Christmas Booze
Nicky goes to the liquor store to buy Mama some Christmas “booze.” It is a day before Christmas and he is nine. He doesn’t know what kind Mama likes,…
A Sigh from the Depths, Part 1
I. The night road was long and winding, headlights along a curve that never squared, only sinking bend after rising bend on repeat. With an unsteady…
Mari Lwyd
Setting: 14th Century Cymru ("Wales" in the Saxon Conquest), Post-Anglo-Norman Conquest The Mari Lwyd (/mæriˈlɔɪd/) is a wassailing folk custom found…
The Islands Tell of It, Chapter 4: Heat Wave
Evie Fortner had a fight with her husband over her present state of pregnancy. Still light outside, she put her Nikes on and dashed out the back…
Fun with Pedro
I sat and watched as Pedro thrust on top of Trisha. What else could I do? He was a head taller than me and knew karate. I couldn't even catch a…
Knights, Not Peasants
I led the expedition with my three noblemen. Sir Ralph, Sir Cribbins, and Sir Stanley were more than happy to accompany myself on my daring…
Grape Eyeballs
The dream was always the same. Beth could see them at the old kitchen table, Mom to her left and Dad directly across from her. They’d just finished…
A Crime in New England
The Dunkin’ Donuts off of Interstate 93 is easy to miss. Millions of drivers do it every day despite the comfortable white, pink, and pale orange…
Haunted Porta-Potty
The crew broke for lunch and ate their sandwiches on the lawn of the cemetery construction site where they had just started work. Earl had to pee,…
The Islands Tell of It, Chapter 3: Bobber’s Café
Grandpa Pete summoned me for breakfast. His invitations were deemed in delivery as commands, rather than a nice thing to spend a morning meal with…
