Fiction - Year V - Number 34 - March 2020

CHRISTMAS TREE HEISTby Angela Smith  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing on the other end of my cellphone. Someone had been cutting down the Colorado blue spruce trees, Fraser fir trees, and even a...

FLAMENCO FOR BEGINNERS by Anita Haas  Peggy splashed water on her face and left the ladies’ room. The dry heat of late June in Madrid had made her feel faint. Wooden floors groaned under her step,...

THE WOMANby Christopher Carroll  Todd climbed into his car after leaving the bar. The sky fell out from underneath, as the wind pressed up against the car. It sounded like a bullet train was passing...

THE RUNby Stan Dryer Harry Staunten had travelled far in Thatchford. He had run its broad streets in springtime, between the ample lawns bright with blooming shrubs. He had lapped the track at Langley Park...

THE BROKEN COMPASSby Ciaran McLarnon  From a distance they seemed smooth and angular, but still snow managed to cling to the slate-grey peaks that kept the landing strip secluded. Bryce watched through the porthole beside...

GOOD MORNINGby Samuel Stone  The unmistakable foreignness of the body is the first thing that occurs to me. It’s the first thing to really occur to me this day, since I’ve only just woken up,...

MADELINE, LYDIA, AND THE STRAUSSIAN RAINFALL IN ANNAPOLISby Matilda Zhao  It was a freezing morning. I skipped my morning class. My Jewish culture and family history professor would be mad at me, I know. But...

ROLEPLAYINGby Matt Gillick  The man got in the truck after the driver made the point that he shouldn’t be out in the open when the fog rolled in. They were driving now. The passenger’s name...

ANNIVERSARYBy Jessica Spindler Olivia slumped into the hotel room’s lime green armchair and propped her legs on the ottoman. She ran her fingers over the golden tin cigarette holder and popped the clasp. “I thought you...

THE SPIN CYCLEby Donna Lee Miele  The top-load stuck at drain.A problem because Frank’s good work pants were in there. He only had two pairs—the others were tar-stained from a driveway job he probably should’ve...