Trailing behind you along the night-deserted highway above, black sky, sharp stars, below no sound cracks through the haunted hours when all day-creatures have metamorphed to silence. You before me, Orpheus leading me up the wide entrance from Hell. I terrified that this fragile moment will crack and drop me into the void, burst to … Continue reading
Author Archives: Admin
The Drummer Boy
At the sound of a tentative rat-tat-tat, Jessica peeled open her eyes. An emaciated drummer boy dressed in a scarlet uniform stood by the lawn chair opposite her. His gold epaulets were crumpled over his thin shoulders. His small pinched face peered from under a crimson cap. “I’m fading from neglect,” he said, in a … Continue reading
The Seasons
Since she left her birthplace — a land of the seasons — her existence had been untethered: floating freestyle instead of settling to the comfortable rhythm nature guaranteed. The loss was not one she discussed with her family. They would have been troubled that she was not content in their new home. Her father argued proudly they were lucky … Continue reading
Rumplestiltskin
Rumplestiltskin of my soul a soul of no place of dream of never here by the skin of my flesh a singing flesh so warmly covered siding me and against Soon did I drift towards you a hazy snail into the pocket of my desire to sleep there pale with longing Take me to market, … Continue reading
A Week to Dine Out On
“Surprise!”, my daughter Sally chirped, standing at my door, arms laden with flowers and nutritional offerings. I don’t appreciate surprises and when, as now, I feared the unexpected guest was coming to celebrate my social whirl, I was aghast. “Am I not to be invited in, or have I caught you with visitors?” my daughter … Continue reading
Gift Unsolicited
Whenever a muddy taped box was plopped down on our front porch, I struggled to decipher my aunt Edie’s scrawl on the custom’s form. (Under no circumstances were we allowed to open the parcel until mom got home from working as a shelf- filler at Ben’s hardware store.) I had to be content with reading … Continue reading
The Thursday Billionaires
“We’re in the money,” cried Ricky pushing past a woman at the pub door and waving a wad of papers. Galloping to the corner where the gang was meeting, he shouted gleefully, “Time to celebrate. We’re shoe-ins.” “Okay, whoa Nellie,” said Tom, always cautious. “What’s your sure winner this week.” “It’s an award, worth five … Continue reading
Her Story
Having made the announcement and asked for advice, Catherine leapt up to answer her cell phone. With apologies to Laura over her shoulder, the young woman headed out of the restaurant and hunkered down against the wall. Gasping in disbelief, her mother-in-law scrambled to find some sage reply to the surprising news. She watched the … Continue reading
A Tinge of Joy
I feel a tinge of joy—the first in years—and a sliver of hope. But I’ll not relax until I am certain my daughter has escaped with the family’s savings. If they catch her trying to get across the border, they could confiscate her money and condemn her to solitary confinement in a Psychiatric Hospital for … Continue reading
Foiled Again
If she had kept to her old ways—as annoying as they were to family and friends—she could have saved the day. Instead she had looked the other way and had lost her chance to finally say, “Now who knows best.” Fortunately, just when she was about to boast of her triumph, to point out that … Continue reading