The Happiness Tale

By Tim Law Tom met Sally on a Tuesday. He was five and she three. They both lived on Long Street in a little country town near the Copper Triangle. Long Street was a hard packed dirt road that joined the town’s heart to the main highway. Locals sped along that road like startled snakes …

What’s in a Name?

By Joan Leotta Elena slid into the chair across the table from her friend Alda at Nettie’s Coffee Emporium. “Sorry I’m late. Overseas phone call. Did you order coffee for me?” Alda laughed. “ Of course. And a pistachio muffin too. You have the same thing every week.” She pushed one a plate over to …

The Golden Beach

By Bernadette Kloth & Steve Warren A full moon was waning and the nursing staff at St. Mary’s Hospital were all on their toes. A young nurse’s white Nike sneakers squeaked as she made a u-turn into room 444 when she heard one of her patient’s moaning.  The older lady had been admitted yesterday and …

The Woman in the Water

By J. F. Salocin  A blue infinity.  I float there, weightless, lunar strings connected at my back, the man in the moon is my puppeteer, pushing and pulling the waves, making me dance and sway without control. The only true power I have in this void is to stay afloat, tongue tasting the nectar we …

Perforation

By Mehreen Ahmed My time was up. The clock had stopped. My stilly pupils stared. Cold. My body fell like filbert. Stiff. It occurred at the stroke of twelve midnight when the hours froze. I rose to a height, and saw my inert body, once conscious and full of lights, had now been sucked out …

Strontium

By Jim Bates Sandra Mason was a studious girl who took life seriously, much to the joy of her father, Wallace, a physics teacher at the University of Minnesota.  “I’m so proud of Sandy,” he said, coming down the stairs after telling his seven-year-old daughter good night. “She’s just like I used to be at …

I Took the Plant Out for a Walk

By Mehreen Ahmed At midnight, someone was knocking on my window pane. It was a sinewy twig, wavering in the blustery winds. Knocks persisted. The window had fogged up from the recent cold waves. I walked up and stood before it. A coal spattered night, there was the twig rubbing itself on the fog. This …

The Alter Ego

By Medha Godbole Singh She was standing at a crossing on the road, waiting to get to the other side. She was lightly tapping her feet, impatient. It was getting late for her on her first day at work as a Public Relations assistant. That was not her plan. The girl looked at her watch …

One More Chance

By Nancy Lou Henderson Did that fire happen, or am I dreaming? Now I need to check myself out. My back feels solid and straight, both of my arms feel attached, my seat not burned, all four legs are still there, but I only feel one foot. I feel blistered and scorched on one side, …

A Small Haul

By Ranjit Kulkarni At 9.15 pm, Sub Inspector Satya got a phone call on his landline at home. "Sir, tonight," the sneaky voice at the other end said. Sub inspector Satya looked around to ensure no one was listening. His wife was not in the room.  "When?" he asked. There was a slight disturbance in …