Categotry Archives: Fiction
Suzie’s House 559 : The Best Daughter
“Your daughter is the best!” Peter gave Emma a shoulder-squeeze hug. Emma couldn’t help but squirm a little under the attention. He, Gabriel, and she had walked into the house just as her mother was setting the silverware on the table for supper. At that point there had been no food in evidence. Just the place settings.
Modern Dance
Three old Blackfeet sat around a campfire in lawn chairs. The tipi was set up with skins laid down already. Dinner lay in scraps around them. There was plenty of wood for the fire. There was nothing left to do. “Good powwow,” one remarked. “Mmmhhmm.” “Could have more of the grandchildren, though. Not enough for a good dance.” “I can fix that.” An elder pulled something out of a pocket, poked around, then stood. He twisted one way, then another. […]
Suzie’s House 558 : I Gave Permanent Shun
A frisson of tension had Emma poking at her face like she needed to adjust her mask even though she wasn’t wearing one. She knew she didn’t really need to worry. Even if she didn’t nail it this time, either, she could still try again. And it wasn’t the audience either with only the guys in the band, a blind sound board operator, and a couple of guys crashing at her house to see her. Maybe it was the song. […]
Used Car Lot
“The air is so clean today!” Alicia stopped in the middle of the path through the woods and spun. “It feels like there is no one else in the world.” “It’s pretty rugged here.” Liam glanced past both Alicia and Sally. He talked about walking in a place where no human had ever been before. “Better than a used car lot.” “I’ve never been here before, have you?” Alicia looked at them. “This could be it, the last untrammeled place […]
Suzie’s House 557 : Sound Reasoning
“Do you sometimes get the feeling our luck is a bit too good,” Emma said. “Yeah. All the worst stuff we do to ourselves.” Justin looked morose. But that was to be expected. She felt sorry for him. Even if he didn’t say much about it, she could tell he felt responsible for Kate leaving the band, even though Kate hadn’t really said anything official. She just never showed up or answered anyone’s calls or hung out with them at […]
Suzie’s House 556 : Studio Performance II
“Wow. They’re good.” Peter couldn’t help but marvel. He’d watched these kids, just barely old enough to be in high school, filter into the studio like it was their second home, much the way they seemed to run tame all over town. Right up until the minute their picked up instruments they were joking and horsing around like any other teenagers. Then bam! They were in the thick of it. Every instrument right on tempo with a complicated kind of […]
Tips
“If you’re going to work me so hard, you could at least give me more allowance.” Liam leaned the snow shovel against the wall and stomped loose clumps of white fluff from his boots while his father just stood there. “How much you want?” “I don’t know. Something more than I get now. Just, you know, randomly throw a little extra cash my way for a job well done. Like put out a tip jar for me.” “Right.” The next […]
Suzie’s House 555 : Studio Performance 1
“Hey. You guys busy?” Bruce wouldn’t normally bother asking, but these old dudes staying at Emma’s house looked alright. Besides, the way Emma’s mouth was working, she wanted to say it but couldn’t. Also, besides, the band had just run off some dumb jock who might come back with friends to do a little gay bashing. It would be better if the old dudes got off State Street ASAP. “We were just on our way to our record recording studio,” […]
The Ascension
“I don’t get it.” Alicia held a pair of shoes. “It’s not really the end of the world, is it?” “My mother says visionaries predict the end of the world all the time. And every time, people kind of believe. So what if God really did take people into heaven, leaving only their shoes?” Sally made it look like someone had been running when they disappeared. Liam giggled as he put his shoes down pigeon-toed. “Whatever.” Alicia found a good […]
Suzie’s House 554 : Gabe and Pete on State Street
“Ooooh, hot!” Gabe spun in a circle as a good looking couple passed them on State Street. Pete liked State Street. He liked the crowds, and the fact the only motor traffic allowed was the occasional bus. He liked the diversity of faces and fashion choices. He did not much care for the way his true love was ogling some other man. He slapped Gabe across the chest with a backhand.
One Track Mind
Edmund liked to walk on railroad tracks. Like stacking stones, each step takes concentration. To fail is to fall. Each not-fall is a victory. Edmund didn’t have a lot of victories in life. He treasured each one, not even daring to look up from the tracks to see where he was. He walked until he heard the train whistle. Oh, right – tracks were for trains, not little boys. Edmund stepped off the tracks, making room for the train to […]
Squeaky Wheel
“Marcia! Have you seen my oil can?” Fred put his tools down on the workbench and leaned from his little corner of the garage into the kitchen to yell. “Aren’t they on the wall next to the gas cans?” He tossed stuff around on the bench – wrenches, sawdust, iron shavings, nuts and bolts, car keys. “It’ll be easier just to buy a new one. I’m going to the hardware store.” He left. When he got back and went to […]
Suzie’s House 553 : Among Friends
“So, why are you really here?” Sophie gave Pete and Gabe a couple of days to come clean. When all they did was camp out in her son’s old room and look like they were trying too hard to stay positive, she laid it on the line. “You aren’t really crashing with us as a form of vacation. Right? Why are you here?”
Suzie’s House 552 : Breakup
Justin didn’t really care about the copyrights issues, or even the second music video. He would gladly do whatever the rest wanted to do. It looked like Lisa was determined to make a spoof of their advertisements. He thought that might backfire, but again. It wasn’t really on his mind. What was on his mind was Kate.
Suzie’s House 551 : Copyright Infringements
“Miranda! Just who we need.” Tracy jumped up and came rushing toward Miranda as she stepped into the kitchen. The place as loaded to the gills with kids. In fact, all the usual suspects from the band to Ben and Lisa were there. Something about the expectant way they looked on made Miranda feel that this sudden rush was an ambush. “Well, it’s nice to be needed,” she said a bit dryly. They probably wouldn’t notice anyway.
