Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Photography and Photo Art
The train slowly gathered speed as it pulled away from the station. The sound of the wheels rattling against the tracks was something she found soothing. It established a kind of rhythm that, at least momentarily, drew her thoughts away from what she was leaving behind. From what had happened there.
I don’t always find her. And the where of her is unpredictable. On those occasions when I don’t find her, I never know whether it’s her choice to remain hidden or whether she has simply abandoned certain places, finding them unsuitable in some way. The first time I found her always comes to mind with the kind of clarity attaching to events that reshape our lives in some fundamental way, as if the experience is permanently housed in its own moment of brilliant light where every little detail is illuminated. It was like that.
The gloom began to fade as early morning sunlight filtered into the underground station. It crouched on the far side of the tracks and waited for the first of today’s crowd to come streaming down the moving walkway. It liked watching the crowd, the constant flow of shapes and sizes and colors. It liked listening to the drone of the crowd’s constant chattering and muttering.
Spring is the time when all the girls and boys in the squirrel community ready themselves for the chase. As the weather warms and the days become brighter, the girls get gussied up and swish those tails in invitation. The boys get revved. The pursuit is on. Continue reading “Mad Squirrel Falls for Love”
Squirrels are natural born storytellers. On nights when the moon is bright and the air is warm, the squirrels in the community will gather in the limbs of a large oak and listen to the tales of days gone by. Some nights there are stories of the Pygmy Tribe who are rumored to live in a tropical paradise where the cold of winter never intrudes. Some nights they tell of the Giant Grizzled Squirrel who is mighty enough to challenge a bear. Continue reading “Mad Squirrel Tries to Fly”
There once was a squirrel that lived in a beautiful old oak tree. Now this squirrel was a bit of a grumpy-gus who complained about everything all the time. Too many of those human creatures and their dogs walking around disturbing his peace. Too much work to run down the trunk and gather up the acorns on the ground. Those damn jays, making such a racket all the time. Continue reading “Mad Squirrel and the Red-Eyed Owl”
The man who met Manson sat down at the bar and ordered a scotch neat. He was a thin sort of man – thin build, thinning hair, thin lips. He left such an impression of thin that people would always say, “You know. That thin guy.” As if nothing else need be said. Indeed, no one had ever mentioned anything else that was memorable about him. Even his thinness faded from any given memory almost as soon as it took up residence. He was, apart from the thinness, completely nondescript. Continue reading “The Man Who Met Manson”
Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to our travel agency. How may we help you today?
Oh, I see. You’re interested in our moon tours, Lunar Odysseys as we like to call them. Here’s one of our brochures describing the current tours. As you can see, we have all sorts of themes and price ranges. How much were you planning to spend? Continue reading “Lunar Odysseys”
“True to you.” The voice emanating from the computer’s speakers was female, perky. Lisa pictured some blond, blue-eyed pixie, an image that set her teeth on edge.
“Your own personal life experience at the mall is now available,” the voice continued. “Please, enter and enjoy!” Continue reading “True To You”
I have been walking for quite some time when I realize my thirst has grown to the point of urgency. The landscape morphed again a while back and now includes a large number of trees. The narrow, dirt path in front of me curves to the right. I assume the next fresh water spring will appear around that bend but there is no way to be certain. Though I’ve rarely been made to go without water or food for too long, there have been a few times when I thought I might pass out from the lack of one or both. It’s unwise to take anything for granted here. There is nothing to do but keep walking. Continue reading “In the Garden”
Karen Lee Kleis 