Tendrils of blue smoke wafted up from Ash’s fingers as he drummed the table. Toying with her pearl choker, Misty ignored his impatience. He glared at his sister until she met his graze and then checked his Rolex. Misty rubbed her damp palms on her twisted cloth napkin.

“The others will be here soon. Just cool down,” Misty said.

Ash crackled with annoyance. Misty pushed a damp curl behind her e...

It was the gathering time. In ThisPlace, there was a time for everything. Times to eat, times to work, times to sleep, and now was the time to gather and share information. They all adhered to the schedule. Planning is life. To keep ThisPlace going each person had to do their share. Each hand was a cog in the clockwork. Even the babies, the few there were, did their part by being born at the same ...

Can’t believe a simple storm dixielanded across the Leeward Islands spitting rain

Would gather strength over the Bahamas

Can’t believe oceans of cassava fields, swelling rivers of dark houses

Could syncopate death on the Florida Keys

Can’t believe once black skillet streets drowning in cottonmouth water

Did surely rise along the way to New Orleans

Can’t believe Lake Pontchartrain trumpeted...

Achoo! I grabbed my head to keep it from falling off. Barking at my sneeze, Sherlock jumped off my bed and trotted down off to the kitchen.

“Et tu cane,” I shouted after my annoyed Yorkie’s fluffy butt.

I kicked off the too hot twist of comforter. I needed hot tea or a cold ginger ale or both. Ugg, every inch of me ached in novel ways.

Ding.

I turned my congested head on my sore throat t...

Dear Diary,

I promised myself a good day. I promised. I woke up happy, at least, happy enough. I took deep breaths on the hill by the split oak. I gathered mulberries for my porridge. I tended my garden and collected chamomile, ginger, wild lavender, and armfuls of mint to barter in the market. As I walked with my basket heavy I thought happy thoughts. Fresh cheese with honey or maybe some smoked ...

I don’t remember when I first saw her
Probably in the hallways
Maybe in the cafeteria
One pretty girl amongst pretty girls
Pretty much the same
I remember when she saw me
In the library, study hall, second period

Her eyes a little too big for her elfin face threw wide
A cloud sailed away from the sun; I burned from her light
She asked me to be her lab partner
Cracking the sternum
Dissecting the ...

Johnny felt cold. Even though the strange vanilla room was warm, Johnny shivered in his jumpsuit. Why was he barefoot in a smooth gray jumpsuit? He had been wearing Vans and khaki cargo shorts and a buttoned-down business shirt this morning. Steve had given him serious side-eye over Johnny’s idea of business casual. Johnny didn’t care because Steve was a shit boss and he was never going to kowtow...

Dear Mr. Delaney,

God, I don’t even know what to even call you. It’s so weird. This is like the weirdest letter I’ve ever written and like the only letter I’ve ever written. I mean who writes letters. I’m rambling. Josh says I ramble and talk super quick when I’m nervous and I guess I do the same when I write. To the point I’m your daughter, Lizette. Wow this is weird, so weird and hard.

I got k...

Carefully, airport security pried loose the wooden case lid. A large hairy backed hand reached down and brushed one of my generous leaves. I sighed ecstatic.

Kalanchloe tribblous, commonly known as Fuzz Fuzz, Feelie Good, YumYum, a hardy, quick growing succulent covered with fuzzy plantlets. Makes the perfect low maintenance houseplant. Bright Sun. That’s what the little plastic sign sank into my...

With a booming rhythmic whine, the washer had shimmied halfway across the basement laundry room. Sam raced downstairs to investigate the racket, falling halfway down. Cold sudsy water from the slop sink sprayed his face while he wrestled the white behemoth back in place. Dripping wet and black and blue, Sam knew he was a loser. Sam had been a cute kid, charming and precocious. Next he morphed into...