“That settles it,” Mava said decisively, concluding a dialogue she’d been having with herself. “We’ve got to go swimming.” Ivan smiled weakly. “I think I’ll just put my feet in,” he ventured. “I’m really not that hot.” A drop of sweat chose that moment to roll off the tip of his nose, undermining him. Mava… Continue reading A Place in the Forest, Part III
Tag: short story
A Place in the Forest, Part II
“Oh no, I can’t eat that.” Ivan paused with his hand still outstretched offering the smoked trout on its open napkin. “Uh, there’s hardly any bones in it, if that’s what you’re worried about,” he said uncertainly. “I’m pretty good at deboning them. But you do have to be careful anyway,” he added hurriedly. “Some… Continue reading A Place in the Forest, Part II
The Visit
“Oh Addy, come on. You can’t wear that.” Her mother’s voice is wounded, as if Addy chose her clothes intentionally to disappoint. Addy looks down at herself, her cargo shorts, velcro sandals, and second-favorite t-shirt, the one with the frog on it. “Wear the dress you wore to Teddy’s baptism,” her mother continues. “With the… Continue reading The Visit
A Place in the Forest
A heavy crashing of branches sent two stealthy ravens up from their cover of leaves, croaking disgruntledly. Mava’s knife was already in her hand when the man landed in an undignified tumble of twigs on the thick moss at her feet. “Lecher,” she snarled, crouching back. “Spying on me, were you?” The man scrambled gracelessly… Continue reading A Place in the Forest
Starting Over
It’s not that he didn’t want to start over. Max could see a relatively compelling image of the next several years of his life: in this image he was more at ease, more successful, and things were lining up just right, and there were some new people in his life that made him wonder how… Continue reading Starting Over
Ecstasy with Emma
The drugs start kicking in almost immediately. Coming up I think is the phrase. I can tell I’m slightly off when I immediately rip open the wrapper of the granola bar before the guy even hands me my change, I’m not hungry I’ve just forgotten the order in which I would usually do things. I… Continue reading Ecstasy with Emma
Brooklyn Short Story in Two Acts
“Oh shit, here he comes.” Amy looked up from the partial shelter of the doorless closet that Mike generously referred to as “the kitchen.” It did contain the box of bagels (which waited in a disintegrating antechamber every morning when Amy unlocked the back door just before dawn, along with two large pastry boxes full… Continue reading Brooklyn Short Story in Two Acts
Not Listening
“You’re not even listening to me, are you?” Just like that, the magic words that bring me back to the surface. Suddenly and not suddenly at all I’m sitting across from you, my eyes scanning your too-familiar face and reading the hurt, the disappointment, these things familiar too, urging me to retreat back into myself. … Continue reading Not Listening
LSD with a Lover
I’m watching you turn somersaults in my kitchen with quickly increasing agility. The muscles in your shoulders coil briefly as you place your weight in your hands before lowering your upper back smoothly to the floor. You take up most of the room, as you do in all the small rooms of this apartment, but… Continue reading LSD with a Lover
Queen of Elves 