Stories

Jim Blazak lives in a terrifically accepting world. If only his boyfriend would cooperate. Yeah, there are a couple of other problems. But Jim's bright. And funny. And he looks pretty hot without a shirt.

This is a poem I wrote as a teenager about the ravages of war. History repeats itself, and lessons are never learned.

Henry and his older brother William have suffered many years of abuse. They have been given a chance to leave there past behind and create a new life for themselves, but they have a dark secret that could cost them their second chance. How long can they keep this secret hidden before it starts hurting the people they care about.

While pretending to be cool when he is with his friends and trying to be intelligent when he is editing his popular weblog, Adam actually is going through a lot. He is able to ignore his own problems by running from reality. It works, until someone in the real world becomes interesting enough to stay for.

Frankie loves his job. He's good at it too. But events conspire to set him adrift.

Grid & Dice prompt: A neurotic tollbooth operator hides in an inner city one-star no-tell motel because: "Fuck, they saw me!"

Ray Smith is living a double life. One is conventional and safe and the other is...well, not as mainstream. He misses his lover and that gets him into a pickle. Who exactly is mining for the iron pyrite? Ray or the others?

Everyone wants to know who is playing jokes on people at work. The joker's identity remains a secret until April Fools Day.

Flash stories inspired by the writing prompts.

After Adam Washburn recovers from a brutal beating that places him in a coma, and when he comes to he discovers he has an unusual ability. Now he has to decide how he is going to use this unique skill. Will he use it wisely or will it end up getting him into trouble?

The adventures in sex and friendship, online and off, of Alan Damshroeder, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, high school teacher.

Says Alan, "Sometimes I think it takes a triumvirate of saints to keep me out of trouble."

Note: These stories are written as exchanged e-mails and reading this way is an acquired taste.