“This is like a CASTLE!” shouted Matty as he ran through the lobby of the Paradise, a high-rise beachside condominium complex. The lobby atrium towered above his head and filtered bright sunlight down onto plush seats, carefully arranged tropical plants and opulent water features.  “Stay close!” yelled Marcus through the automatic glass doors as he ...

If my life was hectic before Aunt Rosie’s demise, the last couple of weeks of planning a large, dysfunctional family funeral tipped the scales. The word ‘fun’ in ‘funeral’ was anything but fun. Though Ralph and I had split up the duties of arrangements, I ended up doing everything. He claimed he was too distraught ...

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Jacobs. He’s gotta go.”  Lexi Jacobs sent waves of ire back over the rickety desk and squeezed the faded gray upholstery that surrounded the arms of her chair. Her back stiffened as anger flooded her capillaries and reddened her pale skin. She aimed her glare at the daycare owner’s limp yellow hair ...

The map’s directions point to the left side of the island, up a hill with a wooden walkway. Beside it stand rectangular rock pillars. My wristwatch says it’s 11:45, so I have over two and a half hours to spend here. With a deep breath, I clutch my tote bag and head toward the pathway. ...

Esme pulled a deep breath in through her nose and blew it out slowly with pursed lips. She heard the baby retch behind her. Her seatbelt slid over her as she unbuckled and made the awkward climb into the Toyota Sienna’s middle row. Esme flashed a quick, grim smile at her son Matty, but he ...

They boarded a small ship on the beaches near Ingrid’s family house. Sigrid and Rionan sat aboard deck and held tight while Ingrid, Helgi, and Bo threw their weight at shoving the stout frame into the water. The sand crunched and shifted beneath their feet. Foam and cold seawater dribbled into their shoes, but the ...

As I sat in dead Aunt Rosie’s parlor and waited for the coroner to show up, I glanced around the well-lived-in room. My eyes fell upon a sign I’d never seen. ‘In our family, we don’t hide crazy… we give it a cocktail and sit it on the porch.’ I chuckled despite the circumstances. This ...

Lightning pain wrenched her from a terrible dream, a nightmare painted with a sudden plunge and screaming terror. But consciousness was worse. Much worse. She tried to drag air into her ragged lungs and cried out, though all that sounded through the haze was a raspy squeak. She felt an invisible grip around her torso ...

The boat slows down as it nears a remote island. I look over to the right and see the sandy shore with a small dock. A large metal fence circles the area with notices that have the words ‘PRIVATE: NO TRESPASSING’ written on them. Miss Jessica has the right idea. Louis stops his boat by ...

Several minutes pass while I watch the shoreline and marina become smaller until they evaporate. The view becomes nothing but blue sea and sky, the shadows of seagulls flying toward the beaches. My hat flops around in the breeze, so I hold it down with one hand. Louis remains quiet for some time; the only ...