Fiction - Year IV - Number 20 - January 2019

MOVINGby Tali Treece I tie a bandana around my face and Johnny, that’s my husband, he swings me close and pinches my rear and tells me I’m Rosie the Riveter turned bandito. I’m allergic to...

THE FEEDINGby Tammy Huffman His reach fell short.  Just beyond his fingertips.  He wanted the fruit in the highest branches.  Only those apples would do for his seed — the ones that bobbled like rubies,...

ASK ME AGAINby Andy Spisak Leah finished her call with the client and reached into the drawer for her handbag.  She had agreed to meet Doug for lunch at twelve-thirty, and it was already ten...

FATHER OF ALL LIESby Jenny Butler Deep within dark premonitory dreams, the White Canon is juddering in his sleep. In his dream, the headstone looms large, its name defaced, chiselled and chipped away. He had...

WHERE THE SPIRALS LEADby Jenny Hayes We were drinking iced coffee and watching a cheesy talk show with some model whose life had gone from fabulous to tragic and back again. I was nested in...

THE BIG MOVEby Maria Frangakis After nine years in San Jacinto, without electricity and indoor plumbing, we were finally leaving. We were moving to la casita hermosa, the beautiful little house, as we called our future dwelling in...

OTHER PEOPLEby Pavel Sokolov Birds took turns singing. As one paused, another would immediately come in. Each of them spoke its own language, not at all concerned about being understood. Then, suddenly, a sharp screeching...

WHAT IFby Erin Bank “Can’t I have your seat?” The young woman fails to notice any pertinent details of the world around her, besides the five large shopping bags she’s hauling onto the bus, not...

A MOMENT OF CALMby Kobina Wright Limitless October 7th.  Bali anchored herself in the leather-like spa chair soaking her feet in hot, robin-blue, soapy water.  The funds that would cover the day’s pampering had been...

DEMOCRACY AT WORKby Thomas Kearnes Den Mother, of course, was not her real name. While she spoke, Jameson swished the name Greta around his mind. Greta, Mother Greta, the Den Mother. She was speaking so eloquently, about...