Stories

Chandler Drake is in middle school and rides the school bus that Bob Bell drives. They’re also neighbor’s, so when Bob sees that Chandler is being bullied, he wants to help. Bob does what he can, but he would like to do more. When he discovers a second boy, Nick Morenus, who lives nearby and rides a different bus, is going through a similar situation, Bob attempts to offer a solution to help both boys. Chandler has devised his own solution that works even better when combined with Bob’s proposal. Will this strategy solve their problem?

This is my entry for the Fall/Winter 2021 anthology, ‘An Unconventional Gift’.

A poem inspired by the anthology theme

Linus makes coffee. He's good at it, too, even if no one remembers his name. When he does get a shot at his dream, the road doesn't lead exactly where he expected. One day he’d wonder if all things happen for a reason, or if God was just messing with him.

What if you were a witness to a crime, but didn't know it? Once the crime is solved, does what you know matter? If you put a period at the end of the sentence, does that give you a final answer?

Sheriff Taylor is notified that an object has been seen streaking across the sky. In seeking answers, he discovers it was a meteorite, but then people start getting ill. Are these two events related and what are they going to do to stop the spread of the illness?

A night on the road. Is Alex chasing a dream? Patrick is angry and Alex is feeling annoyed. Why did Alex kiss the girl?

When a miniscule planet has a colossal weather problem, the Storm Singer arrives at the 11th hour to save them... until they renege on their payment. A science fiction retelling of Grimm's "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" with a darkly modern twist on the fairy tale's ending.

Starting college can be difficult for a lot of people. For LGBTQ youth, it can be particularly difficult. Navigating a new environment and making new friends is a daunting prospect for Taylor, who finds college life isn't quite what they expected.

Memories of our first time are things we carry with us throughout our lives. For Owen, his first time is the defining moment of his life, and the moment he found the reason to live and survive, they are memories of a golden boy he's never stopped loving.

After being attacked, Trace needs both a place to recuperate and a place to hideout from the men who want him dead.