All Stories, General Fiction

Counting Crows by Lisa Fox

With Respect to P.H. Emerson’s Fairy Tale, “The Crows”

I woke up this morning to the sound of crows cawing outside my window.

As I lay staring at the ceiling, I wondered how many were gathered in the yard, perched along the aging wooden fence, watching. And waiting. Was a single bird calling out in search of a friend? Were there two or three, or more, chasing away the deer that liked to nibble on Mom’s yellow roses?

Maybe they were trying to tell me something, as only crows can do.

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All Stories, General Fiction, Humour, Short Fiction, Writing

Joint Claim (A Modern Marriage) by Hugh Cron – Warning Adult Content.

“Err…Ladies and Gentlemen…The Groom.”

The wee mousey man backed away out the door. The groom stood up championing Sports Direct and eating a Gregg’s sausage roll.

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All Stories, Crime/Mystery/Thriller

Accountable Victim by Donald Zagardo

A black and green lamppost, tall with chipped paint, across from Bryant Park, in front of a classic brown and gold twelve storied building, the wind reeking of the park’s dead yellow grass, cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust and blood. Hanging from the lamppost is a half-skinned, large white male wearing only trousers, supported by ropes about his torso, legs and arms. In agony, still alive but barely. New York City is some kind of town these days. He will be dead in less than a day.

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All Stories, General Fiction

Stocks and Futures by John Visclosky

“—As you know, the program uses a combination of advanced geometry and quantum computing to respond quickly to market shifts and improve the firm’s pricing of derivatives. It’s also been enormously helpful in the area of risk analysis—”

Sitting at his desk, listening to the young programmer speak, Matt shook his head slowly. As usual, he had no idea what the lanky quant was trying to tell him.

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All Stories, Latest News, Writing

Week 269 – Hell Round Your Neck, Deformed Unicorns And Where Did That Portrait Go?

I know that a lot of people have read the classics and even more have claimed to have read them but I’m not one. If Dracula is classed as a classic, I have read that. I was forced to read ‘1984’ and ‘Of Mice And Men’ along with ‘Macbeth’. I think these books are what put me off seeking out more ‘classics’.

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All Stories, General Fiction

The Thing by Dianne Willems

She looked at the baby, and wondered – is there something wrong with me?

She took in its ten little fingers and toes, the soft folds of fat around its upper legs, its arms, its wrists. The perfect little mouth. She had never known such softness. And she wondered – what kind of monster am I?

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All Stories, General Fiction

The Mimic by R. P. Serin

One more try.  She widened her mouth, lifting the corners in the same way that they did, but it still didn’t look right.  Something was off, she just couldn’t figure out what; the teeth perhaps?  She closed her lips, but that just looked worse.

(Oh well, no time to perfect it now.)

She moved away from the mirror, put on her new coat (bought especially for the occasion) and squirmed. The shop attendant had claimed it was a perfect fit, but it felt tight and restrictive. The sleeves were itchy too. She took it off, put her old one on, and checked the address again before setting off.

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All Stories, Horror

Bertha the Accordion Cow by Taylor Martin

“Step right up step right over, behind this curtain is the most fascinating farm animal you’ve ever witnessed.”

I didn’t buy it. Every carnie on the fairgrounds regurgitated that same hook, pointing around with their canes and blinding us with their red striped suits.

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All Stories, General Fiction, Short Fiction, Writing

A Lone Ranger by Hugh Cron -Warning-Adult Content

“Curry for the fourth day running. Thank fuck for Aldi and their sixty pence liver. Bit shite having it for breakfast though.”

Don ate as much as he could. His heaving was worth it as he’d finally saved enough money for a lager.

He got himself ready and walked to the pub. He hadn’t had a drink in over a month. He jingled the change in his pocket, his pals would be there but there was no way he could’ve walked in without the price of a pint.

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