Fiction
-
Sunday morning church service started like every other. Congregants talked and laughed in hushed tones, genuinely happy to see each other, or faking it so masterfully that no one could tell the difference. They laughed, joked and judged each other by their cars and clothes, and secretly thanked their lord that they were doing so…
-
Ong’s excitement is clearly visible on his face. The deep lines that usually divide the prominent ridges above his eyes are almost invisible, and his large ivory-colored teeth show through a wide grin. Tonight, both moons will be full, and he can choose a mate. He doesn’t have to choose; this choice was made a…
-
Michele was conceived against her mother’s will. The rapist kept the woman for five days in his run-down single wide. She used a Home Depot bucket for a toilet, careful to not knock it over with the chain padlocked to her left ankle. Another bucket with water was for drinking and washing. On the sixth…
-
Note: I had a hard time keeping this one straight. I think I got it right. Jon lost his phone. He is sure of that. He looked everywhere for it: in his car, yard, and house. He called it a few times from his landline, but the call went straight to voicemail. Like a fool,…
-
Jody is going on a date. She is always going on dates. She is not a ‘working girl’ though. She works at a local grocer as a cashier. Jody is pretty. She has no problem finding dates. Dating apps make it easy to hook up. Men usually reach out to her. She knows that men…
-
‘Sorry, can you say that again?’, Jim was sure this customer asked to buy every drone he had in his store. ‘I’d like to buy every drone in your store’, the customer repeated with a disarming smile. ‘Jim’s toys and games’ has been in business for 6 months. Hard months filled with stress and ramen.…
-
Ben’s heart attack was no surprise. Morbid obesity and a sedentary lifestyle have always put him at risk. He knew this. Doctors reminded him every time his neglected body necessitated a trip to the local clinic. It still surprised him. It started feeling like heartburn. Ben cursed himself for indulging his love for hot sauce.…
-
Jack and Jill were already gathering their gear when Lieutenant Miles entered the barracks. As always, he smiled broadly, almost beaming, earning him the nickname Lieutenant Smiles. ‘We need you pronto’, Smiles says, speaking without disturbing his smile. ‘Ah, good, you already know! Excellent!’, incredibly Smiles’ smile widens, ‘I’ll give you a ride to the…
-
The nail was forged in 1972. At 3 inches long with a flat head it was meant to be used for asphalt roofing. It was dispensed into a bin with a bunch of similar nails and was eventually used by a roofer in Miami-Dade County in sunny Florida. Here it held down a roof shingle…
-
The rose bush grew near the fence in Mr. Brown’s unkept front yard, and its flowers were within easy reach of the sidewalk. Mr. Brown did not prune the rose bush anymore. This was ok because Mr. Brown did not take care of the rest of the garden either. Most days he could not remember…
Tales from my head 