I do not tell this story to people anymore because nobody believes the story about the fire lookout tower. Even the friends who were with me that night at the fire lookout tower refuse to talk about what happened at the fire lookout tower. It is one of those things […]
The Last Fire Watcher Read More »
The campfire crackled, sending orange sparks up into the heavy canopy of pines. The night was thick and dark, smelling of pine needles, river mud, and burnt marshmallows. Five boys sat on rotting log benches, huddled close to the heat. They were deep in the woods at Camp Whispering Shadows—a
The Best Father’s Day Catch Read More »
Farmer Adams was a grumpy shell of man. He treated anyone who trespassed on his property as hostile enemies. He wasn’t the violent type to pull out a shotgun or pitchfork. His bark was worse than his bite but his bark was powerful. His angry yells traveled miles and his
My attention is occupied by a nature documentary at low volume. It’s late spring and raining lightly outside. The narrator’s reassuring received pronunciation introduces tonight’s protagonist, a rare species of desert-dwelling toad. Greg once told me, after a few Japanese highballs, that participating in the illegal trade of exotic amphibians
Mother Nature Doesn’t Love You Back Read More »
The day was edging toward dusk, the sun casting long shadows across the backyard. I remember the cicadas’ hum filling the air, marking the middle of summer, a relentless reminder of what should have been carefree days. I am posting this because I need help, and someone else might have
Looking to Kill a Dog Read More »
I stepped out into the quad, salted caramel latte in hand to savour the brief moment of peace between my lectures. The air smelled faintly of salt and seaweed that drifted in from the bay and a light fog had settled overhead leaving droplets of condensation on benches and the
I would first like to clarify that I do not want to write this. My therapist ordered it. They said, “Revisit the wounds until they stop bleeding.” I take the aripiprazole, and I think that should be enough. But no. Now I need to drift through memory like a bilious
The Cat in the Windowsill Read More »
I stand on the beach, watching the great waves of the Southern Ocean roll toward me like endless rows of undulating beasts, their white crests sparkling blindingly under the harsh July sun. The briny scent of the sea drifts upward, carrying with it that familiar ache of melancholy, a feeling
Into The Mangrove Forest Read More »
“The penguins are coming.” An old man rocks in his chair and takes a drag of his cigarette. “What?” “The penguins are coming,” The old man repeats. “What penguins? We live in Missouri.” The other gentleman, Gerald, shrugs as he leans against a supporting beam of the porch. “Penguins going
Ding dong! Erin Tucker (“Erry” to anyone besides her mother) looked up from her tablet to see which of the locals had come to bug her before she finally got off work for the weekend. She heard the man, and his distinct not being a local, from the other end
People have always said that I was good. Not nice, not kind, just good. Like it was just something they told me even before I could talk. People trusted me way too fast. It doesn’t even make sense how fast it happens. They look at me and something just clicks
People Say I’m Good Read More »
The truck’s heater blasted hot air. Wipers squeaked across the windshield, clearing away the snow that melted on contact. The Deputy hummed along with the radio as it blared a familiar tune. Wind whistled beneath the radio’s drone. The desolate road before him was covered with several inches of snow
What Hunts in the Snow Read More »
I live alone in a secluded house in the mountainous region near Petrópolis. It’s a quiet place, surrounded by dense forest, perfect for anyone looking to escape the chaos of Rio de Janeiro on weekends and holidays. My only constant companion is Barnaby. Barnaby is, or was, a four-year-old Golden
My dog is walking on two legs Read More »
“Delta squad, clear that building!” The command ripped from Tim Brinley’s throat, echoing through the blistering desert air, a phrase so familiar to him it was more reflex than speech. This was his second deployment, and he knew with weary certainty it would be his last. The monotony of military
Growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I was no stranger to roaming the woods. Ever since I can remember, I have been out in the woods building forts or terrorizing the small creek frogs I so desperately wanted to catch. I lived right next to a thick collection of
Read Part One here We both drove back to the station and handed in our gear and changed. I could still smell the faint odor clinging to my uniform. I suppressed the urge to gag as I threw it back into my locker without any finesse, just wanting to get
Just Another Summer in ‘95 Part Two Read More »
I want to say this happened in the early summer when our park was full of hikers, campers, and tourists. Montana had its beauty in those summer months, so I couldn’t blame them.A lot of the tourists hadn’t spent a day camping or even been backpacking. A lot of them
Just Another Summer in ‘95 Read More »
Kai couldn’t remember the last time he’d caught himself feeling truly frightened. He had watched all of the scariest movies he could find, devoured countless ancient tales of mystery and macabre, and even researched real-world accounts of ghostly sightings and unexplainable encounters. All of it bored him. Of course, he
It’s amazing what lives within our oceans. Ecosystems of life entirely separated from our comfortable surface existences. It’s a momentous event when the worlds interact: people cheer when they see dolphins breach above the waves, there are organizations devoted to helping the sea turtle population make their way back to
The scene was gruesome. As if I had walked not inside an apartment in Pune, but a Hollywood horror movie set. The plain white floor tiles were drenched in blood, and the peach walls streaked with red. Shards of broken mirror lay dispersed on the floor intermixed with round dull
As a kid, it took everything I had not to paint the inside of my family’s car with a wave of vomit. My carsickness was the bane of our long road trips. We tried dozens of tricks to minimize the Jackson Pollocks I created on our car windows. Books, movies,
I Made Him Up For Company on Long Car Rides, Now He Follows Me Everywhere Read More »
I’ve been awake for eighteen days. That’s not hyperbole or any form of exaggeration. I’ve genuinely gone all this time without any sleep or rest. Not even a wink. And the craziest part is that I don’t feel like I need it. I don’t know how I’m still alive. These
There’s Something In The Coffee… Read More »
Phil had excellent hearing. He could, for example, hear Mrs. Polsgrove’s cat clawing at discarded tuna cans in her recycling bin two streets away. He heard Lisa’s feet tromping off mud and rocks. He recognized the jerky swish and scrape of a carryall being emptied of evidence. Phil heard many
The Rose and the Open Window Read More »
Endings, such horrible and dark things that plague our lives. Some people say that the end of one thing is the start of something new. However each and every person must stare down the final end. I stand on the edge of my own. With every tick of the clock
