Short Fiction
Bea and the Shotgun
In a mountain cabin after the end of the world, Bea waits for her sister and confronts an old threat.
Section
Short Fiction
Showing 1-24 of 304 pieces
Short Fiction
Bystanders
A story about Raul, suspicion, and the danger of deciding no one else will act.
Short Fiction
First Place, Second Place
Two former runners return to the track after an accident changes everything.
Short Fiction
Oppression
A courtroom monologue turns blame, violence, and self-justification into testimony.
Fiction
Tracks
She’d started throwing the bottles, the smashed glass in shards, pulling everything out of the trash and hurling it on the ground.
Fiction
Antipodal Sundays
Bill had his assistant google “antipode”. “An antipodal point is the opposite side of the world to where you are.”
Fiction
Cigarettes and Practical Pumps
After Lucian died, Ellen had to figure out what to do with his body, and how to contact his family.
Fiction
Of Blood and Ink
“Happy belated birthday,” said the other officer, and they both gave me their backs on their way to the cruiser parked on the driveway.
Fiction
Fast And Good Never Agree
How he loved that desk! Of course, he was proud of it, but more than that, it held the memories of a lifetime of service.
Fiction
Gabriel’s Touch
On Wednesday morning when the old red Hyundai Sonata makes its way down the gravel drive, pulling up in front of the house,
Fiction
Long Shadows
When he first heard of his father’s illness, it was mentioned in passing: a casual note at the end of a letter from his sister
Fiction
An Improper Wife
The bus station was within walking distance, and buses going anywhere and everywhere awaited her.
Fiction
The Flower Boy
The boy was also not without a sense of humor, and would sometimes weave the fronds
Fiction
The Purple Ceiling
Studio RAI seemed able to attract the biggest names, despite the irritating host. Even Mina appeared one Friday evening.
Fiction
Promises, Power, and Pain
He remembered a night not long ago when she had said, “I need you, Brian.” He had arrived home late again
Fiction
Witness
Ruth couldn’t remember what they had been doing before, why she decided to linger while the rest of the building hurried to the shelter
Fiction
Jessica
Naturally, Billy did not have many friends. He was simply too inconvenient to have around.
Fiction
Foot In The Stirrup
Her brother, Joesep, has accompanied her because she speaks no English;
Fiction
The Clothesline
Maisie lingered in the office supplies section before ending in home goods. She enjoyed this aisle most because she could tell that the man at the counter took pride in it. Often, it was stocked with new, unique things. This time, he had added a box of pens, with dark
Fiction
Germ Warfare
Three weeks later, Alex was still there and not showing any signs of moving out. She had quit her job and was supposedly looking for another one. Occasionally, she helped out at a friend’s nursery but the friend couldn’t afford to hire her full or even parttime. Lauren was looking
Fiction
The Studio
My daughter starts college in the fall and only speaks to me when she’s in need of money. My wife nags me all the time about a cottage we saw upstate about three years ago. It’s in the mountains. The back deck overlooks a huge lake. A slow-moving stream runs
Fiction
The Letter
Three years earlier Lizbeth had moved from her small town in upstate New York to a suburb of New York City. It had been a question of economics, safety and comfort – a dark studio apartment in a questionable part of Manhattan, but with reasonable access to job and city life
Fiction
Sophia Got Engaged
She drummed the fingers of her left hand on the rows of color-coded tabs in the drawer, pretending to deliberate, the brilliant stone twinkling with each gyration under icy fluorescent office light. “Thanks,” Malik mumbled when she handed the folder over, quickly wheeling himself away. Dom coughed and turned, seemingly
Fiction
The Passion of the Grandmother
She was the diamond brooch of the family, who had roasted chickens, hams and turkeys, stirred gallons of iced tea, and served pound cake on Franciscan Apple earthenware. No calorie need ever be counted, nor any puff from a Virginia Slim. She bestowed comfort from hands fragrant with Porcelana. Cold