There were so many lawn sign pop-ups around the front door of Brit’s apartment that they could be seen from the elevator, shimmering holograms layered so thick that they distorted the air around them like a mirage. They jumped to life one by one as Lensey approached, pressing as close to her as they could…Continue Reading “An Advocate for Nearly Any Situation”
Krumau an der Moldau, 1684 The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and the other begins? Edgar Allan Poe I was seven years old when I saw Jaroslav Černy hanged. I feel the pressure of Master Gottwald’s fingers on my shoulders still. …Continue Reading “The Execution of Heinrich von Schwarzenberg”
Every morning, his assigned caretaker would open Timothy’s box at the far end of the roller rink and flip the numerous switches that would boot his systems, preparing the silver and black robot to step out onto the varnished floor and complete his regular number of laps. Timothy could tell you every last detail of…Continue Reading “The Circuit Approach”
“My Dad. He was the one who inspired me. Back when we lived in Arizona, he drove home from work every night along Indian Route 42, barely keeping his eyes open. Well, in the Fall of ’77, he saw something in the sky. A UFO. When he told me, I saw a change in him….Continue Reading “Deliver the Message”
The Man loved the staircase. It was his favorite part of the house. A free floating spiral structure with a cylindrical hanging light that spread his shadow around the walls. It made him look like an explosion. Sometimes he would stand there for hours and stare at this disassembly. Sometimes it was all he did….Continue Reading “Disassembly”
I’ve had it with Eric. He’s pushed my last button. Twisted my last lock. Slammed my last door. His praise overflowed when he first bought me. “Look at my beautiful condo!” he tweeted, posting photos on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr while I held a steady internet connection so he wouldn’t have to repost later. I…Continue Reading “Home Sweet Home”
All my senses are heightened today. Every sensation seems to be multiplied by a factor of ten. The warmth of the sun seeps into every inch of exposed skin. I cradle the puppy in my arms. The smell of its warm, humid breath lingers in my nostrils. I laugh at its seemingly infinite supply of…Continue Reading “Flight 0036”
Everyone dreamt of becoming the next Great Esthetician. We were kids, the lot of us. We stayed that way as long as we could. It all began the day we emerged from the trees and out onto the field. That was the day we first laid eyes on the Face. It lay in the field…Continue Reading “The Great Esthetician”
The main artery of Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility had been deserted long before I arrived, but the silence surprised me. I’d expected some mind-numbing, blaring alarm system at the very least. Instead, only the light buzzing of the fluorescents punctured the thick stillness. My heart settled into my throat somewhere along the drive up to…Continue Reading “The Trolley Problem”
I started Travelling when I was five. My father strapped me into a machine, told me to take a deep breath, entered a few lines into his computer, and I was off. My body remained behind while my consciousness travelled to the past. It was both beautiful and terrifying, the past. Strangers flitted back and…Continue Reading “And I Travel”