Staring into his reflection in the muddy puddle, he could picture himself as an old man. He could imagine the lines and wrinkles that would mark his face with experience and time. The young man liked the idea that his soft features might become rugged and defined. That age would give him character and a…
Constellations
He supposed it was the city lights that drove him to do it. Their glow blocked the light of the stars and made the night sky into a dark abyss. He had grown up with the stars gleaming like a thousand bright fires, setting the darkness alight with their beauty. Their sheer number and potential…
No Blade of Grass
A ball of fire in the sky All of life wilts to die No water, nor tree No shade, nor sea Nothing at all, not a bit of land No blade of grass, just grains of sand I mark each grain as a span of time I smile, for each grain is mine. Every single…
One Shot Left
The gun jiggled very slightly in his hand as Terry spun the cylinder. The weight of only one bullet instead of a full 6 had thrown it off balance but only just. Before it stopped turning, Terry flicked his wrist to the right, causing a familiar click as the revolver’s cylinder snapped into place. He…
A Certain Hunger
He wasn’t the one. She knew that as soon as they sat down, but she held out hope that he would surprise her. After about three hours, she left the date feeling unsurprised and unsatisfied. She hoped the next one would have that spark she craved. She had met a few before who seemed they…
Clicks and Clacks
It dazzled her, how the clack of the typewriter had been replaced with the click of the laptop. Amazing how a single letter in a single word could symbolize more than a hundred years of change while still representing the same thing. She paused, filling the fallout shelter with silence, and wondered what would be…
Falling Snow
John grasped the handle of the axe tightly, feeling his knuckles crack. His joints ached and the snow falling around him didn’t help matters. It had gotten steadily worse in the years since he turned thirty-five. He was fifty-two now and he felt a pang of sadness at the idea that his best years were…
Faded Memories
She sipped the drink slowly, savoring the bourbon as it slid down her throat and lit a fire inside. Cigarette smoke filled the bar air, making it seem as if it were filled with an unnatural mist. Allison loved the smell. The stale cigarette smoke always gave her a strong sense of nostalgia. It brought…
Flood Warning
The booze sloshed in the pit of his stomach like water in the bottom of a boat. The rain was coming down so hard that he could barely see more than ten feet in front of his eyes, except for the occasional flash of lightning, which lit up the world around him. Not that Alex…
Depressions in the Dirt 