FLASH

Small but mighty, these short, incisive pieces cut to the core in a just a few words.
photo of windshield
Mother and Her Remains

Mama sped along the highway, unbothered by bits of gravel that flew up from the front tires and struck the windshield of the sedan.

Junk

It was spring and the hills were irradient, like they had to get out all their green in one short burst before catching fire.

Cost of Care

I reached for my invoice, which Dr. George, holding it between thumb and forefinger as if it were a soiled diaper, dropped into my hand.

dead roses
The Cycle

It all started with the curse of my tits. Women’s bodies are cursed. Everyone tries to look at them, everyone tries to ignore them.

Alan Rickman and the Mermaids of the Conch Republic

Sound engineers believe Alan Rickman possessed the perfect male voice. Early acting teachers told him he sounded like he was speaking from the back of a drainpipe.

Athena, the Octopus, Solves a Puzzle

The new octopus at the children’s aquarium was named Athena, and as we waited for her to emerge, I thought of the almost-too-faint second line on the pregnancy test three days before.

rotarty phone
My Wife’s Phone

Sex is not a thank you card in this house.

Swoon

Jenna says that he typically goes for redheads, so I run to Target and buy a box of hair dye.

The Sweetness

I’m dancing with my best friend’s husband, under the influence of his jaws and thighs.

forest fire
When The Ten Thousand Ton Trilobite Attacked

We said, Heck, that’s really something.

Laika Came Home

When Laika the space dog comes back, bulleted to earth in a tiny white escape pod that dissolves upon opening, nobody can believe it.

The Bird That Carried One Hundred Messages To America

At the end of the meeting, the villagers agreed to contribute shillings and pounds to sponsor Elochi to a university in America.

Sisters of the Divine Apparatus

The day does not conclude with the gentle exhale of the earth, but with Mother Superior flipping the hourglass over, again.

Here in East Greenwich

He used to hold my hand on Commonwealth. I wonder sometimes if he ever still thinks about my mouth.

In Rare Cases…

You’re joking, I say, interrupting the steady bumping of the doctor’s bushy white mustache.

Ruminations

Through the dusty window in my parent’s bedroom, I watched the neighbor’s cattle graze.

Forest Walk on a Friday

Every time I come to the forest, it’s different, but so am I.

Little Cow

A man with a fistful of showbags said, “That cow sounds like a person trying to sound like a cow.”

Teeth and Boyfriends

With great reluctance, I agree to meet a cousin for an outside lunch…

artwork with Venus
Light Pencils

The weeks go like this: accepting, horny, hopeful, sad. I’m four different people trying to establish one perspective on a major life event – on the creation of life itself.