The McCarthy house went quiet for the first time on Wednesday morning after the ambulances had gone. L sat at the kitchen counter, feeling her mother’s cries linger in the walls. Felicity tiptoed down the stairs after checking if Greg and Isabella were still asleep, then took a chair at the kitchen table opposite Carson ...

Shortly after Christmas last year I heard a news story that has been on my mind since. My house was still decorated with all things Santa and Wise Men. We had plates full of Christmas treats that would last us a month. Like every other morning before, I woke up to the news on the TV. ...

As I stepped out of the mouth of the cave fortress, the sun blinded me. Helicopter blades cut through the air, and hummer engines thrummed to life. The dozens of workers escorted by guards filed into the various vehicles. Within minutes, they either took into the sky or shot down forested trails in routine efficiency. ...

“Attention passengers,” the flight steward chirps through the intercom, “We’re arriving at our destination within five minutes. Each attaché case is doing well inside their compartments. Please read the step-by-step procedures on each of your screens as we descend towards the airport. We hope that you and your assistants have a wonderful time in Tinge ...

Trina attends an awkward dinner with her secret ex and his family that ends in a crisis for him and an epiphany for her.

Jaq Leaning back against the cold steel wall, I had listened to their conversation. It made little sense. Extracted years? Was he for real? How did curing Minuete partake of this? He needed to prepare the women. The doc kicked me out of the room. I didn’t like this one bit. Was he going to ...

I recently started attending the Alcoholic Anonymous meeting, at the urging of my counselor. AA tells participants that they have to complete the 12 steps if they want to achieve sobriety. The first step is acknowledging that you have a problem. I sat there the other night listening to the speaker talking about being powerless ...

Every day she rises, climbing the sky stairs effortlessly, without pause. Come rain or dark clouds or thunderstorms or rabid winds. Her golden fleet marches the soil grounds, somewhere on the planet. Her flaxen rays warm it, burn it, nurture and kill it. She’s always there, yet some claim the sun is the loneliest star. ...

I stood awkwardly next to one of my tables. The restaurant was peaceful until a few moments ago. The air surrounding the couple was thick with tension from the moment they arrived. When the hostess seated them, neither had bothered to look at one another. Instead, the husband focused straight ahead as she let him ...

My Grandpa passed away a few weeks ago. They tasked me with cleaning his home, as I was the only one of my siblings without a full-time job.  Going into the old house, the smell of stale coffee and dust overwhelmed me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought back to the many ...