it.” What did he do next? Left them alone. With Time on their hands and apples on their minds.
Jonathan Odell has published three novels and his essays and short stories have appeared in various national publications. He lives in Minneapolis with his husband. His website is JonathanOdell.com.