Sugar Report: Code Red
Kiddo was unusually wound up when Mom picked her up at school. “How was school today?” “Great!” she said. Kiddo, backpack, lunchbox, and Valentine’s box all tumbled into the car. “The Valentine party was SOOOO much fun!” “Hmm…” said Mom. “What did you eat today?” “I only had my lunch that you packed. It was…
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
Greenhouse Effect
Jamie had no patience for gardening – that was a chore reserved for eccentric old Southern women in big hats. And she really did not see how an internship at this obscure local greenhouse would benefit someone about to finish her dual doctorate in ecology and environmental studies. Plants seem innocuous enough, Jamie thought as…
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
George
George was a very blue dog. Being stuffed as he was, George didn’t spend much time romping among the daisies. He most often played indoors with his favorite sidekick, Kiki the green turtle. Being a turtle as she was, Kiki didn’t do much romping, well, anywhere. George the blue dog loved Kiki and he loved…
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
Park Bench – 15:00 Hours
Jean-Luc sat easily on the park bench, one arm draped over the back. He pulled a slow, hard drag from his cigarette, inhaling the afternoon heat. “Your first time in Paris, monsieur?” The man’s aroma suggested it had been some time since he bathed. “I’ve been…away for many years.” “I know places to see, monsieur.…
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
Silent Protest
Harold felt someone touch him. Or did he? It was hard to tell from behind the curtain of darkness shrouding his eyes. Every inch of his leaden body resisted all appeals for movement. His mind was too clouded for inquiry. He could probably rally himself, but the only thing he wanted was to let go,…
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
Frozen Echoes
Echoes of laughter-laced music from last night’s party crept out from behind the tree line and moved across the field. The piney air carried the suggestion of alcohol-doused firewood and nearly frozen vomit, followed by something not quite appropriate to the occasion – the unmistakable scent of fresh blood. “What do you think it is,…
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
Undercover
To say that a bald man in a white suit and purple sunglasses at a funeral sticks out like a sore thumb might be the singularly greatest understatement of the year, but when I got the 5:00 AM call to show up for an urgent security job, I was in a mildly hungover state and…
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
The Fishing Trip
“Been forever since I fished these waters. Or any. Won’t be much good.” Joe watched as his grandfather stood in the shallows, silent and motionless. He hadn’t been himself since Gran died. “Ya know, Gramps,” said Joe quietly, “you always said it didn’t matter if we caught anything, just that we get our toes wet…
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
Uplifted
Winter came again last night. The wind takes icy bites of my neck. I turn my collar against the chill, seeking help from glittering sunshine that offers no warmth. The landscape has dressed in delicate white furs for the occasion of what is – hopefully – winter’s final farewell. Across the snow-laced field sits a…
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
First Day on the Job
“Here’s where you punch in and out,” said Bob, “and you’ll be up in the rig until your shift ends, so take your lunch up with you.” Ned punched his card and followed the foreman to the building site, hesitating at the sight of the crane towering above the high-rise. Freak accident, they said, could…
