The story below is a work of fiction. My gym reopened. Waiting in my car, in the parking lot. Should I go in. What if it’s a trap. Owners now lead a COVID-19 cult, worshipping a pestilence god only found in Dungeons & Dragons campaign manuals, luring human bodies back through their doors to trap … Story: Quarantine VI
I posted this about a decade ago here, but I never posted the actual text. I suppose it doesn’t matter that much but a part of me will feel restless until I actually do, especially I mentioned I would do it way back when. So here it is. It was inspired by something I had … Story: Eve’s Geometry
This was a story I wrote some time ago for Discovery Christian Church, for a Christmas season service that focused on storytelling and art. The story was printed into a little booklet and sold after the service. The money went to a charity, I think. The art was done by one Kevin Rupert. One of … Story: A Native’s Story
The story below is a work of fiction. One of three birds has been waking me up in the morning. Windows open–rude awakenings are my unjust reward, straight from the bosom of Mother Nature, for allowing her to get closer to me. Their calls are words. One says “Germany, Germany, Germany.” The other says “I … Story: Quarantine V
The story below is a work of fiction. We went somewhere. It was a sort of fraternal hall with shopping. Perfectly healthy folks demeaning themselves with masks, hunching over their carts pathetically because standing up straight like a biped with proper lumbar curvatures was too much to ask. Heaven help them if they start smoking … Story: Quarantine IV
The story below is a work of fiction. It’s come to this. Did everything humanly possible in my matchbox apartment that I could do: meals for the week, wiped everything down, swept corners like those marines in Aliens, swept them again, ironed anything fabric, cleaned my computer of dust and questionable downloads. My phone. I … Story: Quarantine III
The story below is a work of fiction. He went on a date. It was illegal in 40 states, maybe theirs. She texted if he wanted her to wear a mask but he forgot to reply. She wore a headscarf but no not for religious reasons. Her family was from the Maghreb but she looked … Story: Quarantine II
This is a story I submitted to the 2020 Parsec Ink short story contest. It wasn’t accepted, obviously, so here it is, for free. Mrs. James Livermore’s lantern’s light gleamed pale orange onto the weary faces of little Liliana Livermore and her younger brother, Junior, upon their hasty approach to Mrs. Livermore and myself. The … Story: The Lesser Founts at Ilmarinton
Going to read and re-read this until I go cross-eyed and hallucinate the omitted determiner in the title.
The story below is a work of fiction. Top link in my news story feed was a travel blogger having to file for unemployment because of COVID-19. Imagine being an “influencer.” Calling yourself that. What to put on the census, what do you tell people at parties. Practice saying it in front of the mirror … Story: Quarantine
The story below is a work of fiction. I was born after Mom died. The delivering doctor was an Artifice, a high-function, high-powered—and high-priced—android. Mom and Dad only had enough credits to save either Mom or me from the complication. Dad told me, when I was old enough, Mom made the decision without hesitation. The … Story: Imbolc Eve
The story below is a work of fiction. The android sat crossed-legged and scratched at his head—two gestures he had learned from his days of living with real humans, when they were alive. He held one of their bodies in his hand. It didn’t move, just like all the other ones scattered in front of … Story: Artificial
The story below is a work of fiction. Her hand was nestled into the crook of his elbow as he lead her down the crowded, powdered-white street. The layered sheets of blurry white specks floated down and the sight of their meandering, parallax paths made the couples’ route a kaleidoscopic adventure. They threaded the needle … Story: Urban Planning
The story below is a work of fiction. The aliens abducted the man and placed him into a spartan but comfortable room in the zoo. Patrons of only a few alien races walked by to observe him. When the flow of observers increased, and interest in his presence became more acute, his keepers filled out … Story: Caravaggio Prison
The story below is a work of fiction. The lady kept eyeing her on the train, like yesterday. What is this intruder doing here again, she was probably thinking. Another working woman to contend for her Queen Bee perch, overlooking the morning commute. The paranoid thought life of older working ladies: muggers, ex-husbands, rapists, and … Story: The Second Day of Work
At one of my old jobs, someone had left a poorly-worded note in the break room: “coat doesn’t fit. trade?” I wrote this out and taped it up next to it. I almost considered getting it written it up in calligraphy, but I’m not that big of a jerk. Gentlemen of the XX Floor, Is … A Good Sir Story
Lily and Daisy Toddlers warming to their names Fart blossoms blooming Island-stranded couple’s bottled message: “Don’t bother.” Johnson quickly saluted his smug editor. Yet behind him, Emily seethed. The office editorial was complete.
The story below is a work of fiction. He just wanted to sub to an Instagram account that had decent fitness inspiration, but everything he looked at was filled with brown circle Brazilian backsides on the beach and women that were a little too abby. No different than a strip club photo session; he wanted … Story: Lousy Illuminati Disguises, Half Off
The story below is a work of fiction. She babysat the one kid who just watched that one animated movie on repeat. The one with the Taylor Swift song in the beginning. That one song that was an obvious ploy by her A&R management to sell to any kind of media that involves New York … Stories on Blogs are a Bad Idea
You’ve been warned: this is a mammoth post. I wanted to get all my exemplary bits of music journalism (if you can call it “journalism”) posted here, for safekeeping. Most of them are from Noisecreep, but the site hasn’t been updated for months, so its demise may be soon Nevermind…it’s still kickin’. Buzzgrinder is still … Ultra Mega Post of Past Music Journalism