“Yes!” Amy squeals as I slip on the ring. “I love you.” She hugs me. I appreciate it, having agonized over where to pop the question. Fairbanks Park, overlooking the river. A perfect place for picnics, community activities. For private conversations. “I love you, too.” I nestle my nose in her neck, draw in the […]

Early morning sunlight filters through the kitchen window. Darlene turns from the counter and her eyes lock on my plate. Alone together, I feel her heat.“You’re kidding, right?” she says, holding a plump red apple.There is a deafening silence. Even the birds outside hold their song. I shift in the chair, wait. It won’t be […]

Originally Published by Punk Noir Press on February 1, 2025. Punk Noir Magazine put out a call for flash submissions themed Valentine Crimes of Passion, written in less than 100 words. It was a challenge! Grateful ‘Ice Child’ was accepted. It was only a box of chocolate. But I knew my dream girl deserved it. Problem was my paper-route paid $4 a week, […]

Another day, the red sun risescrimson beams cut through the gloom, it’s hard to breath whendust blows in my eyes, lost particlesbut to sweeten the morningI escape to the old worldlong gone, somewhere out of reach. I claw back to the aroma of cinnamon buns—warm and stickytoilet paper, the garden in bloom, birdsong.Hoofing it across […]

The final bell rings, a signal another day of learning is over. I skip along the cobblestones passing old stone buildings, without a care in the word. At the end of road rests my house, where I open the front door. Darkness engulfs me as I weave through belted black pants, skirts and bulky purses, […]

Mist hovers above the surface of the waterlight creeping from the east, a golden pinky glowI cut the blade throughthe silence,a heightened awarenessof my insignificancedawn silhouetting the pines, the land around untouched. Time stands still, swallowing me wholemorning brightens dull untila breeze, hot and welcome carriesthe unmistakable scent of rain,while I paddle back across the […]