JOANNA M. WESTON: Probable Cause

Artistic, Submissions, ,

What if his taxi had arrived after instead of before me? If we hadn’t met on the steps? I wonder at possibilities and am no further ahead. Did he hate me that much for wrecking his business?

All the imponderables leave me exactly where I am: shot, in a coffin.

Joanna M. Weston has had poetry, reviews, and short stories published in anthologies and journals for twenty-five years. Her poetry, “A Summer Father”, was published by Frontenac House of Calgary. You can see more of her writing at www.1960willowtree.wordpress.com.

ALAN FEYKNAME: Little Black Ant

Amusing, Submissions, , ,

A little black ant crawled across the bare skin of my leg and I regretted, in a minor sort of way, wearing shorts that day. I considered brushing it off but it just seemed unimportant.

Why crawl all the way over there this soon after being in a car crash?

Alan is an engineering student who doesn’t think he can write but likes to do so anyway.

NATASHA MCNEELY: Sweet Fallen Angel

Artistic, Submissions, ,

Sweet fallen angel, cast away for undone crimes. He cannot return to Heaven; now burns in hellish flames. Only with true love can he be freed from aching bonds.

To help, my last breath must fade, so I can take his place.

To rid his pain, I’ll give my soul.

Natasha McNeely currently lives in Germany and spends most of her time reading, writing, and playing video games. She has lived abroad since she was seven years old and has taken a liking to foreign languages as a result. Now, she speaks four languages and recently graduated as a Multilingual Secretary with hopes of becoming a translator. Her website is http://natashamcneely.wordpress.com.

MARIAN BROOKS: Take Care

Amusing, Submissions, , , ,

Our waitress, Carlie, promised to “take care of” us. She sliced and served the pizza. With a flourish, she slid the pizza on to my plate. It continued to slide right on to my white slacks, sauce side down.

The manager arrived with club soda, an apology and the check.

Marian Brooks has recently retired and found some time to write short fiction.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband.

JAMES BALLARD: Full Circle

Amusing, Artistic, Submissions, , ,

I am so smart I have circled back to stupidity.

I want to say it was a big circle, but I’m not sure. My pace always fluctuated. Sometimes I raced around like I was smart. Other times I barely moved with a blank mind.

Now, I wonder what I circled.

James Ballard is writing from Los Angeles and was first and last published in BlazeVox12 Fall 2012.

LIDIYA EMILE: Jars

Odd, Submissions, , ,

Flushing my neighbor’s toilet, I eyed the pus colored soap on the sink. Ew, lemon citrus.

I opened the cupboard, scanning for something else. My eyes collided with jars. Jars with eyes, meat and tongues.

The door opened, letting the crisp barbeque smell waft in. “Are you done in there?”

Lidiya lives in London, spending her free time reading and writing. She runs a blog at http://www.lascarletcat.wordpress.com.

JOHN B. SINCLAIR: Doggone

Submissions, Touching, , ,

Jake was a mongrel who howled at the moon. Ma Olson bought him as protection against local thugs, and unfamiliar faces were greeted with menacing growls.

“Too loud,” complained neighbours, sentencing Jake to a premature demise.

One month later, when his owner was brutally murdered, no one heard a sound.

John B Sinclair is a much-travelled Scot who has now returned to Scotland, where he enjoys freelance writing on a variety of subjects.

JAY FINN: The Kids Are All Right

Artistic, Submissions, , ,

“Hey, Paul, look. A baby bird!”

Paul stopped mid-stride and turned to face Jake, a wicked grin creased across his child’s face. “Is it dead?”

“No. I think it’s a broken wing.”

Jake’s eyes conveyed nervousness.

Paul’s eyes however, held blood and lust. “A little baby bird,” he whispered.

Jay Finn is a 33 year old Irishman. Currently he has two ebooks available on Amazon and spends his days in the library, possessively working over his first novel. You can find out all you need to know about him and his writing at http://jayfinnauthor.wordpress.com/.

JOHN B. SINCLAIR: S.A.D.

Amusing, Submissions, Touching,

Tom woke up to a frost-covered lawn. How did he end up here?

He used to languish on Caribbean beaches with no job worries until fast-fingered whiz kids made him redundant. In London, no one wants a dinosaur.

His radio clicked on: “The sun ain’t gonna shine anymore.”

Time for bed.

John B Sinclair now lives in Scotland and is a freelance writer of mostly comedy material to the local news media.

He worked abroad for many years (Bermuda and the Bahamas) and loved his visits to the US. Orlando, New York City, and Boston are his favourite places. JBS enjoys football (soccer) and Maine Lobster.

E.A. FOW: Caravaggio’s Medusa

Artistic, Submissions, , , ,

Round, another shield of Perseus, the painting holds Medusa beheaded and mortally offended; why does everyone blame her?

Why must she be punished again and again? She scowls, her snakes hissing in support of her.

“Don’t look at me,” she cries out. “Don’t let him use me like this. Run!”

E.A. Fow holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College, CUNY. She reads, writes, and paints in Brooklyn, NY.

Editor’s Note: This story is inspired by a painting, which you can learn about here.