norman

CanopyBedroomCandleWaxStatuePurplePillsPillowsMatchWitWickFingertipsSculpturesMeltBodiesCurlSheetsBlanketsMusicAcousticVoicesGuitarsSilverBellsWineGlassesTeardropLipsKissFragrancePeachChocolateGrapeFleshCurtainsQuiverOpenMemoryBoxPearlsDewGrassGreenSunriseMirrorSilverGoldLakeLeafEarRingsHandRubedCirclesFiligreeIntimacyClaspLobesLiltedCharmsWhisperedHeatWarmHelloMorningRoomShuttersBlindsEyesCatSincereFarewellMyWraith

norman

canopy
bedroom
candle
wax
statue
purple
pills
pillows
match
wit
wick
fingertips
sculptures
melt
bodies
curl
sheets
blankets
music
acoustic
voices
guitars
silver
bells
wine
glasses
teardrop
lips
kiss
fragrance
peach
chocolate
grape
flesh
curtains
quiver
open
memory
box
pearls
dew
grass
green
sunrise
mirror
silver
gold
lake
leaf
ear
rings
hand
rubbed
circles
filigree
intimacy
clasp
lobes
lilted
charms
whispered
heat
warm
hello
morning
room
shutters
blinds
eyes
cat
sincere
farewell
my
wraith

Anthony Fair

He had the dream again from ninety stories high. Smoke as acrid and black as fresh oynx gnawing at his lungs like a rabid Cerberus. He could not speak. His body screamed for air and the tiny crawl of hot ants running across his limbs and he brought the chair against the window again and again until it gave and the cold fresh air whistled a hollow hymn. The sun was veiled in the rolling clouds of black and beyond was the city and he could not breath any better now. He looked down and put his weight on the supports of the building to keep him anchored. The first scream came followed by a second. Business suits floating down through the impossible black, free from the smoke, and finding their voices in a sudden clipped scream and then silence. The wind seemed to pause in deference and resound again and louder still.
He forced himself awake and tried to unsee the horror. But the black of the hotel room only kept him there unstuck and all that was missing were the screams. He turned for the lamp beside the bed.

Robert

"Your writing is superficial," the old English teacher told her. What does that even mean she asked herself. Her first bad grade during high school and she thought "I'll never get into Columbia." She studied long into the night and then cried herself to sleep.

Diane

Slave Girl #34
The set was bedlam. Thousands of extras wandered about the scene.

Sheila walked into the melee, her skirt twisting around her ankles. She pulled at the diaphanous chiffon and wound it around her arm like a purple sling.

As she started to climb the rocks, she tripped on the fabric and fell backward. Strong arms grabbed around her waist. She gazed into the face of Moses.

Charlton Heston smiled.

David

A neighbor’s decorations have a wire reindeer festooned with white lights. A motor swung its head back and forth.

The wind knocked it over. When I came out, it was on its side, raising its glowing, little head off the lawn as if it was trying to get up.

It sounded sad. “yeep, yeep.”

Get the pistol; put it down. But it’s just a wire reindeer festooned with lights.

Maybe the wind did it … or the inflatable snowman.

Brian

During the service, you cried but managed to keep it together. Coming into the now empty house, you begin to sense the void. Walking down the hall to open his door, you can feel your control slipping. It is when you see the wooden chest full of toys in the corner that will never be played with again that you weep forever.

Reuben

I was alone, in the woods, on an Outward Bound style “solo.” With only my tent, sleeping bag, flashlight, matches, limited food, water, stove, pencil and a notepad. No book, radio or cell phone. After 3 days and 2 nights of observing, listening and reflecting, I had no profound thoughts. Finally, thinking of my shyness and few friends, it came: “I feel like a submarine, rarely seen and only then on the surface.”

Matt

We approached the village and suddenly an old man called out. He warned us that the villagers did not trust strangers; they would think we were dangerous. "We ARE dangerous." I said and the others laughed.

The man told us to turn around or the villagers would capture and kill all but one of us, who would serve as a warning to others. We entered the village anyway.

We should have listened to the old man.

Claudine

He wanted to forget her grey, straggly hair spread on the pillow, and remember instead the feel of the red buoyant mass of it suddenly hiding his face when he rode with Helen perched on the handlebar. We will crash, he had shouted. She had laughed, if I ever get hurt or sick, please don’t let me suffer. He had agreed as lovers do. He knew her so well, but had he read her eyes properly when he had pushed the syringe?

Justin

Call me what you like, but don’t call me late to the ship! I needed this voyage, but bobbing here in the water, I wonder if my tattooed best bud and I joined up too hastily. See, Captain was a nutjob, first mate made Hamlet look like Batman, and not much, you know, whaling happened. Old Peg-Leg had it in for a whale. And the whale was a bit vindictive himself. It’s true. Too bad there’s none but I left to say so.

Harris

“Before we go any further,” Jerome said, kissing Anna’s nipple. “there are two things you should know about me.
“Mmmm?”
“One is, I did time in prison.”
Anna looked at pudgy, owlish, Jerome.
“No kidding,” she said. “What for?”
“I killed a man.”
“Gosh,” she said, suddenly finding Jerome dangerous. In a shakey voice she asked, “What’s the other thing?”
Jerome leaned over to kiss her other nipple. “I’m a liar,” he said.

Harris

I am Zorph 39. I work at baby grinding plant 39. We grind only babies as they make the best meat. As conquerors of this world we are entitled to the best meat. Adult meat is not as best. Grinding plant 39 does not grind adult meat, only baby meat. Human females are kept in sanitary pens until birthing. They can bear a meat product every 6 Luna cycles. After several birthings, they are ground into meat. Any questions?

Harris Tobias

“Professor, please, take a look at this?” the student called to the old astronomer.
His telescope was pointing at The Andromeda Galaxy. “I know, my boy, I’ve seen it a billion times. Beautiful isn’t she?”
“Please, sir, this is different. Something strange is going on.”
The old man sighed and took a look. “Impossible,” he muttered. “That galaxy It’s...it’s... unwinding.”
“Yes, I know,” said the student, “they all are.”

terrance

Our eyes met but for a split second yet that connection took us to a place, a past and a future where our souls were one. The hours,the days,the weeks and finally it happened, the reconnect was intense. Her heart was mine, my body was hers. The two of us had indeed become one. Now, thirty-two years of intertwining. A full life laced with passion, promise and beauty that began with one fate-filled glance,frozen in all eternity.

Barry

The element "divinium" will cause a
modest stir in the scientific community when it is discovered in approximately
ten years time in an abandoned mine outside an impoverished Peruvian village by a young scientist of questionable reputation. There will be consensus that the grapefruit-size silver-flecked sample is extraterrestrial in origin, probably deposited when the world was in its infancy. This despite the scientist's insistence that he was guided to the isolated location by a "divine" voice, which also told him that the discovery will solve many of the ills inflicting mankind. However, in the end, the sample will be placed in a lead-lined box, stored away in the basement of a museum and the scientist experience a steady decline, both professionally and personally, but will be remembered quite fondly by the young girl who would bring the old man his tea as he sat peacefully in his small garden.

Daniel

Chart in hand, stomach in throat, I approached the throngs of gyn patients scattered across the waiting room. I called the name of my first patient, in my first clinical rotation, for my first exam.

“Ms. Nixon!” I called.

Nothing…

“Ms. Nixon!”

Back in the corner, the largest, tallest, widest woman in the room stirred. She shuffled over to me with a stern look, “they didn’t tell me they’d be no MAN doctah!”

“No problem Mam, I’ll get you a female doctor in one second.” I said relieved.

“Tha’s alright, son.” She said, taking me by the arm with a broad smile and almost pushing me towards the exam room. “You’re cute!”

James Penha

Boyle prepared one last cup of tea, It would be as bitter as his memories remained sweet. He had cared for those youngsters when no one else would. He gave them what they needed, wanted. Or he gave them nothing at all. Still he got Christmas cards from Jimmy Farrell. And Tommy Lonergan was a huge success. There was no anguish. Until now. Newspapers saw everyone's hands as dirty as their own ink. He sipped bitterly.

Ido

Born in warm climate, I never wore long johns up until my twentieth birthday, when I moved to New York. It was something my mom packed for me. “They’re your grandpa’s old long johns,” she said. “From Poland.” I pulled them up on my legs, painting them white. “With a white thermal shirt, I can look like a cowboy wearing his pajamas,” I said. She didn’t get it. My mother was never much for the movies.

Diane

Dirk wore sandalwood, but that wasn’t the reason he was a jerk. With teeth like a saber tiger and eyes like jumping beans, he was anything but serene. She tried to make him happy, cooked vegan pie, did yoga poses nude. They ate rice balls and studied clouds. He was on his IPhone, when they crashed into a beamer. She bled from the mouth, whispered I love you. He drank it up, but left her there. It was a blue moon.