MATT McHUGH: Termination of Service

Artistic, Submissions, , ,

“You may get several more years with immediate, aggressive treatment. Are you ready?”

Bill’s wife blubbered. He’d given her jewelry, vacations, homes, children, and a 401k from a dead-end job. Now she wept as tumors crept through his body.

“Yes, doctor!” she replied.

Finally reclaiming his life, Bill whispered, “No.”

Matt McHugh was born in suburban Pennsylvania, attended LaSalle University in Philadelphia, and after a few years as a Manhattanite, currently calls New Jersey home. Some of his work is available at mattmchugh.com.

TODD CRAWFORD: Footprints

Artistic, Poetry, Submissions, , ,

I lie awake
Dreaming, riding
Sand wet as molasses,
Smooth as dusk,
Your hair spread like the night.

I lie awake and
The ocean breathes
Inside me
Until clear light of dawn pours
Through the bedroom window
Stirring dust in the air
Like great white gulls,
Scattering your memory everywhere.

Todd is an amateur writer and poet. This poem is one of several he is working on, in his own collection called “Cravings”.

KAI GAITLEY: Stuck in a Rut

Adventure, Amusing, Submissions, , , , ,

Tears flooded down her cheeks. The girl’s most outrageous fantasy had been realized: a pair of unicorns, in nature.

As she surveyed their matted, blood-soaked coats with horror, her eyes froze on contact with the victor, who, looking elated but puzzled, said: “Why do you think we have the horn?”

Kai Gaitley is pursuing an English major at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and enjoys discovering the energy that resides within every format, whether it is a sonnet, a blog, or a well researched essay. This dalliance with fiftywordism is a new and exacting path, full of high-stakes promise and brutal editing decisions.

KARLA DEARSLEY: A Yarn with a Foreign Twist

Amusing, Submissions, Top Stories, Touching, , , , , ,

Emily knitted dreams into every row on the socks she made for her son Frank. Thoughts far away on palm-laced shores, she knitted and purled from toe to heel, ribbed a cuff of tropical sunsets.

Frank complained they made his feet itch.

He runs a bar in the Bahamas now.

Karla Dearsley’s stories, flash fiction, and poetry have appeared online and in print on both sides of the Atlantic. Her fantasy novels are available on Amazon and Smashwords. Find out more at ksdearsley.com.

ANITA REYNOLDS: Her Discontent

Submissions, Touching, , ,

“Oh, he loves me,” she said, “in that vague, distant, save-the-whales sort of way.”

She stared off into the emptiness of the world, then sighed.

“Yes, he loves me. He tells me so, endlessly.”

She pulled her thoughts closer and waited for his words to ring true, just once more.

Anita Reynolds is a writer in the wilds of Tennessee, though it’s not too wild, unless you count the four children.

PAUL BECKMAN: Why Was This Night Different From All Other Nights?

Amusing, Submissions, , , ,

At the family’s yearly Seder, Mom farted.

Dad farted to deflect her embarrassment. Grandpa let one rip, and grandma came out with her silent but deadly. My brother nodded at me and we doubled down.

A cousin, the youngest, asked if these could count in place of the four questions.

Paul had a micro story, “Brother Speak”, selected for the 2018 Norton Microfiction Anthology. His published story website is paulbeckmanstories.com.

CHARMAINE WILKERSON: The Wager

Adventure, Artistic, Submissions, , , , ,

Many islanders believed that chickens were for laying eggs and eating. But Lin knew better. Life was all about the fight. Families, cities, countries, and dynasties, all jostling for survival. The cockfight was life. And money.

Though Lin’s luck had disappeared and he, too, would have to do the same.

Charmaine Wilkerson’s novella How to Make a Window Snake won the 2017 Bath Novella-in-Flash award. Other stories and essays have appeared in various print and online publications. She tweets occasionally at @charmspen1.

JENNIFER M SMITH: Lost and Found

Artistic, Submissions, ,

At the high tide line, where the waves don’t reach,
Where the wind tangles my hair.

Salt crystals on my lips, sand between my toes,
and the golden sunset on my skin.

It’s strange they said I was lost at sea
When here I am
At rest
On the beach.

Jennifer M. Smith is a long-distance offshore sailor and a pretty good swimmer, too.

WENDY OUGHTRED: She’s Gone

Artistic, Poetry, Submissions, ,

Some day.
When winds blow
Wild flowers face the sun
Love comes around

Catch it ‘fore it’s gone
Hold on tight. Infuse your soul
With sun’s golden rays.

She left, a dull empty heart
Stillness. Unbearable silence.
She slipped away. Without a sigh
Motionless hands, cold with death.
She’s gone.

Wendy Oughtred is a semi retired criminal defence lawyer who is now finding the time in indulge her first love: writing. She has led a diverse life which includes curling, performing in community theatre, and raising a family.