The calendar above her purple desk held bold red X’s, leading the countdown to the purple and yellow stars surrounding the 17th day of June. It was finally here. For months, she’d been excited for this day. Today she turned thirteen and was finally a teenager. The birthday party was still a couple of hours… Continue reading The Day the World Turned Red
A loud knock startled Lorna awake. She squinted at her watch, only eight, and groaned. No extra sleep for her this morning. Grabbing a robe from the bathroom door, she wrapped it tight and cracked the front door. The hallway appeared empty. Confused, she went to shut it when something caught her eye. A leather-bound… Continue reading The Cliff: Chapter Three
Lorna Reaves paced the floor of her small, cozy apartment. The phone rested like a brick in her hand. Her heart squeezed tight, and her stomach twisted with knots. She had known he wouldn’t answer. Why would he? He didn’t owe her his time. She wiped the warm damp from her cool cheek. Maybe she’d… Continue reading The Cliff: Chapter Two
He settled on the edge of the cliff as waves struck and curled over the rocks below, creating a fierce rhythm. It vibrated his soul, shaking out places of misery and bringing healing. This was his place. Lorna’s too, the voice in his head informed him. Disgust twisted his face. “No,” he said, shaking his… Continue reading The Cliff: Chapter One
The mirror behind him, spotted and hazy, held the room of half-empty tables, a few regulars, and deep shadows. Smoke danced through the dimly lit room. The bartender wiped down the bar, covered in nicks and dips. He poured drinks as he moved up the bar. An old Wurlitzer 1700 jukebox, blue and red shone… Continue reading Stale Cigarettes: A Tale of Two Thieves
Jenn J Brewer 