another 13 stories

by nick nelson

illustrations supplied by pete palomine studios in conjunction with penmarq studios

king of the road * confusion * quiet please * laughter * serendipity * nightfall * my confession * highway robbery * the magician * the cat * the neighbor * greed * now what? *

13 more stories

by nick nelson

illustrations supplied by pete palomine studios

bad brad was a bad person, especially on dark and windy days when he could walk down the street unobserved, with his snarling contempt for his fellow humans naked to the elements. angels looked down on him, but he heeded them not. * the wolf "never relent." * fortitude "i don't care" * terror marcia came home expecting to find her mother waiting with a nice dinner, but found their house surrounded by police cars and ambulances. the neighbors were silently watching the house but no police or emergency people were to be seen. she turned and walked swiftly to the bus station… "never again." * retribution "you shouldn't have told me that." "but you have, charles, you have." * oh no cassie lived a very uneventful life, by design. suddenly a vision rose up before her in terrible majesty… * youth "mother, please, i have so little time." "i told you to stop watching those foolish television shows." "but i don't watch television," marie insisted. * the animal shirley saw a small furry animal as she was walking to school one morning. she didn't know what it was and tried to catch it. it made her late for school . * revenge "i'll get them for this. every single one of them. then they'll be sorry" * the vampire "that man looks like a vampire." "no, honey, he's just a - little pale." "he's pale because he's a vampire." doreen wondered what she was going to do with parker. she did not seem to be responding to socialization therapy. and the money was drying up. * when things were good jeffrey often wondered if things might have turned out differently if george hadn't gone away. how nice it had been back in the summer cottage! especially at night, singing around the campfire. but then maureen came along and ruined everything. * zero hour this is it, thought perry desperately, the moment has finally come. now i will be exposed as the fraud that i am. now, not later. * power now he would never know true domination *

13 stories

by chuck leary

illustrations supplied by pete palomine studios

albert albert went for a walk and saw a man with a big head and a dirty sweater but did not attempt to engage him in conversation. * belinda belinda sat on her front steps reading "wives and daughters" by elizabeth gaskell. a man walking a large orange dog came by and winked and waved at her, but she ignored him. * charles charles had no time for nonsense, and angrily rebuffed the bolt of lightning which struck his blue 2007 toyota as he drove to the pet shop. * dave dave wondered what women were like. * eugenia eugenia knew what men were like. * francis francis lived in the shadows, and sometimes realized that his fellow humans were all werewolves, and at other times that they were camels and cockroaches. * gloria gloria liked to trample and uproot flower beds, until one day a raccoon surprised her as she was engaging in her egregious behavior. * hanscomb hanscomb fantasized about unspeakable things. one day, seated on the bus, he blurted out his most revolting one, but the woman standing in front of him, reading a harry potter novel, either did not hear him or pretended not to. * irrigation irrigation is the key to human civilization. * justice justice is uncertain in this world, and little applauded even when it can be found. * kings and queens kings and queens may rule the earth, but that was small comfort to mrs martin. * the limits of intentions let us pause to remember those who accomplished nothing, however good or bad their intentions. * mockers and contributors my prayers go out to all who contributed, as well as to those who mocked, and those who actively opposed. *