By: Degen Hill “Climber One, do you copy?” Static echoed back across the line. “Climber One, this is Sierra Base, Dimension 19, do you copy?” The static continued. Lieutenant Mercer turned to look at Commander Urtz, and shook her head….
By: Barry Vitcov “I’d like to purchase a replacement battery for my pacemaker,” said the short, white-haired, slightly bent over woman with inquisitive green eyes. She stood at Saul Gold’s battery kiosk in the St. James Square Mall with a…
By: Debraj Bhattacharya A worried DM The District Magistrate of district Ajeebpur, Mr. Hari Sachdev IAS, is a worried man. He has just received a letter that a high-profile delegation from UN is coming to see the present condition of…
By Mark Kodama I. The Poker Game I try not to think about what happened that day at Afton Canyon. Nobody here in Hadleysville ever talks about it. But today is the anniversary of the events. I am sure it…
By: Eric Burbridge Being born and raised in this state I’ve seen the worst criminals sit in their cells awaiting execution in surroundings that half the world would envy. These individuals are the worse of the worse, the vermin who…
By: James Bates We were walking home at sunset from the neighborhood rink, skates swings from the blades of our hockey sticks. Little Eddie was eight years old, younger than me by three years and smaller by a head and…
By: Mark Kodama Each step creaked as he ascended the stairs. His footsteps were light on the carpet. The door knob to her bedroom clicked. He lifted her thick cotton comforter and slipped into her bed. The mattress sagged and…
By: Ram Govardhan On a cold February morning in 2007, President Abdul Kalam’s motorcade was an hour away from Coonoor, the civilian town near Wellington Cantonment in Ooty. He was on his way to meet Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw to,…
By: Matej Purg The boy’s feet barely touched the floor as he sat at the dining room table. He was staring at his math book, but he couldn’t focus on the problem in front of him. Illimitable distractions kept him…
By Matej Purg It happened on a Tuesday afternoon, a block or so from where I parked my car. I was certain to get a ticket now, navigating hordes of slow-moving tourists standing in the way, taking pictures of themselves….