Things That Recede with Time by Lauren Howlett Invisible boundaries. The gum lines of aggressive brushers. Chins, if you’re a Hapsburg. The stamped fingerprints of once white shoes. Synthetic beards on aging tires, eroding like rootless rubber hillsides. Reflections of home in the rearview window. Oil on a hot pan, a screaming, droplet army retreating in … [Read more...] about Things That Recede with Time by Lauren Howlett
flash fiction
At a Funeral by Alyasa Abbas
At a Funeral by Alyasa Abbas Waseem Akbar was a friend of my father’s and my uncles – It was the only thing I knew about him. Naturally, the news of his death did not affect me. The burial was in the night.There was already quite a crowd gathered outside his home by the time we reached there. The women were inside the house – Grief-stricken voices along with prayers and … [Read more...] about At a Funeral by Alyasa Abbas
Debut by Stephen Baily
Debut by Stephen Baily Through the open window above the tub, an outcry reaches us from the world. I sink my battleship, but it pops right back up to the surface. More shouts follow.“What’s wrong, I wonder?”Scooping me from the water into a towel, my mother carries me into the living room, where, in the strong breeze from the standing fan, my father’s drawers are … [Read more...] about Debut by Stephen Baily
Peter Crown by The Wynn Brothers
Peter Crown by The Wynn Brothers “Seventy hours,” said the man across the table from Peter Crown. Peter had invited him in for tea on an impulse that didn't feel like his own. He didn't even remember hearing a knock at the door.Somewhere in the middle of the pouring, the man introduced himself as the Devil. He said it with a disturbing pride, and Peter opted not to … [Read more...] about Peter Crown by The Wynn Brothers
Confession by Lorna Wood
Confession by Lorna Wood The Agency hired me so if anything went wrong they could claim I was acting on my own hook. We’d only just opened up diplomatic relations with Dokpur, and things were still delicate.I observed her shuttling between the workers’ dormitory and the government buildings she cleaned. I figured I’d do it on her half-day off, in the city, make it look … [Read more...] about Confession by Lorna Wood
Man on Fire by Nik Vestberg
Man on Fire by Nik VestbergI didn’t even have time to get annoyed at the man squeezing past me in the stairwell before I realized he was on fire. He didn’t seem to care himself and by then he was already so far ahead it didn’t seem appropriate to run after him. If anyone else was noticing they weren’t doing anything about it either. By the time I reached the platform … [Read more...] about Man on Fire by Nik Vestberg
Family Problems by Joshua Asmah
Family Problems by Joshua Asmah I’m sitting there, clicking away at my laptop, working on a new story.My cousin’s on the floor, playing a puzzle game on a tablet. She’s almost done.“I don’t like it when people fight,” she says, as simply as a 5-year old can say.Downstairs, her parents are having a yelling match. They’ve been at it for hours. Loud, harsh voices … [Read more...] about Family Problems by Joshua Asmah
The Old Bag by Linda Casper
The Old Bag by Linda Casper The beaten-up, old leather bag of indeterminate colour looked the most interesting find so far. James brought it down from the attic and dumped it on the kitchen table for further investigation. After rummaging amongst the contents, James proclaimed it to be a doctor’s bag. Catherine had her doubts. The house had belonged to her family for … [Read more...] about The Old Bag by Linda Casper
Troll Bot
Troll Bot by Denis Bell The latest item had come in while Ray was out of the office. West Coast – TB17. He looked at it and swore under his breath. He hadn’t signed on for this crap, at least it wasn’t what he thought he was signing on for. Looked like he was in for the duration now. No official rule against resigning, yet you heard things … roach motels and the like. Ray … [Read more...] about Troll Bot
A Killing in Town by Peter Malone
A Killing in Town by Peter Malone The door of the restaurant opened up and two men came in.They sat down at the bar, and Bob, the owner, said, “What can I do for your?”One man name Charlie, said looking at the menu, “What do you want, Arthur?”Arthur shrugged. “Whatever.”Charlie said, “Coffee, for the both of us.”Outside it started to rain. The man … [Read more...] about A Killing in Town by Peter Malone
The Other Coach by Sozou-Kyrkou Konstantina
The Other Coach by Sozou-Kyrkou Konstantina I’m unzipping the small suitcase open when the phone rings.‘Tonia, is that you?’ My mama’s fuzzy voice comes through the line in agonizing gasps.‘Yes, mama, it’s me. What’s up?’‘It’s terrible! Have you heard about the coach accident? On the highway, near Korinthos. People were killed. Horrible!’‘Yes, I saw it on the … [Read more...] about The Other Coach by Sozou-Kyrkou Konstantina
Flounder by Andrew M. Carless
Flounder by Andrew M. Carless I threw my tackle box in the bed of my truck, chunks of rust bounced off the tire. Billy pretended not to see it. He struggled with the jumbled words in his head. He wasn’t the type to come out and ask, so he bit his lower lip and concentrated.His timing during tuna season was suspicious. Everyone knew I packed my gear in Old Sandy on … [Read more...] about Flounder by Andrew M. Carless
In Springtime by Nancy Christie
In Springtime By Nancy Christie Each spring, the urge to plant something—a flower or vegetable or anything that would blossom and produce—pulled at her. It must have been a legacy from her grandmother who had, long ago, kept a garden of small and neat proportions. There had been cabbage-sized roses and delicate white pea blossoms. And in the fertile earth hid golden carrot … [Read more...] about In Springtime by Nancy Christie
The Rat Child by Grace Andreacchi
The Rat Child by Grace Andreacchi The Rat Child is in tasteful deshabillé, in a grey satin dressing gown with a small fichu of lace at the throat. Her heavy head wanders slowly from side to side as she walks in yellow patent leather slippers from one side of the room to the other. And back. And back again. The room is rich with the odours of cigars smoked meals eaten beds … [Read more...] about The Rat Child by Grace Andreacchi
In a builder’s notebook by William Bain
In a builder’s notebook by William Bain The finishings on the vertical planes of the hotel’s interior. An inexpensive or moderately priced paint has been used here in the corridor, a light beige. Its smooth appearance however is set off by the thick carpeting applied on the lower half of the wall. So facing the elevator, just above the carpeted lower half, located between … [Read more...] about In a builder’s notebook by William Bain
Bootlegs by Adam Daniel
Bootlegs by Adam Daniel We told our parents we were going fishing. My brother stuffed contraband down one of his bootlegs, and we set out for the creek in the woods behind our house.Nothing good ever came from those boots. He wore them black and with a pointed toe.I asked him, “Why do you wear them with a point?”“They are best for climbing chain link fences,” he … [Read more...] about Bootlegs by Adam Daniel
Me and My Friend by Nanette L. Avery
Me and My Friend By Nanette L. Avery The heart shaped planchette that had once been tossed into the box along with the other memorabilia lies before me with its feet up like a dried cockroach. Yellow and brittle as an autumn leaf, it's marvelously intact considering the age. It speaks a million tongues, but grey silence breaks the seal and I am plunged into a free fall … [Read more...] about Me and My Friend by Nanette L. Avery
On a Night Like This by Neeru Anand
On a Night Like This by Neeru Anand On a night like this, he would not have been out. But tonight was different. This was an emergency. The consignment had to be delivered. He glanced back at the life-like statue covered in brown-paper. One of the antiques being shipped out. This would make his fortune the man had assured him. But the night worried him. He preferred nights to … [Read more...] about On a Night Like This by Neeru Anand
The Birthday List by Scott Carpenter
The Birthday List by Scott Carpenter I could use some new socks. You know the kind. And maybe a pair of gloves. I wouldn't mind a copy of that CD I told you about, the name of which I can't recall. Perhaps a novel or two, but only if they're actually worth reading.That's about it.Well, I also want to go out. Anywhere. For dinner, a movie, whatever. And not … [Read more...] about The Birthday List by Scott Carpenter
Sex and Candy by Hairee Lee
Sex and Candy by Hairee LeeA friend of mine hasn’t had sex in over three years.That’s just long enough for the hymen to stitch back, says another friend, tearing open the package of assorted American candy we just snatched from the Monoprix.I reach in: Three Musketeers.Not interested in fucking any more, says my re-virginized friend.The other friend looks … [Read more...] about Sex and Candy by Hairee Lee