Naga
When he arrived, the hill station was deserted. Sweat and disappointment seeped from his pores and ran in annoying rivulets down his spine. It had taken him nearly two full days of traveling from Phnom Penh to reach Bokor and he’d undertaken the journey hoping to finally come face to face with his old herpetology […]
Motorcycle Hug
At first she thought that it was just a hormone surge. She told herself to ignore the urges; they would go away. But they didn’t. Later she reasoned that it was being on a bike–all that vibration between the legs–and it would have been a good, rational explanation had it happened every time she got […]
And The Meek Shall Inherit
She woke to a brain-scrambling headache. Needles of pain tore through the wet mass of her grey matter like cheese wire through butter. Her hands clawed for covers, intent on pulling them over her head in a desperate attempt to keep the light from firing more projectiles through her retinas. Finding no covers to pull, […]
Karaoke Night (Hers)
The sticky carpet on the narrow stairs sucks at the soles of my sandals as I climb up to the third floor. They know me here; they know what I want. Room number six with the matte black walls and the zebra upholstery on the sofas. The first time I went to the Lucky Club […]
Karaoke Night (His)
He climbed the stairs, past the dozing landlady and let himself into the room. Hot and airless, having been shut against the ravages of the rainy season, it smelled of secrets growing in dark corners. He switched on the ceiling fan and left his sandals at the door. Shedding first his damp shirt, then his […]
Inside The Pride
I admit it, I wanted her to pay attention to me, like she did with her *boys*. Someone had actually dubbed them the “Pride of Professor Gordon.†Six guys in all – young lions in the *pride*. Anyone from the zoology department might have pointed out that a pride usually consisted of a group of […]
New Model
Frank glanced at his monitor and pulled over into the exit lane near B24. “The thing you’ve got to remember, Barry, is that it’s just a job. Don’t let it get to you.” Barry swiveled around in his seat and stole another long look at the Kim. She was unnerving, even with her eyes closed […]
The Negotiation
The dark mahogany boardroom table reflected sharp-edged inverted facsimiles of the two individuals who sat opposite each other. The flat dark lake faithfully mirrored the opponents while leaving an inky gulf between them. The woman sat composed but rigid. The black hair smoothed to her head and bound in a chignon also reflected the streaks […]
Souvenir
By the time we got in from LAX, I had to dump my luggage in the room and get back in the van to go to sound check. Being a minor alternative band of minor, alternative fame, I was used to having to share rooms, but the promoter for the LA gig had gone all […]
Grown-up Games
“Did you manage to find some?” Bettina called. She didn’t look backwards upon hearing the door close. She was busy pouring hot water from the kettle into the teapot.
“A baker’s dozen of them. They’re still warm.”
Giggling, she turned then, and watched as Mr. Stephens undid the string bow on the bakery box.
“I love hot cross buns.”