FLASH

Small but mighty, these short, incisive pieces cut to the core in a just a few words.
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.

view of earth from space
The Scattering

Allanson looked out of the viewport, at the ragtag flotilla of ships trailing behind, some of them slow to catch up. It was to be expected with the little time that they’d had to cobble the fleet together.

First Boyfriend

I run with a pack of older boys from our neighborhood, the only girl.

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.

Greetings From Baja California!

Sitting at the bar on Pacific Avenue. With the seashells in the walls. Same bartender from last year, still here, making the same lethal Mai Tais.

Theoretical Debate

On the first day of our new life together, my husband realized that I was not interested in theoretical debate. He said it was okay by him and went out to get some pancake mix.

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.

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.

Little Cow

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

Smile.

At twenty, the world is yours because you’re beautiful. But never acknowledge your beauty, or it makes you a bitch.

Dead History

Another image rises to us both: A man hunched before a TV, watching historical documentaries, correcting incorrect facts. Rasputin was not a priest, damn it.

forest fire
When The Ten Thousand Ton Trilobite Attacked

We said, Heck, that’s really something.

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.

The Rift

None speak of how the streets collide in coarse seams like scars, the fresh cobbles unable to level with the ones shaken from their mortar by uncountable seasons.

Damn Good Listener

I know you shouldn’t keep wild animals as pets, but I’ve had the same spider in my bathroom sink for over two weeks.

Here in East Greenwich

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

Teeth and Boyfriends

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

Familiar Territory

Could someone hating you really cause a physical unease? Sure, why not.

Ruminations

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