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Fiction 80

Francine Witte: Trust

May 11, 2011 by PBQ

Sarah had given up on trust. Then she met Harley. He was so oozy with charm, she stopped being careful. He would tell her how pretty she looked in her print dress even though she was wearing a pantsuit. And just as she was about to correct him, he would give her his dazzle smile, […]

Filed Under: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Issue 80 Tagged With: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Francine Witte

Joseph Rogers: Go Children Slow

May 11, 2011 by PBQ

There are a few different routes from here; it all depends who’s in the car with you. Say it’s her—she’s probably beside you on the front seat of a ’78 Impala with all your friends’ initials carved into the maroon foam on the roof. Her initials are right next to yours. They were the first […]

Filed Under: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Issue 80 Tagged With: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Joseph Rogers

Andrew Palmer: Homage

May 11, 2011 by PBQ

A series of conversations about breaking stuff. “I really don’t want to talk about this.” “Fine. Okay,” said Kate. This was just last night. Long silence for a phone conversation, maybe ten seconds, maybe even fifteen or twenty. Not twenty. But long. Maybe fifteen. “But,” he said, “we’re gonna talk about it anyway, aren’t we,” […]

Filed Under: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Issue 80 Tagged With: Andrew Palmer, Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80

R.G. O’Reilly: Father Image

May 11, 2011 by PBQ

Timmy and his younger brother Chip waited at the door of the Brooklyn Gardens shuttle bus. The bus leaned to one side, hissed and threw open its doors. “Thanks, mister!” they yelled to the driver as they jumped to the sidewalk. Chip loosened the necktie noose that had been strangling him through the Mass. “Why […]

Filed Under: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Issue 80 Tagged With: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, R.G. O'Reilly

Wendy Fox: The Fire Time

May 11, 2011 by PBQ

In the fire time we lived for days without sunlight or air. You and I grew up in the eastern Washington desert, the dry side of the Cascades, where we spoke of rain the way we spoke of the dead: with reverence, with longing, without hope of return. We lived in the country, and I […]

Filed Under: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Issue 80 Tagged With: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Wendy Fox

Rachel Chalmers: Light Industrial

May 11, 2011 by PBQ

1. A streak of blood “Darling, it’s me, Pats,” says the telephone. John wipes the crunchy bits out of the corners of his eyes and tries to wake up. “Talked Nige into it. You’re on. Can you start today? Before he changes his mind. When can you be here?” It’s seven am. “Come as soon […]

Filed Under: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Issue 80 Tagged With: Contributors 80, Fiction, Fiction 80, Rachel Chalmers

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