Replacements

by Nicole Brogdon

“Honey, I swear, in the middle of the night, someone pulled our bodies out the bed by our feet. Then replaced us with two old people.”

Curtis stroked Annabelle’s thinning hair, yawning. “Is that so?”

“Look at yourself!” She removed the sheet, exposing grey chest hairs, soft belly, thin legs.

Curtis gasped.

“Seriously! And me!” She jiggled underarm waddles. “I used to plank pose forever, on strong slender arms. These breasts… so firm once, I coulda served cocktails off of them.”

Curtis pulled Annabelle close. “Go back to sleep, Old Lady.” He smelled like himself, like a pear. But spoiling.

Monroe’s Nose

by Brian Beatty

Crows as big around as footballs filled the yard out front of Hurley’s rented trailer home.

As if taunting the hippie junk dealer and his decrepit hound. As if daring them to take their chances by stepping outside.

Hurley chuckled. “Where are you nasty buggers at the first of the month when rent’s due? Sure not around here.”

He understood talking to those birds meant he was essentially talking to himself again.

Monroe’s nose was working like crazy on the safer side of the screen door. Hurley had zero intention of letting his old dog out after them.

Sweet Surrender

by Benny Biesek

His pastries took 1st. After the gala, he escaped to his bakery to think.

“What is it to become untouchable?”

Quite weary, he turned dough in his hands, then laughed.

He’d leave it all behind: renounce his riches.

In search of answers, he waits in line at the food pantry, quietly avoiding the dessert section.

I’m Not Creepy

by John Young

“I’m not creepy. I’m observant.”

That’s what I told Lulu looking through my binoculars across the street at the man who buttoned up his shirt every morning at 8:15.

“Observant means you notice details that others don’t see, not that they can’t see.”

The man stuffed his shirt in his pants, wrapped a tie around his neck, and grabbed a jacket hanging on the back of the chair.

“And just like that, he’s out the door.”

“What color shirt was he wearing?”

“What?” I said narrowing my binoculars on Lulu.

“His shirt. What color was it?”

…

“See? Creepy.”