“What an absurd thing to say to someone of my stature,” I remark to no one in particular, no one who would care to listen if I’m being honest, “who does this fool think he is?”

His insolence has ruined my morning bath. At this point I’ll have to take another tonight because rage-bathing is not very efficient. Now my afternoon nap will be completely replaced by panicked pacing at the window. The f...

The deepest valley is cloaked in a shadow of grief and despair.

Aren’t you cold?

Hope and excitement escape death’s clutches to illuminate the way forward.

Do you need a tissue?

Find freedom and unbridled joy basking on the mountaintop near the shores of relief.

Can I borrow sunscreen?

An early evening sees anxiety and uncertainty sneak in through the gates as forgotten enemies.

Is it time fo...

My job is to show, but never reveal.

I know not the truth, though I cannot shield

You from what’s hidden within.

All your secrets are spilled onto display.

No one’s told me, so I really can’t say

Anything to assuage your doubts.

I illuminate for whatever’s near.

Surrounded by knowledge, but always in fear

I am missing the punchline.

Others use me for what I can provide.

They never let me i...

The Fourth of July is likely the best day to be murdered. If timed correctly, the sound of the gunshot is muffled behind the explosion of fireworks, and the cover of night blankets both shooter and shootee.

And as the shootee, I can think of no better final moments than this spectacular show of lights and noise on a beautifully and unusually cool July evening, with a mild and peaceful breeze car...

They all said I did it. The neighbors, the newscasters, the jury - hell, even my own lawyer - believed it. When your daughter is found with a bullet in her, a bullet that matches your gun exactly, you might as well have pulled the trigger. Even if you didn’t.

But essentially, I did, didn’t I? That good-for-nothing, entitled boyfriend of hers did it, Zander - what kind of name is that anyway? I k...

“You know, Mrs. McAllen, my father just built the brand new security system to the school, out of the goodness of his heart, and I don’t know that he’d think too kindly of the teachers he protects giving me detention,” Niko remarked. He tried to lean back in his chair, unamused to realize the desk and chair were attached and leaning nowhere. He resigned to crossing his arms, instead.

“It’s MacAli...

At three in the morning, Lottie’s hand shook with trepidation as she fumbled the key into the lock of Main Street’s newest bakery. After months of list-making, recipe testing, and marketing, today marked the start of Dough & Co.’s life; it’s survival tied directly to her own.

She expected to hear a symphony of motivational music, like in the movies, but instead she heard only the clatter of keys ...

It was unusual to find a notepad these days, and even more unusual to find a notepad actually in use. Pen and paper were simple relics from a distant stone age; the digital world reigned supreme. But as I scanned Mac Kiplinger’s apartment for clues to her disappearance, I noticed more and more artifacts frozen in time.

Up on the 207th floor, intense sunlight illuminated a space encumbered with u...

Amy woke with a groan, feeling the dull ache of an unbearable pain her brain fought against registering. Upon opening her eyes, she realized the dullness was more likely numbness, as she was buried chest-deep in the snow.

“Wha-,” she breathed, “where am I?”

She struggled to assess her surroundings as she slipped in and out of consciousness. Flashes of moments stood out in her mind - hospitals,...

It was too soon to believe I actually escaped, and yet as I watched the train station pull away, I giggled. I actually did it.

“Oi, what are you laughing at?”

I forgot I wasn’t alone in this compartment, too consumed with a dangerous combination of elation and anxiety. A gentleman sat across from me. His bushy mustache and bald head reminded me of a walrus who had been unceremoniously stuffed i...