by Adalia Bogert Let me guess,You were one of them. “Don’t have kids.”Barren.“Speak up.”Nonverbal.“At least you’ll lose weight.”Cancer. I don’t have to tell you how bad that last one was.In our world, we have rankings.And Cancer is #1. Now you’re one of us.And you want to know the rules. I’ll…
by Adalia Bogert Name. Date of birth. Group member ID. Patient ID. Age. Height. Weight. Pain level. Date of onset. Number of hospitalizations. Prescription number. Test number. ICD-10 code. Signature. Date. Me.
by Nancy Swallow Somerfeld On paper, I had a sister But none I could call a friend. Yes, I know Sue was ill, No fault of her own, Still, I longed for a pal Who would know me, get me, Not the paranoid specter, The schizophrenia that robbed her Of…
by Jack King On a cold November morning, he made his first delivery. He stuck to personal shopping on the northeastern end of the county where forest-lined hills broke dense neighborhoods of houses on postage-stamp lots. The Hockstedtters’ place sat on a cul-de-sac. Lee donned his mask, pinched the clip…
by Rachel E. Enright “The Graveyard of Abandoned Dreams” placed first in Southern New Hampshire University’s 2021 Fall Fiction Contest. The graveyard of abandoned dreams was starting to get crowded. As far as Walt the gravedigger could see, headstones jutted out of the ground like sentries on a forgotten battlefield, weather-worn and…
by Amanda Koprowski “Between Here and There” placed second in Southern New Hampshire University’s 2021 Fall Fiction Contest. Myra says, “Let’s go on a road trip,” and Alice looks at her like she has two heads, because there is work and family and because Myra always says things like Let’s open…
by Brian Reickert “On the Lake” placed third in Southern New Hampshire University’s 2021 Fall Fiction Contest. Marc stepped into the canoe, sat on the caned seat, planted an oar on the rocky lake bottom, and pushed away from shore. Dylan waved goodbye to his mother who stood barefoot in the…
by Janet Petrine “Whispers of the Archipelago” placed fourth in Southern New Hampshire University’s 2021 Fall Fiction Contest. Locals were accustomed to the peculiarities that laced through their meager population. The strange behavior was companion to the endless winters and the harsh wilderness. For those among them with fragile souls, the…
by B. Cray “Chamomile” placed fifth in Southern New Hampshire University’s 2021 Fall Fiction Contest. Karyn found more beauty in the world when she softened her gaze. The thing she appreciated most about her bedroom was the birdfeeder Julian had placed just outside the window last spring. It was an attempt…
by Nancy Swallow Somerfeld Mama was a brave woman. That’s how I see her life. Most thought her meek, a stay-at-home wife, A mother of six, knuckling out three meals a day. We walked home for lunch: hot soup, piled With croutons and ham on seeded rye. All stacked up…