Kimberly lives in a small town in South Carolina. On the day of her high school graduation, her car sits idling in the parking lot. “When I get out of this town, I’ll be happy,” She says. She kisses her mother goodbye and heads west to UC San Diego. She dreams of mountains, beaches, beauty, … Read moreHappy #flashfiction

Natalie grew up in the town of Concord, Massachusetts as an only child. She lived in a light blue colonial near the city park. Her father took the commuter rail to teach western civilization to Harvard undergrads. He had done his dissertation on modes of communication during the Roman Empire. Her mother taught private music … Read moreSan Antonio #flashfiction

The year after Samantha left the military, she found herself in a one-bedroom apartment waiting for an email from a corporate recruiter. She was in the middle of a prestigious MBA program. Her boyfriend thought it was a stepping stone. Samantha thought it was a shortcut. “If I get into this program, it will funnel … Read moreEarthquake #flashfiction

Arica is a port town on the border of Peru and Chile. If the South American continent were a T-bone steak, you’d find Arica on the left, at the little corner where the filet meets the strip steak. Elias lives with his parents in a row house bleached white by the sun. His mother has … Read moreFog Desert #flashfiction

On his tenth birthday, Liam reached a milestone in his family’s chosen faith. That Sunday, he and the other 5th grade boys and girls sat in the pews at the front of the congregation and ascended to the pulpit, one by one, as the pastor called out their names. “Blessed are you, Liam Smith, may … Read moreBook of Secrets #flashfiction