The pasture sloped gently before him, fruit-laden autumn branches bouncing glimpses of snow-capped peaks. He toed the soil and sat, twisting an alfalfa sprig between his fingers. Nettie, the dog-brained alpaca flopped down beside him for a rub. She was the last of the livestock and spent her days close to the farmhouse. He had [...]
¶ Agency
She lifted her arm again and selected one, darker and larger than the first. Her tongue confirmed the choice and she thought of swallowing the seed. Who taught her not to swallow the seeds? It must have been her mother, but she couldn’t remember now. She had trusted and complied, a choice removed. A paved [...]
He set his mug on the counter, picked up the empty carafe and poured a cup of nothing. Raising it to his lips, he breathed invisible steam and anticipated liquid scald. That’s when he woke up. She must have been running late. The filter drawer limped toward him begging for grounds. Maybe they were out [...]
This story was written for the Editor Unleashed Flash Fiction 40 Contest. She cradled the cracked plastic wagon like a fetal twin. An unlikely rose bush stood sentinel, wilting yellow petals onto the earth of this mobile womb. He would have made the call immediately, had he not discovered her while urinating in the alley. [...]
In frigid darkness I boarded the 2:00 AM shuttle to SeaTac airport, traveling lightly with a few outfits, my laptop and a book. I had mailed clothing and gifts and hoped they would be waiting for me at the cottage when I arrived. My mind wandered, exposing snippets of conversations from our most recent group [...]
On parallel paths, they pulsed through the thickening crowd. Swirls of light and color gave rhythm to the coarse, moonless night. She marched toward a dream, glancing off elbows and shoulders, spinning in distraction, but not losing sight of her target. The purple tent in the foothills of the great machines promised forbidden wonders. The [...]
Chocolate. I tasted, then heard chocolate. “Are you sleeping? You never sleep.” The icy phone carried the buttery tones to my ear as my brain discovered the hand connected to my arm. It was James. Jolted awake, I summoned a groggy reply, “How’s your tomorrow?” He almost laughed and my skin warmed at the sound [...]
I had never been to the cottage in winter and my first thought was to wonder if the pond would be frozen. I was not ready to find meaning in his brief note. There was a part of me that rebelled against the idea of being summoned like this, without a phone call or explanation. [...]