Uncertain Shape

“I want to touch the sun.” Angela parked her car and opened the door. She pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. With trembling hands, she lit up. The heat from the flame warmed her face. The quivering inside her diminished. Her hands calmed. She exhaled across them and finished the cigarette. Avoiding the sidewalk,… — read more

A floating dock stretched into the lake. Holding a red rod and a fish bucket, Andy stepped past the guardrail. Now he was on the water. Andy looked back and asked, “You got this, Tom? The water’s calm.” “Oh, shut up and give me some room. I can’t get through with you standing there, gumming… — read more

Sam looked into a dark room. He hunted for the light switch — found it. Three lamps, situated around the room, shone with a yellow tint. The aroma of whiskey rose from the carpet. Sam looked around. A bed at one end and a desk at the other. A window with curtains pulled shut, blocking… — read more

Robert sat in the wet grass; his pants soaked up the rain. Above, lights flickered and buzzed. Empty bleachers faced each other — too close. Once, they held a game. He took a drink and looked up at the half moon. At its reflection in his flask. A distant hand extinguished the lights. Robert heard… — read more

Jane glanced out her windshield. The day was calm, even at forty-five hundred feet. Her plane speared through the air, leaving no feeling of its passing. The view ahead was clear. She was low enough to observe landmarks. She had planned a straightforward flight. A moving, dark spot caught her left eye. She looked that… — read more

Sam stepped up onto the makeshift stage. It didn’t feel very solid under his feet, but he’d seen plenty of people use it. The band last week had three people, and they had plenty of space. Sam walked over to the guitar amp. It was old, tattered, and smelled like an ashtray. The dials and… — read more

Tim sat in a coffeehouse, staring out the front window. The view was of a busy sidewalk and an even busier road. He took a sip of his iced latte and continued to watch the man sitting outside. The man seemed to have selected his location to play on the guilt of gourmet coffee consumers.… — read more

Roger stepped out of the liquor store. The rain was cold but light. Turning right, Roger walked for several blocks. He found a street with crawling cars. He turned left, walking in the same direction as traffic. He crisscrossed his arms to hold his coat closed. Whiskey sloshed in a bottle in his inside pocket.… — read more

Nick pulled up to 141 Hackles St. He dropped his kickstand, leaned into it, and got off his bike. He looked at the house — he was nervous. What was he going to say to her? Would she even attend? The house was three stories tall, gray, and old. Rotating colors pressed against the inside… — read more

Jeff pulled into the parking lot, hoping for a convenient spot. He found one, four rows in. He pulled in, facing the five-story, concrete daycare. He watched as it blocked the sunrise, even absorbing the pink sky. Closing his eyes, Jeff took three deep breaths, exhaling each to the rhythm of his heartbeat. He opened… — read more