Heart pumping faster than her legs, she feared she might kill her mother, feared her father would catch up to her. “Cora!” Oh, no! Daddy’s getting closer, she thought. He’s s’posed to be sleeping. Ignoring her father’s pursuit, Cora ran past the quiet houses lining the quiet street on this otherwise quiet night. Past the bungalow, home to Mr. King, who had dressed as Santa Claus one Christmas “’cause he’s too busy to do it himself,” Mr. King had explained. Past Ms. Shelley’s dark, leafy lawn, where she hosted Easter egg hunts “‘cause the Easter Bunny’s too busy to hide the eggs himself, so I help out,” Ms. Shelley had assured. Past Dr. Deaver’s home that doubled as his dental office, where he had presented five-year-old Cora with a dollar to commemorate her first lost tooth, because, well… “The Tooth Fairy’s too busy.” Past the houses that remained dark, for…
The little girl and boy were screaming. Not the bad screaming. Not Mia’s screaming. Lucretia stood in the outer schoolyard, looking through the fence…
After seven days of intolerable confinement, Izzy decided that this foggy afternoon was the right time to free herself. And, if she could manage,…
It was clear to Cynth that the cute girl and handsome boy didn’t want to kiss. Not with her sitting three benches away. Not…
We fly half-way around the world to New Delhi. After almost sixteen hours of non-stop flight, we land at almost midnight through a dark…
Near the end of a walkway were fourteen counted garbage bags. Black and bloated they held skeletal remains. Expired clothing, a Sunday brunch, and…
That was Kojagiri Purnima night when the moon comes closer to the earth and appears larger than the usual full moon. It is usually…
Winter is approaching fast. Autumn comes routinely as expected. The cool, crisp, morning sun gives a reprieve from the summer heat. But then summer…
Instead of an unknown scare and anxiety while receiving a telegram that made me feel oh My God I got a telegram! I was…
‘Are you going to get her soon, Steve?’ ‘What did you say dear? Yes, it has been a long time, nearly a whole week.…
