The International Writer's Magazine: Fiction Archive No 2

Our Fiction Archive : Section Two

Section One 1999-2008 here - Our Current Section here

Endtime Sam North Breakout - the virus is here! In the damn school. Time for all the Days P. Garrett Weiler There were almost as many opinions about David Morgan as there were people in Richfield.  Not enough to fix some median that would reveal how average he actually was,  yet enough to be bounded by extremes. A Call before you Sleep Chris Castle She looked at the calendar, following all the crosses leading to the one perfect empty square. The answering machine on a loop, his voice rolling over and over, the words simple, devastating The Elder Chris Castle As he sits waiting, he looks over the table, takes in the waste still sprawled over the surface. There is the fat of the meat, the bones, a screwed up napkin. There is a knife, its sheen dulled by the smear of fat, the sprinkle of bubbles where air has climbed in. Shadows of a Distant Morning Peter Ike Amadi The scorpion emerged from the ragged crack in the filthy, cobweb-strewn ceiling boards and crawled down the faded walls to the floor. Dreamwalker Peter Ike Amadi “So what do you do in your spare time?” Caesar asked the girl of his choice called Amaka. “I’m a dreamwalker” she replied with a small smile. Dormant John Tompkins “I’m just pulling onto route 93 North,” said Stan. He was talking to his sister Heather, the twin, who was already at the spot. “Look I’m driving, I can’t talk right now.” C & You Eric J You are in love with C. Or at least you think you are, as all things concerning love are never fully understood The Stiff Piotr Weslowski The man’s features are not recognizable. His face, just like the rest of his body, is decomposed Radio Active Decay Evan Retzer New Orleans is a city of dead lights.  The glow emanates from keyhole windows in the skulls of shotgun houses, hangs dreary over the streets in the summer musk of evening. The Importance of Elephant Care Thomas Healy "Easy now, Charity," Sherm Pudakis, one of two full-time elephant keepers at the McLoughlin Park Zoo, said soothingly as he approached the enormous Asian animal. "Take it easy." Definite Colours Tessa Foley It's my wedding day. I'm dripping with glamour. I'm iced to the gills. I'm sucked in at the middle and powdered on the breast. My hair wouldn't move in a wind tunnel. Her Protector Denise Julieanne Collins She told me she should have listened to me.  She said that kids and dogs always know the bad people.  Brierley Grange Louise Broadbent In which we discover the truth about family ghosts A Life for a Life Barbara Jane Mackie You are staring into the eyes of a Murderer and that Murderer is staring back at you. Putty Thief Amanda Donovan "Run!" yelled my little sister. I couldn't move. I was petrified. Rooted to the spot. My skinny legs felt as heavy as the grey, graffiti covered concrete tunnels An Act of God Damilola Ajayi It all began that evening when Papa knocked on the door, fully dressed in his police uniform save for his beret. The squeaky sound of the opening door is still vivid in my mind even after seven years. Blossoms Ryan Madej The probability is, despite a lack of foresight, I have lost my way. Not just metaphorically, mind you, but literally. I’ve always started out with bad directions, whether it be in life or love, and now I was paying the price. The Lottery Ticket Martin Green It began as a simple scheme by two clerks who worked in the State Lottery Oversight Bureau (SLOB). Happy Birthday Hermann Pierrino & Sandy Mascarino Sarah, a dark haired woman in her 20’s, was running down a Hollywood back street near a major movie studio that was in a subdued and reserved corner of the movie making community Seeking Happiness Maria Dastolfo It wasn’t like someone drawing the words on your back with a finger while you tried to spell it out in your head. I was definitely trying to spell out the words in my head, "Seek Happiness" An English Setter in New York Robert Scott Leyse takes Zuke for a walk Zuke's an English Setter – the wildest, most spirited, bouncing-off-the-walls-with-energy breed of dog on earth; and, at eleven months, is in the prime of exuberant disregardful-of-authority puppydom! My Father’s Tallis Jenny Wright Smells can stir up old memories. Long forgotten and sometimes wistful memories that we wish would remain buried. It was like that one Yom Kippur. Events of the Day Martin Green The alarm rang. 6:45. Arnold Gray reached over and turned it off. His wife Mary stirred slightly but remained asleep. How many days since they’d done it now? 23 and counting. Rivers J. Malcolm Garcia It begins raining while the boy runs. His arms pump back and forth and his legs stretch in long strides as he bounces lightly off his feet. A Story about Jack James Nantau There was a man who’s first name starts with J but it was not Jack and he did not live in New York. A lot of people live in New York City but he was not one of them. Kiss-Ass Andy Jessica Schneider "I would do anything to protect my job," Paige could remember her co-worker Andy muttering upon one occasion Juan the Silent - Episode One Hannah Langley Tonight, he would make it home. She would be waiting for him in the safe little cabin of logs and bricks Coffee and Sex Mary Colvin ‘Wanted to know if you fancied going for a coffee and then maybe have sex after The Plumber Alan Stokes The bed's huge and white, very very white. The whole bedroom's white. Blackfriars Bridge Paul Valentine My name is Sister Carmel. I understand that you are investigating the death of Monsegnieur Dwyer?’ The Effect of Blue Light on the Human Endocrine System - Richard Skinner Prone and alone, I luxuriated in the sun. Unaccustomed to the heat, I dozed. "Hear the gunshots last night?" Paulito's Last Christmas Daniela I. Norris He rang my doorbell on a warm summer evening, as the heat of the day evaporated from the cracks in the dusty pavement like an omen rising from the cracked lips of an oracle Naga in the Negev Michael Chacko Daniels After repeatedly dreaming that centuries ago he was a famous Bedouin healer in the Negev, Abdoul, son of Cochin Cohn, saw himself living in the Negev and nowhere else, if he were to remain in the land of Israel If You Want Peace, Prepare for War Willam Better The Hero is one of the people in the filling station’s convenience store. He wears snug black jeans that disappear into tall black riding boots like cavalrymen wore when tilting towards each other in green fields, heroes all Barbarism Begins at Home William Better So there's this guy and he's walking to class. His walk to class from his apartment is typically a half-mile, maybe more but probably less. The Walk Polly Card on Primrose Hill She had been looking forward to their walk. It was the last time she would see him before he went away and she had a question to ask.   A Morning Wave Adam Bonus So there I was in the middle of the pavement, soaked in my own urine with a butter knife in my hand. Be Careful what you wish for Charlotte Francis 6, 12, 40, 36, 10 & 22. The numbers that ruined my life. Unhappy Dilys Greg Mosse Dilys was a small woman with a helmet of black hair and pasty skin. She worked shifts, enabling her to be at home when my mother wasn’t Briar Woods Lauren Mackintosh The evening brought a cold that even this part of town couldn't handle. A strange cold that turned cheeks pink and brought mittens and scarves out of cupboards Hoarding Greg Mosse ‘How much have you spent?’ Bobby asked. ‘Not as much as you’d think,’ said Jack. ‘Most of it is staples.’ Clear Glass M J Norris I discovered my younger sibling had beaten me to the last pair of clean socks. Now I would have to suffer the indignity of sweat-stiff socks as well as the outsize uniform inherited from my elder sister. Come the Revolution Clare Sager I threw the car keys on the table. ‘We need to get out of here.’ Clear and simple – no time for misunderstandings. Dog Stuart Parker It was bright enough to give you a headache on that Sunday morning. We were off to spend the day with my least favourite aunt The Noise - "Oh, what great fiction I will mold from such terrible misery..."-- Jim White Punkerslut What was that noise? Who did it come from -- who was it looking for? Why did it stop? For the first time in my company's history, the workers acted in unision, all slowly edging closer to the windows, regardless of what any other might notice, each seeking to identify and discover that source of such tempered inspiration. Gobble Village Chic Michael Chacko Daniels  “Not your beloved Bell Avenue in Chicago,” I say, as billboards beckon through fog to far planetary corners. Koffee Kulture Leigh Pierce "Welcome to Karma Koffee, home of the $450 dollar coffee, how can I help you?" Shiny Summer Super Time Ra-Ra-Ra Mark Cunliffe This summer has been the best summer ever Simon Says Mark Cunliffe Its half past twelve at night, exactly thirty minutes into 2008 and I am stood in my small back yard, looking up into the cold fresh New Year rain, completely naked Vincent's Wine Karen Maxwell Nothing belonged to him. Only the dry mouth from the shots at The Sky Bar on York last night, but that was changed with his toothbrush and a coffee with milk within the hour of swinging his legs around and stepping onto the pre-fabricated oak floor.  Invasion of Privacy Abigail George The unknown is the greatest landscape in the world. Here nothing is unspeakable and extraordinary human endeavour is never sacrificed. Fat Nasty Bitch Jessica Schneider Noelle Gomez was not the kind of woman anyone noticed. She was someone who, had you seen her in a bookstore, or a supermarket, you would just look on and past her, Stiff upper Lip Albert Rouzie hitches a ride I’m gonna die. Jesus. Gonna die. Oh, lord The Forbidden Town Natasha Reid I can no longer go it, through it, or even near it. Stop R. Sirmons I am IN life. I am in the stream of it, in the middle of it, I swallow it and eat it Still Life Mark Robinson And the skies above the City bleed down upon the earth its overcast haze. The Councillor Mark Robinson ‘I need your help. My wife; she’s cheating on me.’ There, it was out. Open. Sarah's Globe Laura Anne Styles In the middle of the Vatican Museum standing before me is the biggest globe I have ever seen and try as I might I couldn’t stop myself from laughing The Fall of Me Tessa Foley I did care for them. You learn to care for anyone you work with every sunlit hour God sends. I watched the children grow like weeds in Spring. I would be lying if I said it didn't touch my icy, red heart Violence Maria Marlais And all women have killed themselves. They grew tired of the world, this world, our world Life After Death Emma Callan I was thirty four years old when I died. I’d never thought about dying before The Pefect Scandal Emma Callan ‘Tell me Mr. Stead. How did you, such a respectable man, come to witness…’ The boy who never had a good day David Tavernier There was once a boy who looked in the mirror, and all he saw were pimples. He thought he was the ugliest boy on earth Small Change Rich Raitano Small Change. That’s what they called him on the street ... because he would do just about anything for a hand full of next to nothing Happy Ending Saeed Tavakkol  “Good evening, Sir. I’m calling from Happy Ending. You’ve been selected to win a prize.” The Prisoner Tom Sheehan The sound came once more. He stiffened. It was closer. His whole body knew it was closer. It was not just in the hearing. It approached. The Photographer’s Model Joseph Grant “Life is defined by light and shadow…” The stentorian voice boomed, filling the large empty echo of the front of the photographer’s shop. The Banished Joseph Grant Juan Muytado cursed them; they, who had left him here in this wasteland, alone in hell. White Oleander Alun Williams We decided to run away after Betty’s parents found out she was pregnant. Redemption James C. Clar "Liam, I’m not much of one when it comes to pets" Moon Steere Mark Cunliffe The year is 1744. A big fat harvest moon shone that night upon the forests of the village of Moon Steere as Tom Carter ran for his life Greetings from Caen Gordon Bourgon France, July, 1944, near Caen Hello my little snowflake. Do you remember when I first called you that? My little snowflake. That terrible winter when we were twelve The Ghost in the Machine David Tavernier There was once a computer named Daniel. All day long he'd sit and wait for someone, anyone to help him out of his misery. Jubilee Mark Cunliffe Bryan Sutton walked down the steps into the basement club and felt awkward. If truth be told Bryan Sutton felt awkward pretty much everyday of his 24 years of life On the Fringes J Kaval When did the devil enter me? How did he get inside? I’ve no idea. He started meddling with my life. The World of Hunter Killer Robots Daniel Tavernier No one knew young Jorb3. He was one of the sole sane human beings left on the planet. He didn't want to adapt to the new order of systematic incorporation into the new Humanlike Borgian race. Riders of Dragon Number 19 Michael Chacko Daniels Gray’s blue eyes disconnect from the mists flirting with Alcatraz, the former prison island in San Francisco Bay, during Chinese New Year week Crazy Alan Stokes I'm all over the place. Too much is happening in my head. I need to slow down for a bit. I've told them that - shouted them that - but they just won't listen to me. They think I'm okay. The Getaway Martin Green Ok what's going on? Why are you here son? Sound of Death Heather Parker Helen covered her ears, desperately trying to block out the incessant, thudding sound of Death. How did it choose its victims? What quirk of fate decided who would be alive when the planes finally returned to Israel, their bellies empty? The Hardest Part Adam Graupe Joe dropped his wedding band off to have it polished at the jewelry store; without the wedding band, Joe was a free man.  He stepped inside the candy store and saw Amy alone in a sleeveless dress.  He stared at her thick bare arms and wanted to rub them. Playing Cupid Martin Green He was glad to see that Anne Lewis was there.   Paul had introduced Anne, a widow, to a friend of his, Gary Palmer, a while ago in the hope that something would develop The Wave and the Thing David Russell (For Kids) We looked up and saw it. The biggest, most gigantic wave anyone of us had ever seen. And it was coming right at us In the Grand Tradition of Grand Traditions Charles E Accetta In a neatly trimmed fenced-in Southern California backyard, an older gentlemanly type person stood facing the back of the property with his arms raised to the sky. Freud in the Fridge Guy Edwards It was the morning after the house warming party in my new flat that I found a book on the interpretation of dreams by Sigmund Freud on a shelf in the fridge. That was the same party that I met the Marxist chemist, wearing an oversized dark blue beret, who had argued convincingly that Marx had stolen his ideas on communism from organic chemistry. The Literal Day G David Schwartz September 7th, 1948 began typically and promised to be non-eventful. The fact that I was an eyewitness to the startling events I am about to relate is one of those accidents of history The Mystery of the Missing Mother Mary Colvin No one could quite pinpoint exactly when Mother vanished although they spent some time trying to figure it out. The Blue Plastic Bag Rani Drew It was on one such rainy and windy day that a blue plastic bag found out its outreach. The story of its trajectory goes like this. That Old Black Magic James C. Clar Tom and Karen had come to Hawaii in a last ditch effort to "save" their marriage but it just wasn’t working. The Adjunct Detective Michael Hammond Legendary among road-weary part-time professors, adjuncts, Stu Hanagan, for more than a decade, rode public transportation from school to school, college and university, teaching composition and literature courses The Adjunct Detective: The Case of Well-dressed Gentlemen - Michael Hammond Temporarily distracted from his work, Stu Hanagan peered out the window of the Albany Park branch of the Chicago Public Library, watching the winter weather worsen until the intersection of Foster and Kimball slowly disappeared into a swirling mess of white. The Luncheon Rebecca Stonehill It was a muggy day on this, the 40th wedding anniversary of Edwin and Frances Durrant. If they were being honest with one another, they would both have preferred to be elsewhere Confessions of a New York City Street Peddler Dr. Howard Karlitz It's February, 1980, and David Gordon is standing in front of a class of delinquent kids in a South Brooklyn juvenile detention center trying to teach reading a short story called 'Young Pablo Picasso'... In the Shadows of the Past Joeseph Grant He remembered the very first time he saw her, when he told himself that she was the one. But he had been wrong about her Terrorism Allison Fine It was Sunday; he did not have to be anywhere and most important he did not have to be at Brown Harris Stevens Brokerage where he worked as a real estate broker Purple Maiden Chapter One here James Skinner Purple Maiden Chapter Two James Skinner The Purple Maiden - - Chapter Three - Wrong Wreck MV ‘Franconia’, off the Cies Islands, Galicia. James Skinner He couldn’t research further into the actual U-boat without going back to the Navy and that would mean going above his boss’ head. ‘Who’s really behind this anyway?’ he thought. The Other Side of the River Bill Hedman Willie James wasn't a big guy in the way that some guys are scary big, he was just big. Caldwell was scary big. An altercation in the locker room after football practice touched the flash point when Willie said, "Cal'wel, watch yo sef, dynamite come in small packages!" Shoot Out at Conner's Arcade Anne S. Armand "Stop or I’ll Shoot." It was in all of the papers. Made the headlines in the SHORE TIMES. Even saw it on the news channel from Boston. Uncle Pringle & the Scam Artist Martin Green Life is good, thought Sidney Rothenberg, sitting in a lounge chair at poolside of the most luxurious hotel ... Starting Over Daniel Haight 38, divorced and staring down the barrel at alimony and child support. The awkwardness of his son’s visits – the inevitable moment when his son would look up at him and say, "Why did you have to leave Mom?" Turn Right at Souldrop Gareth Draper Jeremy slammed on his breaks as he approached the disused petrol station that stood by the side of the road on the left, narrowly avoiding the crawling car in front. Dunnottar Castle: August 1957 Doug Brownie It was a cold day in Hell. The crack as her head hit the rocks 20 feet below seemed uncannily loud to the boy Nausea Pierre Edgcumbe My Carbonated head fizzes and spits, giving a nauseating effect. It has begun. The Sad Bauble Steve Dubowski Christmas Day came late to the Timmins household that year. Mr Timmins was working away overseas until Christmas Eve and nobody felt “Christmassy” until they were all together Nubility by Piotr Wesolowski Morelos watches as Boeing 747, a delayed charter flight from Budapest, touches the ground. Rubber burns on hot tarmac raising clouds of thin smoke; wheels squeak like dying lobsters. The Dream by EN Heim Why am I having these bizarre dreams? This vacation we’re on is weird. The Last Child Michael Hammond Fistfights, car wrecks, and frequent arrests told the story of Jim’s twisted life The Ticket Piotr Wesolowski The ticket came in on Monday; it indicated the stadium, the row and the seat. It was delivered by registered mail. The Curse Piotr Wesolowski Tonight, again, he was humiliated. ‘Go! Go! Don’t waste my time!’ Sirelis said. The Chandelier Piotr Weslowski 19th Century Bohemian glass - a steal or not a steal. That was the question Prelude to Everything James Novoa A serene shadow key stroked its light to dark patterns amidst a lonely ember light Frank Dryhandel Jay Marvin Everytime they had an argument she used it against him; it was like a slug in the gut. He hated his job The Hoopster and The Hopster (Young Fiction) David Russell He told his mom he needed to shoot some baskets Sunday Morning Martin Green After four months of marriage, Frank and April Bradshaw had developed a routine for Sunday mornings. The Cedar Tree Child Based on a legend from the province of Napo in Ecuador's Amazon region. Helen Pugh Wednesday’s Child Jennifer Marshall Its raining outside my window, a winter afternoon like any other Dark men haunt me at night Minna Salami Just the slightest inclination that a stranger was present in my room, and I was fully awake. The Touch of Ermine Tom Loftus In a sleepy little town, nestled high in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky, lived a grouchy and cantankerous old coot named Clutch. The year was 1980. Tree Hut Chris Castle After her sister died, Annie walked round the empty house for a good long while. After her aunt and uncle left to arrange the funeral, she stayed for a night, two, trying to eat up every scent, absorb the dust into her skin. Caught by the river Abigail George - an except from a memoir My life was like a river in which debris of different kinds were caught up. The Last Green Bottle Oluwatobi Odetola Aaarrggghhh! I moaned as I leaned forwards on the wooden chair to ease my sore back. Home © Hackwriters 1999-2021 all rights reserved - no reproduction without express permission from the editor

Resolution Tessa Foley So I sat there on my time and a half minutes. I sat in garish light and cool colours waiting for the night to end and the year to begin. It was misery, but there was nothing else to do. Shadows of Spread Wings Michael Chacko Daniels A Wait in Little Polk Glutch Found in a Lost Land Jasmine Shoaib And then we were lost. The GPRS blinked at us sullenly, searching for a satellite signal    Search this site or the web powered by FreeFind   Site search Web search Share | Babbish Michael Batton Kaput Price turned over the corpse sprawled on the I-44. The body was a young woman's, slim, white and beautiful. She probably had the face of a prom queen, before her makeover with a .44 Magnum Hands Chris Castle He liked hearing her café stories, the people she met. ‘Disposable friends’ her boss, called it. Godspeed Chris Castle He looked down at her in the bed. He woke her, dressed her and together they ate breakfast. After a while he stole a car from the street and drove it back to the house. The History of a Love Affair Jennifer Marshall I lean against the door, holding it open with all my weight, and manouevre the unwieldy pram through the doorway. It’s a tight squeeze and one handle catches on the side of the frame. The Deer Adam Graupe He leaned toward me, and I flinched because I thought one of his antlers might clip my face. Scum Adam Graupe Hunter sat at the bar, lit up a Marlboro and sighed. Martin the bartender said, “Got troubles, my friend?” Hopscotch Chris Castle The Day they demolished the school The Dangers of Daydreaming Ann Sharratt The day I chopped my sisters finger off, I learned the harsh consequence of not paying attention Mourning for Moaning Jasmine Marie Look, I’ve no time for banter. Is there anyone else in the house besides you? I'm Not Dead Barbara Jane Mackie Did some bloke once say ‘Dying ain’t easy?’ Rad Martin Green I was 23 years old when I came out from New York to San Francisco in the 1960’s and, looking back, was even younger as regards experience of life. Off the Lights of Pokrovka Joshua Walker The lights from the cafe, behind the shimmering, humming glass, dazzled his eyes. It was 6 p.m. on a slushy Moscow Tuesday in March and Sveta was looking through the front door. Tragedy of the Spring-Breeze King Daniel DiPrinzio "All I wanted was to make people happy, to add an element of luxury to hygeine, and this is the thanks I get?" A Natural Selection Anne Greenwood "Be quiet." "What now?" Matt griped. They’d barely moved at all in the last hour. All he wanted to do was go down and watch Sponge Bob. Déjà Vu Carrie Anne Riddle It's strange going back. Stranger still, that it happens to be exactly twenty five years to the day since I left. I always swore I'd never return. The Wait Esha Nag Ameera couldn’t wait to get home. It was getting dark and the warm Shamal winds made it difficult for her to remain on the streets any longer. Besides, it would soon be six and she was expecting Salim any moment now. Amy and the Waitress Chris Castle Hmm. Thinking about lilies and funerals at seven am. Not a good sign. But then she’d been whoo-hooed already so maybe it was the day for it. Twilight of the Gods Keith Leonard Stan watched fascinated as the woman squeezed between tables, a plate of sandwiches balanced precariously on a tea cup. Wild About Harry Charles Ausherman I asked Dad what his father did for a living. He answered, "Well, son, your grandpa was a salesman who just went from titty to titty." An African Bride Fisayo Talabi She sat, legs crossed, staring at the menu. With the corner of her eyes, she watched Felix sip his glass of water as he looked through the menu too. Fountain kerb Chris Castle "You’re last day today?" she said. She looked down to her sandwich, looked back up. "Yeah. Bit part dies then its back to the stars I guess." Gingerbread Men Steve Slatter First, ask Mummy to turn on the oven to 170. You might have to wait for her to do this because she’s always busy. Joe the Bear Adam Graupe Joe, a 500-pound Brown Bear, worked for Pine Tech Incorporated. He plodded away from the time clock, down the hallway and slumped down into the chair in his cubicle. T.S. Eliot Goes to London Sitting in a room when in comes some guy brandishing a syringe and shouting, ‘yum yum yum’. everyone gets up and screams but I’m thinking hang on a minute this is silly The Loan Martin Green “Nick’s going to ask you for that loan.   I knew it when they announced those furloughs.” 6 December 1987 Greg Mosse For most of my childhood I didn’t live in fear. You don’t when you are small. But you become aware of it later, as you grow up and the world begins to show its teeth From the Journal of Chas. Templeton, Esq. Greg Mosse what a rude awakening, before dawn and before my people were abroad, with the banging of a phantom fist upon my shutters A Sensitive, Thin Man Lars Flatmo Reclining on my father's dirty living room couch made from raw white silk, I see through the drawn bamboo blinds my friend's short frame rapidly advancing across the front lawn towards the front door. Verisimilitude James C. Clar Dayton Apana sat at a window table in the Honolulu Coffee Company café. The window was open, the trades were blowing ... The Telephone Christine Lawrence It was on the skip. Steve was cycling home from work, just another long day in the factory, when he saw the skip sitting in the street just around the corner. Evening Singing Julia Gordon Evening came with the singing of insects, every little voice chirping and wanting to be heard. Kelly was at home with a bottle of wine In The Dark Piotr Wesolowski Groping and dragging his feet past cracked, edgeless steps, he followed a dark narrow staircase that led to the exit downstairs $20 a Gallon Adam Graupe The Inspector growled, “I am from the state department. What is the meaning of charging $20 a gallon for gasoline?” Pocketworld Paul Valentine Basildon was designed for traffic and adults: It was a soulless place for a child. You couldn’t walk anywhere in a straight line;- had to flow down concrete rivers across the contours of cultural vacuity Red Irony William Bryant He was getting old, and it had been too long since my last visit. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him - living alone way out in the country like that Granddad’s Chocolate Edmund Sandoval Granddad’s been hoarding the chocolate bars again because granddad’s crazy and he thinks his Vietnamese girlfriend is still alive. Too Soon J.A. Laraque That flashing red light torments me. I’ve waiting been thirty seven years for this. What do I do? The Composer Richard McGarry Mattéo Ranvier was intently contemplating Ana Lucia Beltrán’s eyes as he stared out of the window of an airbus bound for Paris. Those rapturous and dark eyes, like burnished amber, yet profoundly sad as if they had been taken hold by some hidden, unspeakable tragedy Village Boys and Fret Boards Jessica Patient As soon as I saw the acoustic guitar I knew it was going to be your birthday present Many Happy Returns Mary Colvin Party dresses. I had party dresses when I was little. With sashes, rainbow sashes. And party shoes. Shiny red t-bar shoes that winked at me as I danced Barren Laura Anne Styles When I was twenty five my boyfriend Harry had his drink spiked. To this day I have never seen someone so sick. An unusal Sunday in Dagoba Lakunle Jaiyesimi Sundays are unusually hot days! Nature has her ways for perfect orderliness. Or maybe, it’s the Sun god at work, who has chosen that day for itself alone. The god comes out in full armour, with bristling rays poured on all the earth without discrimination. Up On The Shelf Gordon Ray Bourgon My path to recovery has taken a detour, and I don’t know if I’ll ever find my way again. A Leg to Die For Sidi Cherkawi Benzahra My grandfather took his leg to Lalla Fatima and she invoked the spirit and did all she could do to heal his leg Darwin Adam Graupe “Connie, I found the solution to our problems.”  Darwin reached into his front pocket and removed a Powerball lottery ticket First Day Christine Churcher Monday morning, nine a.m., I tremble as I pass through the long, cold corridors, the acrid smell clinging to the inside of my nostrils Richard's Story Claire Holland I am suddenly reluctant to pick up the phone because I know that I am not going to like what I hear. Banana Falls on Ant Jerry Billstrom Office Tyrant Martin Green “Didn’t I say I wanted that report  today,” asked Blair, his deep voice soft but menacing. Uncle Pringle and the Bookmaker  Martin Green Bob’s story was familiar but had a singular twist.   He’d become a gambler Uncle Pringle and the Larsen Gang Martin Green “They’ve taken all my money,” said Mrs. Harrison.  “I don’t know what to do.  Can you help me?” My wife Ellen handed Mrs. Harrison a tissue.  Starbuck James C Clar It was one of those nights that the word ‘balmy’ was simply born to describe. The palm trees shrugged their shoulders and rustled overhead in the light trades as I walked my dog east along Ala Wai Boulevard. Satisfaction Guaranteed Richard Radford Sunset hit the parking lot outside Globe-Mart, splashing neon light across the acres of SUVs and minivans packed into tight rows. The Lady’s Curse Natalie Tehrani The Tower Adaira felt the tower walls edge closer, imagined the spiders creeping from their damp beds to crawl over her skin. Outside the fields stretched for miles, laughing with silent scorn at her weakness. The Man in the Orange Suit Adam Graupe The driveway winded and twisted through hills and pine.  A mile up the driveway stood a shack surrounded by hundreds of destroyed televisions. The Wedding Gift Joseph Grant The car had been a wedding present for him and his young bride from his new in-laws. It made him uneasy to drive such an expensive car How To Disappear Completely Mark Robinson "You have reached the How to Disappear Completely automated helpline; you will shortly hear a list of options; please consider these carefully before selecting the corresponding number on your keypad." Stereotypical People Julia Gordon Jennifer was excited walking down the street in her tight red jeans. In the new jeans, the birds seemed to be singing just for her. It was a bright and fresh spring day, and Jennifer was bright and fresh The Nestbury Tree Ayodele Morocco-Clarke It all started to kick off when the Shepherd of the church which was located at the far side of the compound behind the house, pronounced that the Nestbury tree in the yard was a haven for witches and had to come down The Samaritans of Terror James Skinner Let the good guys win for a change Of Turkey and Chicken Sidi Cherkawi Benzahra I was eight, going on nine when my family lived in a small house in the suburbs of Rabat, Morocco. The suburbs back then were dusty, hot, and poor. His name is Nathan John Brackenridge I saw it from when he got to being a teenager, but it was coming from before that. He was at school most times, didn't miss a day unless it was for something important. Not like some of them other boys. Red Like Me Lisa Timmerman Zittau, Germany, 1933 I have never waited this long. My situation is my secret. Until they return. Carpe Diem Will Collins She was the jewel in the crown of Liquorice’s dancers: as delicious, elegant and alluring as any vintage wine; the most requested dancer; the most fascinating treasure. Merton's Pizza G David Schwartz Merton's dream was about to be fulfilled. The  good Lord willing, and a little bit of luck, Merton would have what he had been nagging me about for the last twelve hours. Merton was about to be satisfied. Surviving the Moroccan Bath Sidi Benzahra When I was six, or probably seven years old, my mom always took me and my sisters to the public bath. Whenever we built up a good thick layer of dirt on our skin, or had gone two weeks without washing for some reason or another, she would take us there. La Creta Returns Dean Borok Like Satan, she was known by many names, all of which related to that most alluring and reviled aspect of the female physiognomy. The San Juan Bagels Parking Lot Dean Borok La Creta dwelt in perpetual fear of the parking lot, separated from the factory by the Taliban shish-kebob garage where resided the The Forty Thieves of the spicy halal chicken and rice wagons The Texas Long-Haired Rifle Association Jim Parks It took me a minute or two before I realized that Harry wasn't trying to pretend he didn't know me Little Toy Pocketknife Floyd Frank Gary Horton used to have a Swiss Army knife that I enjoyed ridiculing Starting Out Martin Green I was pretty excited about getting the job on my first interview until I discovered that my salary would be $75 a week, Coming of Age in San Francisco    Martin Green “The new campaign stinks,” interrupted Fiegelman. College in America: Weed 101 Alan Stokes I found Flyn in our dorm, smoking a joint. There was a kid with him. I asked what his name was and he said his name was Zack. It seemed incredible but I let it go. I With-Stood  Them All Ibukunolu Babarinde When clouds cover the face of the heavens, it may just be for a little time; when it will yet be dark as if the night will never be stolen by the crafty hands of the dawn. Full Circle James C Clar Dayton Apana got up early and went for his usual run from his condo on Ala Wai Boulevard down to where Kapahulu intersected Paki Avenue. Things You Never Knew You Never Knew Emmanuel Iduma I am going to tell you the truth. I have lied for so long and I am tired of living a double life. You know how it was when we first starting seeing each other Hurricane Bobby: A Survivor’s Story Antonia Greco Showing up wasted at the bar you work at on a day off can be quite disconcerting, yet quite comical. Ah, yes. I said it. Drinking off of the clock: For those of us in the bar industry, we’ve all done it, we’ve all seen someone do it, and we’ll all do it again. Soldiering On Mark Cunliffe The air around the soldiers was filled with a frequent and incessant distant clapping sound and an equally incessant but much nearer metallic pattering sound, almost as if a demonic and somewhat industrial thunderous rain was falling down upon them The Last Hour James Nantau The fire pit was equal distance between the hundred year old cabin and the shallow lake. It was laid there by his great grandfather and it was still the perfect place for it. How many fires, conversations, songs, laughs and tears took place around that venerable pit over the countless years, Cory could only imagine. Claw Luke Gittos Apparently if you stand by the thing for a while, and wait and wait and wait for loads of people to use it, and loads of people don’t get any prizes, you can go in and get the prize, because the machine has more money than the actual toy is worth. I saw it on a show about how to wins things from people. Great show. Abroad Thea Zimmer in Italy Celestial in the semi-dark, the ruins loomed outside her window in the early morning glow—the arches of the basilica, like stone carcasses, full of more holy ghosts than she had ever known. Standing at the Feet of Giants Michael Hardie ‘Thank you kindly, good Sir,’ I call after the man walking past me, with his suit neatly pressed and eyes firmly blinkered. Loving Titi Fisayo Talabi With one last look in Sade's face, he shook his head and someway, somehow, the words came out loud and clear. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore. I still love Titi." The Missing Piece Floyd Frank There is a number of little things in my life that make me remember my mother One More For the Road They agreed: one more, that’s it. The killings were getting harder. Language of the Birds Ryan Madej I vaguely remember the day I saw the article in the newspaper mentioning rather matter-of-factly that Rene Elias had vanished. My Date with Britney Spears Adam Graupe I stood in the entryway of the Denny’s Restaurant waiting for my blind date Marcy to arrive. She told me on the telephone that she looked like Britney Spears Nightmare Christine Lawrence Carol stood up, doing up the buttons on her coat, and got off the bus at her usual stop. She walked hastily along the street, without a glance to either side, her stiletto heels tap-tapping on the shiny paving slabs. It Was Just Another Manic Monday Randall W. Pretzer It was just another day at work she thought. A typical Monday. No customers. She had four more hours before her shift ended. It was days like these that she begged for a customer Taxicabs and Burger Vans Steve Slatter I still wake up with a start whenever I hear a door slam in the dead of night. I listen without breathing for as long as I can, hoping I won’t detect the diesel throb of a taxi drawing up, or hear a familiar deep voice asking to go to the Central Rail Station Thanksgiving: Kinds of Love Martin Green It rained the day before Thanksgiving. This worried us because our youngest son, Gene, who was 21, was driving from Berkeley to spend the holiday weekend with us in Sacramento Single-action Bookmaker Richard Bell Returning to consciousness, Dave became aware of a dull, throbbing pain at the base of his skull. Waiting Marcia Dumler "I love dust," she said to herself as she sat back in the comfortable reclining chair. "Dust, you can count on it always being there." Come With Me Tonight Randall Pretzer I told her to come with me tonight. I told her I know the roads were always bright but if she gave me a chance I could show her the light. She wasn’t buying. Galapagos one Gordon Ray Bourgon Q hid behind a fat willow, its bark scarred with ancient declarations of love and obedience. She watched Them arrive out of a smoky western sky. She ran a hand over her swollen belly. My Mom Jude Perera Mom did her best to patch us up; but my hurt was too deep, I couldn’t hack it anymore. The bastard never said a word in defense; I wish he had Eyes Together, Eyes Apart Bruce Harris I am supposed to be seeing this as a celebration. Why does it feel so much like a betrayal? Burglar's Love Piotr Wesolowski 'A few more steps and I’m in,’ he thought. Cautiously, he dragged his feet along a cement ledge three stories above a busy street in Havana. The Bathroom Tried To Swallow Me Whole Christopher Williams Fifteen Coventry Road, Ilford is a large detached Victorian town house about half a mile from Valentines Park and was for many years my paternal grandparent’s home Playschool Tom Harris It was with great reluctance that I accepted the role of the Archangel Gabriel in the school play all those years ago. My Niece Jude Perera Cheeky, dimpled smile, chubby cheeks, head slanted in a lovable and affectionate pose. It looks faded and grainy; but it’s my favorite photo of her Eli Pierre Edgcumbe Eli always rang at nine o’clock on the dot. He would ring once and then hang up the phone. That way Rose knew everything was okay Death of a Snowflake Mike Wysminity “What a fitting life it is.” Those words were produced from an individual admiring the freshly fallen snow upon the unemployed tree branches. Karma in a parking lot James Leonard Help will come soon. It has to. The Fine Line Home Dietrich Kalteis I could flag a cab, stop a half block from my parents’ door, take off through the neighbor’s yard, dodge the steep fare, save the tip Cymbaline on the CCTV Chris Castle She played the plan over in her head until she fell asleep and found it even then, lodged inside of each of her dreams. Swimming Towards Marriage Martin Green You’re hiding something.  Don’t forget, you’re not getting any younger.  The Blackout of '03 John Richmond First rescue the chilled Vodka then figure out what happened...  The Novice Jason Walls Sunny days, strange clouds; on these days, I like to ride my bike. Pedals whirl as clouds convert my thoughts from one to the next Studio Hell Daniel Haight I’m in the middle of Afternoon Drive. I have to read the news in a few seconds. Huey Lewis and the News are winding down on “Doing it All For My Baby” and it’s time for news on the quarter Sales Jay Marvin Pulling off the road, Frank backed his car up to the sidewalk, popped the trunk placed his sign just right, and spread his works along the hot chrome of the car’s bumper Out of the Picture Abigail George She asked her clients to call her Angel. The truth was that she preferred it that way. It made it easier somehow. It gave her a level of confidence and of discretion. One damn thing after another... Martin Green Saturday morning (early).  Danny Goodman opened his eyes.  His wife Cathy was already out of bed.  Briefly, he thought back to Friday night Twilight and Mist Abubakar Adam Ibrahim She came on the eve of his thirty-second birthday heralded by a pair of little white butterflies. He was with his fiancé then. He had been dreading the day, since it coincided with the anniversary of his mother’s death Ramani Joseph Kaval Only a handful of people attended the funeral though the dead person was known to everybody there. He had expected at least a few familiar faces. There were none. See also another 500 original stories in Dreamscapes ONE The Ring by Amanda H Callendrier I first met my husband in 1996. No one had a more romantic beginning than we did. The Cruise Martin Green Hank Mancuso and his wife Catherine were getting ready to go to dinner on the first night of their Alaskan cruise. Blue Sky Day Chris Castle The letter comes through the door before nine. The post is early for the week. She sees the hospital stamp, the address. She doesn’t hesitate but opens its straight away. She reads the results and immediately rings the hospital. Reminders of women Abigail George No man is an island – he is distorted in some places. Perhaps his vision of the world is not clear, threatens his existence, he finds no peace of mind in his environment The Wing Jeannine M. Pitas One spring afternoon while walking home from school, Anna found a wing. It sat on the sidewalk like an old piece of furniture left out for any passer-by to claim. Potato Peels Jennifer Houston My mother became a hippy after my second step-dad left with a cigarette hanging from his deceitful lips, and a beat up duffel bag full of his shit slung over his hunched back. Yellow hair Abigail George It feels like winter in September and the sky are just supposed to be pieces of blue sky; instead they’re slate grey with the beckoning, darkening rain clouds not yet completely rinsed out of them. My sister and I do not have a perfect relationship. The Eunuch Chronicles Getting to God’s City by the River Michael Chacko Daniels Solomon stared at the petal of his mother’s beloved flower; he recalled the day she had picked it nineteen years ago. 5.03 Melissa Harr Tate woke up and took a quick survey of his emotional state; sure that he had found every last bit of pain that awaited him in life, he stepped out of bed. Revolution Starts at Dawn Nick Lewandowski Ramon chomped down on the end of his cigar. “Will your guerillas have plenty of coffee?” he asked. “Since they’ll be up so early?” Golf Ball Head Tessa Foley I'm only my mother's girl right now. I stretch and yawn and I'm patted every morning and I grow a little more eyelid every day. It took more than my mother to make me. It took more than her hostessing skills and my father's casual donations to make me and I know this because I can hear her talking. Slim-to-None Patrick Williams There are many Bo’s in the world, and we’ve all walked or driven pass them; some of us ridicule, spread judgment on them while others feel sorry for them and their life. Grandma and the Old Warrior Michael Chacko Daniels Grandma Jacob, dressed in a white cotton sari and blouse, opened the door of her new home on Rural Route 2, South Riverside, on a warm day in 1975 and looked into the blue eyes of the old Polish warrior. Queen & Cat Janice Slater After examining her face in the mirror, Queen raised her hand to her head to adjust her crown. “My Crown!” She exclaimed. “It seems to have a dint in it!” Shock Value Peter Ike Amadi The smelly bag was pulled off his head and Edwin ‘Caesar’ Clark greedily gulped down fresh air, trying with all his willpower not to throw up. The Witch’s Kiss Richard Melkonian Light crept in – she had been dreaming. Her eyeballs looked: cream coloured walls, bare as they were and the clock. Instant coffee, the 7.43 to Baker Street, it was Thursday morning. DREAMSCAPES ARCHIVES Dreamscapes 1: 2000 - 2006 Dreamscapes 2: 2007 - 2009 Dreamscapes 5: 2010 - 2011 Dreamscapes 4: 2012 - 2015 Dreamscapes 3: Present Day Dreamscapes 6: 2016 +