by V. J. Hamilton After I left Shari’s place, the first person I encountered jumped to one side and gave an embarrassed chuckle, as if to say, “Now look what you made me do.” I patted my hair and looked back at the ramshackle house, where Shari’s kids tussled amid…
by Karen Mandell Morning haze, tea sipped from stolid mug,chocolate quinoa cereal munched steadilylike a barnyard bovine. Paper spread out,an X-Ray. World-sized tumors,broken bones, pockets of healing,pockets of pus. The daily.Then a tapping, a steady beat trudgingruthlessly. Metronome on? Haven’t playedpiano in months, but maybe when dusting,grudging bit of homemaking…Not…
by Jordan Loveland (This story contains mentions of murder and suicide.) “What the hell,” Aria demands, “this is my sister?” She falters, face flush with anger and bottom lip trembling. “How do you know her?” Crumpled where her hand holds tightly to the page, the drawing isn’t one of my…