By: John Ziegler Uncle Ernest was a thin man, bent crane-like. His Adam’s apple bobbed with his keening harangue. Also when he laughed. A bank clerk, he was invested, AT&T, U.S. Steel. He died alone in the shower, discovered by…

David William Jurgenson pens a tale set in Frankenstein, Missouri, where young Vallow, accused of arson, contests her expulsion at Ritterson, a dubious school for the gifted. As she confronts Headmaster McGovern about the institution’s true nature, she’s unwillingly sacrificed to a dark deity after a chilling incantation, revealing the school’s nefarious purpose.

By: Henry Simpson The previous owners of the house Susie and I recently bought had neglected the front and back yards. Artists, hippies, lazy folks, or whatever they were, they were not neat and tidy. Slobs, actually, though Susie would…

By: James Aitchison The debate rages in scholarly circles: what language did the ancient inhabitants of Scotland speak?  Did the Picts possess a lost language, was it an Indo-European dialect, or was it simply Celtic? Our first clues can be…

By: Walt Shulits Is it a covert confession, his guilt gushing, grabbing him by the ankles and shaking until truth tumbles onto the nightstand or is the photo his personal meme, the renunciation of a carefully cultivated carapace, an assertion of who he really…

By: Caleb Park Music is a noun. Here’s what Google says about music: “vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.” So obviously, it doesn’t really…

Alan is shocked by an $815 landline bill, presuming Daria’s unauthorized international calls are to blame. She dismisses his concerns, claiming the calls were for organizing ‘talcum powder’ shipments, a gift plan for friends. Alan’s frustration spills over literally and verbally, while Daria defends her extravagant actions, hinting at a lucrative scheme. Despite his anger at her disregard for money and assistance, Alan’s deep-seated fascination with Daria’s unconventional nature prevails.

 By: Idoko Jennifer Uloma What if we become more realistic? What if we put pretence to stop? What if we dispose of our masks and become our true selves? What if we become carefree and unapologetically ourselves? What if we…

Theodore “Ted” Kortenkamp, now a junior partner at a prestigious law firm, lives in the shadow of his successful father and under the weight of family expectations. Experiencing difficulty in his marriage due to reluctance about starting a family, Ted has a realization after observing a wren’s domestic bliss in a bright yellow birdhouse his wife, Ellie, had hung in their patio. This moment of introspection leads Ted to confront his fears, culminating in a reconciliatory moment with Ellie, where he finally agrees it’s time to start their family. The story is written by Leon Kortenkamp, a San Francisco Bay Area writer and artist with an extensive background including military service and a Master of Fine Arts degree.

Daniel de Culla paints a critical and humorous picture of Paris, mocking its nicknames ‘City of Light’ and ‘City of Love’. He describes the Ferris Wheel at the amusement park as a highlight, offering views of landmarks like Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. Yet, he warns of the expensive café drinks and the undesirable taste of holy water. With sarcasm, he recounts the disillusionment in the quest for love, seeking but not finding satisfaction in Pigalle’s notorious Moulin Rouge, mocked by the dancers for their unmet desires, leading to a disappointing turn in a sex shop. De Culla’s narrative carries a caution from his father, emphasizing the illusion versus the reality of the city’s promises.