CAROL BROWNE: Place Setting

Amusing, Submissions, , ,

The farmer saw his daughter halfway down a hole in the ground. “What are you doing, child?”

“The badgers are having a tea party, Dad. They’re expecting me.”

He tutted at this childish fantasy, dragged his daughter away.

Below, father badger consulted his watch. “Think we’d better start without her.”

Carol Browne first appeared on the planet in 1954. She regards Crewe, Cheshire, as her home town and graduated from Nottingham University in 1976 with an honours degree in English Language and Literature. She is a contracted author at Burning Willow Press.

JOHN H DROMEY: Upfront Recommendation

Amusing, Submissions, , , ,

A couple of football fanatics met in a sports bar.

“What have you been up to lately?”

“I’ve been advising a friend about some possible drawbacks of going for the two-point conversion.”

“Is he a quarterback with an important game coming up?”

“No. She’s a cheerleader thinking about getting implants.”

John H. Dromey has had short fiction published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Betty Fedora, Stupefying Stories Showcase, and elsewhere.

WILLIAM SHAW: Germination

Amusing, Odd, Submissions, , , , ,

Chlorophyll implants had been a mistake. Jailbreaking them probably hadn’t helped either.

Leaves sprouted all over my body. Hair fell away like dead foliage as pink flowers started blossoming out of my skull.

When I first noticed, I was rooted to the spot.

How long before that was literally true?

William Shaw is a student, blogger, and amateur journalist. You can follow him on Tumblr at themadmanwithablog.tumblr.com or on Twitter at @Will_S_7.

DENNY E MARSHALL: Amy’s Boyfriend

Odd, Submissions, , , ,

Amy’s boyfriend never physically abuses her, but the emotional abuse is constant.

One night in the kitchen, Amy snaps after a relentless barrage of name-calling. She takes a long knife out of the holder and stabs him repeatedly.

Amy is in shock as she sees sparks coming from exposed wires.

Denny E. Marshall had had art, poetry, and fiction published, including recent fiction at 101 Words. See more at dennymarshall.com.

MARY STEER: Miss Match

Submissions, Touching, , ,

Alone again herself, she saw the loneliness of others. Stray mittens and gloves in parking spaces, on snowbanks and sidewalks.

She brought them home, washed and dried them, wore them as others wear mismatched socks.

Now when she claps her hands the soft thick sound makes her broken heart glad.

Mary Steer is a word nerd living west of Toronto, where she works and reworks stories from life and imagination. When she’s not writing or editing, she likes to dabble in physics (knitting) and chemistry (baking).

BOB THURBER: Rapunzel’s Routine

Amusing, Submissions, , , ,

The upkeep was never-ending; it took a week to wash, a week to dry, a week to comb, a week to braid; just so she could dangle it out the window for an afternoon, like a fishing line among the thorns, a temptation to witless boys spying from the brambles.

Over the years Bob Thurber’s work has received a long list of awards and prizes. His most recent book is a collection of brief stories titled “Nothing But Trouble”. Visit BobThurber.net.

PARAMITA GHOSH: A Silly Girl and a Wise Boy

Artistic, Submissions, , ,

The girl said, “Ghosts of my memories haunt me.” Perhaps she hadn’t buried them well. They kept feeding on her beautiful mind.

The boy said, “Those are lovely memories.” Perhaps he didn’t remember them forever. They faded away.

The girl was confined to an asylum.

The boy lived happily on.

Paramita Ghosh is an ordinary lady who sometimes tries to write stories.

ELDAR LEVIN: The Dead’s Weight

Adventure, Artistic, Submissions, Top Stories, , , ,

His hands are trembling. His vision is blurred.

He’s been quicker than many less fortunate souls, but hasn’t been in practice for years now.

He wonders if age will be his demise. Or rust. Or comfort.

After ten paces, he turns and finds too many faces staring back at him.

Eldar calls California home, where he can watch the sun hide behind the ocean.

CAROLYN SMUTS: High Tea

Amusing, Submissions, , , ,

“Can’t a girl get a proper cup of tea around here?” asked Katherine.

“Sorry Miss, we only have black coffee.”

“It’s just flavored hot water, no need to act like it’s highfalutin. But I do have very refined tastes when it comes to my beverages.”

“Look, lady, this is jail.”

Carolyn Smuts taught history before fleeing academic life to write. Her work has appeared in SELF, Glamour, Creative Living, Ultimate Motorcycling, and Business Week. Her recent fiction works were published by Akashic Books, Jitter Press, Wordland, and Omnific. She lives in Southern California.