Vladimir Nabokov woke up one morning and found himself in a big bedroom without any ornamentation except for a large bed of fused wrought iron and a single framed painting on the wall. He climbed out of bed and stepped barefoot, nightgown swooshing around his legs, up to the painting.… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#20/30) : Vladimir Nabokov Read More »
Sitting on the lawn. Gentle branches overhead. Gentle leaves. (How can leave be gentle.) (They’re the ones with the smooth edging, no sawtooth fronds, so that in the chance that they are clipped off in a rough wind, there is virtually no chance of them cutting up against your skin.)… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#19/30) : None Too Gentle Read More »
Daphne dances.
She doesn’t like it, strictly.
There’s something wrong with this DJ.
She can’t put her finger on the problem, exactly. He seems to have the genres set appropriately and in balance. He’s nice in that he weaves in the artsy stuff without clearing the dance floor.… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#18/30) : Something Isn't Right Here Read More »
He’s terrified of waves, which is a real shame because they’ve been in the news a lot lately… in recent years, that is. In 2004 the day after Christmas is spoiled when a tsunami hits southeast Asia, and while he doesn’t know anyone from that part of the world, he shakes in the shadows of his bedtime bedroom imagining an explosion of water that shears through tree trunks and scatters humans like kindling.… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#17/30) : Waves and Shadows Read More »
Integrity wounds. It is the thing that prompts us to take high stake gambles. Therefore, those who risk much must have integrity. Observation tells us that this is not so. There are many for whom the nudge of hunger is fully sufficient.… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#16/30) : Throttle Read More »
1. Buy a DVD
2. Scan the beach with metal detector until you have obtained multiple pieces of colored glass.
3. Devise a cypher.
4. Start a social networking meme.
5. Read the Bible.
6. Make a JPop and Electroclash compilation.… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#15/30) : Easter Egg Read More »
With a quick tick of his head, Franklin Pierce blew the hair from his face. His boyish face was lit up with malevolent delight. “Avada Kedavra!” he screamed, followed by a burst of green light from the sugar maple wand.
Winfield Scott howled and fell on his face, instantly dead.… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#14/30) : Aborted Harry Potter Fan Fiction #1 Read More »
Thanks to Ms. Sharrow for the story suggestion. What should I write about next?
January is January. Unless you live in Rio. If you live in Rio, then January is July. It is so July that the residents respond to the weather as if it actually was July.… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#13/30) : January is January Read More »
The convicts rejoiced. Things couldn’t have gone any better. They had burrowed their way out of the penetentiary before the clock struck midnight, and they figured that bought them at least a few hours before their absence was noticed. They’d made it down to the pier, and as they ran it rained, hard.… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#12/30) : Rowing the Boat Read More »
Death followed him from a very young age.
They first glimpsed each other in the early 80s, when he was walking back home to his house on Devils Lake. Someone started shooting, and a stray bullet missed his head by about a foot.… Read the rest
30 <250-Word Stories in 30 Days (#11/30) : Angelo’s Meditation #2 Read More »