Whiteout- by Batya Guarisma

These calloused fingers built the house
In which your ungrateful soul resides

Remedy – by Kyle Hooper

These calloused fingers built the house
In which your ungrateful soul resides

Defective and Suspect- by Gerry Stefanson aka The Wordbutcher

It smells of old, forgotten things:

damp earth long buried, decanted

Oubliette – by Brett Leanne

It smells of old, forgotten things:

damp earth long buried, decanted

THE LAST TIME MY HEART BROKE – By Mr Mbonisi Zikhali Zomkhonto

So we kept change for lost off-chances,

over-the-counter jinx fixes for the chipped teeth of a heart

That bit more chunk than it could chew.

Where We Have to Go – by Lindsey Harrington

We queue up with all the semis, car carriers full of souped-up SUVs, reefers of Mexican spinach and sweet peas, empty logging trucks, and full livestock trailers. And us, with our secret cargo.

God Loves The Sinner, But Not One Like Me – by Suann Amero

Turning from the window to look at Mom and Dad, I watched as she zipped the last bag and he pulled the blankets up over the pillows in his sloppy man-version of making the bed. Mom was vibrating with anger. I had no idea why she was so upset, I was just thankful that her anger wasn’t aimed at me.

Little Cabin in the Woods – by Andrew Shaughnessy

There was no trailhead. Rather, I should say that if there was a trailhead, we couldn’t find it. I grabbed the metallic tube that my parents called a ‘torch’ to join Bill in the search. I flicked it on only to realize that, compared to Bill’s floodlight, my flashlight had the candlepower of, well, a candle.

A Life on Fire – by Lindsey Harrington

Whispered conferences took place while Clarice slept.

“What’s the plan for today?”