-
July, the Great Basin – George Perreault
July, the Great Basin A season of dry lighning, namesflaring haphazardly: the Gold Fire,Rock Farm, then Canyon River;two years ago the Whaleback burnedto the edge of Eagle Lake, ephemeralshave returned, grasses, scrubs are next. They opened my sister back East, gluedup the lung, said stage four, and sowithout treatment, maybe six months –efficacious drugs? add…
-
Ruby Insides – Ewan Davis
Ruby Insides Fiction by Ewan Davis Sullivan didn’t usually let his daughter in the room while he was working. The job was safer when Clara kept a lookout, but he felt like giving her a pass tonight, what with it being her tenth or eleventh birthday this week. The real medical examiner tended to announce…
-
AUTO-STOP MECHANISM – Kris Hiles
AUTO-STOP MECHANISM You were a bit more Rat Pack,and your lungs were evidence –you loved to sing, you loved to drink,but you gave me that Frank Sinatra lineevery time I put a record on. The argument startedbecause I took too long to answera question. What do you want for dinner? Forgive me, I was swaying…
-
Echo – Matthew Downing
Echo Fiction by Matthew Downing Daisy stared out the wide window wall overlooking Lake Michigan. It had taken her a month to find the perfect three-bedroom condo with hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, and an unobstructed view of the lake. Now that they were finally settled, she could not believe Jordan had brought up Capri’s…
-
The Waiting Woman – Jessica Matelski
The Waiting Woman Fiction by Jessica Matelski I come back to myself one piece at a time. My throat is sore from shouting, my skin sticky with sweat and tears. Where is my mother? I haven’t finished forming the thought before I’m pushing the syllable out of my mouth, cracking my lips as they spread…
-
Motel – Marlon Martinez
Motel Fiction by Marlon Martinez We spooned together weirdly when we’d wake up in the mornings. Afternoons. Somehow, after the fighting, the accusing, the sticking ourselves with needles beginning to rust, overturning of furniture, the misplacement of beds, after the maid coming to undo what had been done, just to have it happen all over…
-
When My Depression Doesn’t Lift, I Visit My Mother’s House and Let Her Take Care of Me – Claire Taylor
When My Depression Doesn’t Lift, I Visit My Mother’s House and Let Her Take Care of Me We see three toads on our walk down the mountain. They are spread out across the road, bodies flattened to paper, guts splattered in thick clumps. Do you think they all died together, I ask, but their bodies…
-
Something Close To Happiness – Deborah Keenan
Something Close To Happiness for David Oppegaard, a collaboration with his short story, The Treat The killer decides he loves living during a pandemic~~~ So much death decorating the cemeteries, the hospitals, The back rooms in the homes of the poor, in all the places Old people and old soldiers are warehoused, Passing the days…
-
The Baby Won’t Sleep So We Go For A Long Walk During Which You Recount The Entire Plot of Space Jam – Claire Taylor
The Baby Won’t Sleep So We Go For A Long Walk During Which You Recount The Entire Plot of Space Jam there were monstersat least that much I recallmy mind a blank slateas though I’ve birthed a new mealong with the babyboth of usoccasionally wetting our pantsdeep insidewhere they stitched me upI am burninga hot…
-
Backyard Dreams – Ramesh Dohan
Backyard Dreams The front door wide opento a sky of windblown birds,silver wings bent backthe acre of grass is a sleepingswarm of locustsElla singsIn the next room without a bodyI am against the wallI turned the family portrait facedownWhen he was on meWhat he calls me is not my nameAnd I love itDamask chair beside…