The rat floated toward me. His small legs pushed him through the water toward where I lay meditating next to my backyard pool.
Points of Departure by Corey Ginsberg
Spook by Will Dart
Some people daydream about tropical islands, or tall ships, or sex with their classmates. I spend that time confronting the grim reality of my own imminent demise.
Hunger and Sleep by Matt Jones
If I want bread in this household, I have to go to my wife’s bed. I don’t mean to imply an economy of sex for grains, because that’s not the case.
The Missing Piece by Michael Narkunski
My date was from OKCupid, told me he was bipolar but “over it,” dragged me to three different bars, and didn’t even make out with me for my trouble.
Rat Trailer by Amy Elisabeth Smith
When I used a dustpan to swish all the mice and rats to one side of the box, I thought about all the different ways to be a mom.
Not Here by Joshua Williams
I was a twenty-year-old white kid with a preposterous camera bag. I stayed for a while and then I left.
Escape from Candyland by Anthony Spinner
Amos was six-foot-five and weighed 300 pounds. The vacant, insincere smile plastered to his lips made it seem he knew embarrassing information about you.
Ode to a Sugar Cloud by Maria Ivkovic Manuccia
The dish is simple: raw egg yolks and equal parts sugar beat vigorously by hand or with an electric mixer, until the mixture is light and frothy.
Losing Weight by Melanie Brooks
At the end of each visit, I leave something behind. A scrap of memory. A knot of sadness. A shard of fear.
The Lord Won’t Mind by Gregg J. Orifici
Amidst the titles we didn’t understand—about menopause, bi-polarity, What Color is Your Parachute—one book stood out, like a billboard: The Joy of Sex.
