By Jocelyn Meermans Co-winner writing to the Right-Hand Margin Prize in Fiction Published: April 22, 2010 Lily Clearwater smoothed her hands across the lap of her floor-length silver dress. Though it was backless, with a slit cut up to her hip, and a neckline that plunged to her bellybutton, she felt self-conscious and thought that she was too covered up. [...]
By Mike Habeeb Contributing Writer Published: December 10, 2009 A man in whom a great many people have a great deal of interest woke up with a great big problem. He wanted something great, but there were a great many great big obstacles in his way. Eventually, he died a terrible death without achieving his great desire. The great big [...]
By Judith Engracia Contributing Writer Published: December 10, 2009 The man in the black conical hat watched me through my living room window. He had been trying to break in for the past four nights, though I didn’t know who he was or what he wanted. I couldn’t ask him what he was doing outside my house—he might have thought [...]
By Nick Iorio Contributing Writer Published: December 10, 2009 Ryan Velet walked silently through the streets of New York as a cold, hard rain fell. He longed for human touch; his wife, Samantha, was waiting in Brooklyn. He ducked under an awning and lit a cigarette. A Latino man in an imported suit gnawed at his peripherals. He smelled like [...]
By Dylan Houle Contributing Writer Published: September 24, 2009 There are crab fisherman on graffitied piers that poke into the dirtier parts of New York City’s East River. Puerto Ricans and Mexicans and Dominicans. Thin lipped with incredulous wrinkled eyes. Mothers as matriarchs, fathers given a sad sort of respect that their lives and accomplishments haven’t earned them, children with [...]
By Ashley Wennersherron Managing Editor Published: February 26, 2009 I didn’t think white clapboard buildings existed anymore, but one looms ahead. My GPS says turn left, as if there were anywhere else to turn in this po-dunk town. I pull the SUV into a makeshift parking lot next to the small building. The red dirt of the lot blows against [...]
By Amanda Sadlowski Contributing Writer Published: October 30, 2008 It is a Sunday and they are dressing her in black. She stares at the plain black dress laid out on her plain white bedspread and can’t even begin to describe the outrage she feels. Black. On a Sunday. God doesn’t appreciate black. He didn’t make that color. His pigments made the [...]
By KYLIE MARA SOBEL Contributing Writer Published: May 1, 2008 Walking in, it was not uncommon to see a woman shaving her vagina. One leg over her head, she would prune herself while gossiping with her family and friends who all sat around her doing the exact same thing. Now, if that description is shocking to read, just imagine [...]
By Dillon Droege Contributing Writer Published: May 1, 2008 “Take off your shoes and put out that cigarette.” I’m motioning towards the floor, which I have Saran-wrapped wall-to-wall. “Why?” “Listen, Chief, you want to do this or—you want to do this or what?” I can’t have you smoking.” So I plucked his lit cigarette right from his lips, squeezing it [...]
By ELIZABETH FOREST Contributing Writer Published: January 31, 2008 In those days making love was clean because minds were. There was a sense of beginning then, between her toes. There was a breath of morning in the room, even deep into the evening when he would wander down the hall and find her door ajar, slip in and find her [...]
