The moment her head broke the surface of the blissful water of consciousness, Mandy knew there would be no bullfights today. Her aching bones are crushed under her faded quilt and her head sizzles like a hot air balloon impaled in a blazing Spanish sky. “Get up, Mandy. I’m not phoning in again,” her husband, … Continue reading
Category Archives: Fiction
Quentin Blue Heron
Crouched at the end of the dock like a blue heron, a faded quilt pulled tightly around his hunched shoulders, Quentin is as jittery as the bugs—whirling dervishes that skim the lake at dusk. A mechanical hum from up the mountain shatters the morning silence. Is that his brain buzzing? The forested incline is dense … Continue reading
Nobody There
Quentin had been warned that the laboratory behind the grove of ornamental trees contained ghastly biological specimens that could do ‘immeasurable harm.’ When she indicated that she could not understand the word “harm,” her Before-Me had rocked slowly and become smiling. “In that you are a fortunate creature of the earth,” it murmured. “Some of … Continue reading
Going for Gold
Until the radio announcer reported her brother’s death, Frances had been resigned to a life of ignobility. Suddenly she had a chance to go for gold. With the public memorial only a week away (Alfred had acted quickly), it was crucial she develop a strategy to link her poetry to her brother’s art. She also … Continue reading
Keeping Silent
“Time was you were going to change the world, Mom. Now you can’t even change yourself. All you ever say is no. Before I even spit out an idea, you go on about why it’s impossible.” “What do you mean?” Betty said, annoyed that her daughter, Sally, who lived such a sloppy life, was giving … Continue reading
Speculation
“What happened today?” Carol chirped, dreading the response. “More tests,” her waif mother confessed, a bleak smile fluttering along her blistered lips, “I don’t know what’s left to test.” Carol knew they’d think of something; their imagination, if not their skill, was infinite. “Side effects?” the younger woman asked reluctantly. “Nausea.” Carol focused her eyes … Continue reading
Forget Dick Goodey
The door creaks open. Safe behind half-closed eyes Mary watches the young man’s reflection emerge in the mirror opposite. The moment is approaching. Will it end in “yes” and a happily ever after or a “no” and a crumpled face? Happily, this decision can be delayed. This weekend, she has escaped her chaotic life and … Continue reading
Think Fast
When I pull back the grimy motel curtain for the 100th time, the view, unlike my life, holds no surprises. There, through the glass, in the dark, my Mini, dent and all, awkwardly straddles the white line of the parking space: a familiar reminder of the normality of yesterday. Across the freeway, the Ballow Burger’s … Continue reading
Get a Life
All of the adults in the family are embarrassed – except for Buffy, who is bemused. But Buffy was born bemused. And he, in turn, bemuses me as I watch him sail – single and centered – through life. My eldest daughter Melissa – who over the years has taken on the role of “keeper … Continue reading
No Free Agent
The ferocious beast leaps, smashing Adam to the ground. The stiletto claws pierce his flesh. He agonizes to resist, clutching at the rhythm of his erratic breath to withstand the pain. Like his namesake, Adam Keister is cursed with knowledge. He suffers the future as well as the past. And it is the future he … Continue reading