There were precious few ways of getting your point across in life and so Vern liked to shout at people. He shouted at them in restaurants, he shouted at them in supermarkets, he screamed in their faces out on the street. He would go in to get a sandwich and the woman would apply too little mayonnaise.
Continue reading “Have Your Say by Scott Taylor”
Angel was sprawled across the couch, the TV turned to Seinfeld. She had a cigarette in one hand and a magazine in the other.
“Wish you’d at least take that shit outside.” Grace stripped off her soaking coat, peeled a dead worm off the sole of her shoe. She stuck her sneakers on the heater to dry.
Angel rolled her eyes, a puff of smoke escaping her lips. “And hello to you too, baby.”
Continue reading “In Want of a Home by Alannah Tjhatra”
The night after maami was laid 6ft deep in the ruthless earth, Tunde lit a cigarette and settled at the backyard to smoke. I observed him from the kitchen window. No, I won’t go outside and pass judgement; after all, both of us have been engulfed in our own sins since maami’s death. I was angry, though I can’t quite put my finger on the source of my anger. Perhaps it was Uncle Ade’s bellowing, demanding more beers for him and his friends earlier today at the funeral service. Ever since father’s demise, none of his relatives reached out or showed up. But Uncle Ade had the audacity to come to this house for maami’s funeral, demanding beer to be served to him and his friends. I wished for him to choke on it, his body discarded like refuse on a dunghill. However, this alone didn’t trigger my anger enough; it’s something else I an’t quite fathom.
Continue reading “Red Prints by AJ David”
The truth is I’m still haunted by them, even though it’s been months since they left the Royal Bargains Dollar Store.
Continue reading “This Land of Milk and Honey by Mary J. Breen “
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