Stories

Peter has a big problem. It's with Andy's allergies. To figure out a solution, he takes one of his long walks in the city. During his walk he buys a dog named Suzie. His walk is interrupted by a falling overloaded 20-foot container. He doesn't go to Heaven or Hell but ends up in the Hereafter. There is a beach, tea is in the morning, a wonderful buffet is served promptly at noon, and there's an evening soiree. Also, there are three background characters who are up to no good.

Harlon Eldrick's mother is dying of recurrent breast cancer and wants him to go tell his father. Harlon lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and his father lives across the country in a small collection of buildings called Black Dog, Washington. Harlon wants to make this an adventure. He will take the train to Chicago and hitchhike from there to Black Dog. It's been over a week, since Harlon left Chicago on a trip that's been anything but an adventure. He is welcomed into a semi by Steve Lennard for what he hopes is his last ride.

Ed has a story to tell about survival. It begins with an incident so horrible you may think Ed isn’t going to come out okay at the end. There are many low points in his life, but Ed keeps trying to make things work no matter how bad it may seem. Just when he thinks he’s finally in the clear, we’ll let him tell his story.

At the time it seemed a good idea, but how it played out nearly cost Charlie his life. He had the big ranch, but his wife had died and all the kids didn't want anything to do with ranching. So he decided to sell and move into the city. Everything was good great until he decided to take that walk in the park.

Potluck Theme: Through a Glass Darkly

The Moresby Collective Association controls life for Terrans living on Moresby’s Planet in the Andromeda galaxy. Twenty-one teens are running away from Village 31K2.6 because of unspoken horrors afflicting young people. There goal is the land on the other side of the Great Western Sea where legend says they will live free for the rest of their lives. Chasing them are thirty-one adults who will kill every teen, except for their leader Edgar Christiansson. He will be returned to the village to be executed in a way only humans can imagine.

Bob has a fear of mean dogs from his childhood when he was attacked by a male Dobermann. Tonight he dreads having to walk home under a bright full moon down streets that have unrestrained pit bulls and other such dogs that have tried to attack him before. He has pepper spray and a book bag for defense, but sometimes he’s come close to being bit, again.

Philíppe, who is in his late fifties, wakes from a frequent dream one rainy Saturday morning. As he moves from bed to breakfast memories from his past flood his consciousness. Unexpectedly, he receives a phone call from a nearly forgotten voice. There is an invitation to the upcoming football game followed by a discussion of where to do planning for the weekend. All the while a squall line is coming in from out in the ocean.

Nearly thirty years ago, the Greek compose Vangelis released the "Direct" album. One of the songs on the album was "Intergalactic Radio Station" and I've always thought "what a great name for a story." But, time came and went and I never seemed to get the proper incentive to take that title and manipulate it into words. Until now . . .

Ian is the last boy at 319 Winesap Lane and he doesn't have any adults interested in fostering him. In an act of desperation, he uses a very sharp chef's knife to make the ultimate cut.

Charlie Hughes encounters an old friend who has four children, but there's something going on with this family. After taking the oldest boy shopping and buying him an expensive watch Charlie is called in the middle of the night because the boy is being kicked out. When Charlie goes to the family home he discovers the boy and been beaten, whipped, raped, and one of his arms is broken. Charlie takes the boy into his home and all hell is loosed on his life.