By Mason Yates             …never want to leave.  Penelope Valeria- also known by her nickname of Penny to lucky individuals who were fortunate enough to call her a friend- whipped her head around in an effort, or last-minute attempt, to…

By Dorothy Seehausen “She looks so, uh, different,” his sixty-nine year old Auntie said, peering into the bronze casket framed on one side by a fragrant bouquet of roses and on the other a poster depicting colorful highlights of Maude…

By: Michael Gigandet             “There are two drivers to watch for,” my mother told me when she was teaching me to drive. “…little men in hats and women wearing glasses and scarves. They’ll run you over every time.” I was…

By: Leon Kortenkamp “What was that?  Wake up, Robby.  I heard something.” “What?  What did you hear?” “Something.  Did you hear it?” “No.” “I was dreaming about my mother.  I saw her so clearly.  I looked into her eyes; she…

By: Aviva Derenowski The need for a child penetrated every atom of Mama Boa’s soul. She and Papa Boa got together in love and devotion. She prayed and cried and promised anything God might desire. Still, she remained barren. There…

By Mike Hickman “Vinegar,” Dennis Pringle replied, when I asked him what he hoped had become of the film print. If there had ever been a film print. “Hopefully,” he added, foul teeth chewing on another cigar as he leaned…

By: Bruce Levine Freddie hadn’t made it through fourth grade unscathed. Actually she hadn’t made it through anything unscathed. To begin with, she hated her name – Fredericka, thus Freddie. Her parents had thought that Fredericka Carlton sounded like a…

By: Todd Mercer Sisyphus Drops a Dime Eternity was how long the job was supposed to go on, but someone called OSHA with reports of glaring safety violations. An individual who may or may not be Sisyphus himself dropped a…

By: Christopher Johnson             Grandmother Newman and I were walking in the dense, mysterious, almost impenetrable woods that brooded across the street from our house, and my tiny hand was embedded in hers, and her skin felt like dry, smooth…

By: David Patten           It didn’t really matter to Lamar.  It was good to get the A express, but usually he just rode the first B or C local that pulled into the 125th Street station.  The platform was less…