The dog noticed first. Spun upright in our bed.
“What is it, Calvin?” Alert ears. Rigid tail. Low growl.
I dropped my hand under the bedframe. Grabbed the twenty-two.
When the shadow appeared in the bedroom doorway, I fired once. A practiced shot.
He won’t be coming home late anymore.
John dabbles in flash fiction while editing his (hopefully) debut novel. Taste some of his stories at JohnDavisFrain.com.
I sat on the rickety court bench, filling out the restraining order application, vowing I would someday leave my apartment, walk down the street, and go to the supermarket without fear, no longer trusting in those who proffer, “Hey, why don’t you try online dating? It worked for my cousin!”
Debbie L. Miller is a writer and winner of the 2017 Mona Schreiber Prize for Humorous Fiction and Nonfiction. She dates in beautiful Brooklyn, New York.
I must fix my time machine, but every night she comes dancing in the woods and I’m lost.
I wanted to give my legacy to science, not lose it to history, but maybe I’ll ask her name tonight. Maybe she’ll love me,
too.
Maybe they’ll remember Robin Loxley, after all.
Matthew Wilson, 34, has been published over 150 times in such places as Horror*Zine, Zimbell House Publishing, Star*Line, Alban Lake, and many more. He is currently editing his first novel.
The grey mask shields her eyes from visions of the children she never had
and scents her dreams with lavender
The ear plugs muffle the whispers of her ghosts
She bites down on a bullet, designed to take the strain
And she lays herself down,
prepared
to fight the night.
Jennifer M. Smith lives in Burlington, Ontario.
Barry didn’t need to make the announcement about turbulence
or flick the seatbelt light on early
or shake the column hard enough to make the wings flex
or force the wheels to thump on touchdown,
but he’d worked hard for his qualifications
and felt he deserved a round of applause.
Mark Farley writes novels, flash fiction and the occasional poem. See more at mumbletoes.blogspot.com.
The Scottish Highlanders had to leave.
As they sailed out of the harbor, their dogs swam alongside their ships, not understanding.
Most turned back. But one strong dog, who loved too much, would not.
After many miles and waves, a ship pulled that dog aboard for the long journey west.
Adele has loved many dogs. She is sure that at least one of them was descended from the dog that loved too much.
The story of the week for January 8 to 12 is…
Advanced Flexibility by Brooke Randel
They said he couldn’t do it. They said it was impossible for him to become a confectioner. He’d failed culinary school over and over again.
But here he was, baking a cake for the Chief Examiner. He let out a happy sigh as he slipped the poison into the pastry.
Balázs Papp is a 16 years old student in Hungary, he plays soccer, (or football if you will), enjoys dancing, and in his free time, he occasionally writes short stories or poems. He apologizes for any grammatical mistake made on his behalf.
The old lady nudged the bearded man beside her, and asked, “Do you remember my brother?”
“What?” He replied.
“My brother. Do you remember my brother?”
The old man sighed. “I am your brother! I’ve told you a million times.”
The old woman appeared doubtful. “My brother wasn’t that ugly.”
Eddie & Anna are a father-daughter team that enjoys dreaming up stories and hashing out dialogue. Sometimes they even write them down. Anna’s new to writing, but you can visit her father’s website.
Who are these senior citizens who surround me?
I see retirees decked out in bifocals and new teeth, but I remember energetic cheerleaders, state football champs, school newspaper reporters.
As we pass phones to share photos of our kids, grandchildren, and pets, we promise to meet again in 10 years.
Roberta tried retiring, but it didn’t work. See more at RobertaJacobson.com.