Fiction - Year VI - Number 47 - April 2021

Electric: A Woman in Lockdown I am a car that needs to be jump-started. For every short trip to the grocery store, or to the post office, or to pick up my kid from school. A...

Ned Thayer ~ Outdoorsman ~             The doorbell rang and Ned crutched his way from the sofa, past the granite-countered kitchen island, and into the hallway of his Aspen condo. Before he could get to the...

Kinderkare Meredith Wadley I. The parents Absolutely two kinds of parents leave their kids with us, those who appreciate what we do for them and those who patronize us. Although I don’t like being patronized, I won’t...

Second-grader John’s unsophisticated interpretation of a turkey was the featured creative display. Framed and loosely taped to the hall wall, it functioned as the morning’s primary welcoming committee of each student that entered the...

As Long as the Dep Can Join the Dots By Mike Hickman “So, let me get this straight…” Inspector Crichton said, chewing the end of his pencil and ruffling his candyfloss cloud of white hair. “If...

Unrequited by Rules The summer afternoon had been punished, and when the sun made its encore appearance amidst the leaving storm clouds, the redeeming blue sky stole the show. Manfred sauntered out into the garden,...

THE POWER OF MUSIC Rachel opened the door of her townhouse to see Patrick, Bay City’s leading impresario, pick nervously at the sleeve of his navy-blue blazer.             “I’m in a terrible jam!” he said.             Rachel...

Cardboard Islands Michael Overa             There is an archipelago inside the house on Fourth and Drapier.             Seven large folding tables comprise the entire group of islands. One table for each island. James enters his house through...

Magus on the Fire Escape Wren stared from the fire escape outside her studio apartment, watching the people stroll in and out of the bookstore below. She lit a cigarette and gazed toward University Way,...

My hands went white as they gripped tightly around the steering wheel. I leaned my head against it for a moment and pulled back to see sweat covering the horn. The excess dripped from...