BRIAN MAYCOCK: Passage

Artistic, Submissions, Top Stories, , , ,

The skeleton of the fishing boat is exposed as the water retreats, stripped of its engine and compass, its paint, its name.

Stripped of pride by quotas and technology–by change–the man stands by the shore. Once, his life flowed with the tides; now all he has is time.

Brian Maycock’s short stories have appeared recently in 101 Words, Paragraph Planet and Trembling with Fear. He lives in Scotland.

HELEN M MERRICK: Raindrops and Unicorns

Artistic, Submissions, , , , ,

She tilts the leaf, watches raindrops roll along the spine, merging into a tiny pool. Studying the sunlight refracted in the meniscus, she tells me of rainbows and miniature fairy lands where unicorns live. My heart soars, gladdened to find not every child requires modern technology to stir their imagination.

Helen M. Merrick lives in the UK Midlands with her family. She scribbles short stories in her free time and dreams about writing a novel. She might, one day. Follow her on Twitter.

RILEY MONTAG: Look Down

Adventure, Artistic, Odd, Submissions, , , ,

We’ve learned ways to deal with them: don’t go out when the sun sets. If you have to, stay under cover. Umbrellas, blankets. Move quickly; keep your head down. Do not look at the sky.

Once, Peter looked up and found the sky looking back. He doesn’t speak much anymore.

Riley Montag is a Colorado-based trickster that’s usually up to Trouble, but not generally up to No Good. Follow Riley at @RileyAMontag.

ALYCE CLARK: True Love

Artistic, Submissions, , , , ,

So, this is what love feels like… increased heart rate, happiness, longing.

A rush that says you can have, do, be anything.

Passion. Hope. Excitement. Expectation.

Belief in the impossible. And now, it’s here- breathtakingly beautiful.

I smile at the girl in the mirror. Loving herself for the first time.

Alyce Clark enjoys reading and writing short stories. Her work has been published by 50-Word Stories and Friday Flash Fiction.

JOSÉ J MORALES: The Fighter

Artistic, Submissions, , ,

Andy was secretly fearful of fighting. But when his brother was pummeled with eggs, he knew his parents expected him to defend his sibling. Unskilled, Andy boxed, then wrestled on the ground with the lead bully. At home, he proudly explained his black eye.

In his bedroom, he sobbed convulsively.

José J. Morales lives in Albany, New York. He is a retiree of the New York State Education Department. His interests include writing, singing, and oil painting.

SUSAN GALE WICKES: The Long Way Home

Artistic, Submissions, , , ,

She was over two hours late getting home.

Once again, roads that looked familiar had suddenly turned into a mysterious blur of unknown scenery and unrecognizable houses.

Now, finally, on the street where she lived, she ran through excuses.

Did she work late?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

She simply couldn’t remember.

Susan Gale Wickes lives in Indiana. She enjoys writing short stories and cartoon captioning contests.

RACHEL CANWELL: End of the Season

Adventure, Submissions, ,

Walking through empty rooms, one last time. Closing each door, I allow my mind to linger over this year’s occupants. Their baggage, their histories, souvenirs left behind.

Scratched skirtings, cupboards that stick, perpetually noisy pipes and reluctant lights.

And that stain in the carpet
that the guests believe is wine.

Rachel Canwell wrote this story.

VERONICA MONTES: He Says Don’t Talk to Me Like I’m Stupid

Adventure, Amusing, Submissions, , ,

Scar, I explain, comes from the Greek word eschara, meaning “place of fire.” Mine is fresh still, still raised and flaming red. I warn him once, twice, three times: don’t touch it. But he doesn’t listen; he never listens to me.

This is what I think about while he burns.

Veronica Montes is the author of the award-winning chapbook The Conquered Sits at the Bus Stop, Waiting (Black Lawrence Press) and Benedicta Takes Wing & Other Stories (Philippine American Literary House). Her flash fiction has been published in Wigleaf, SmokeLong Quarterly, CHEAP POP, Fractured Lit, and elsewhere. See more at veronica-montes.com.

FARLEY WRIGHT: Doulab (the prelude)

Artistic, Submissions, , , , ,

The thrumming of the oud’s strings warmed his chest as he sat outside the garden wall and played a doulab.

If it was willed that she was gone, it was also willed that the sun still rose, to the song of birds, and that he could smell good, strong coffee.

Farley Wright is the anonymous author of numerous critically overlooked unwritten works. His eponymous anthology ‘Unknown’ is currently out of print on e-devices but readily available on vellum scrolls or clay tablets.