Butter
Automatic grocery store doors were fascinating to Darin. At least in that moment. The way they sensed a presence (sometimes a ghostly one) and flung their arms open. The way the mechanical doors made just enough noise – enough to let you know they were spreading and yet not loud …
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Mofe
Mofe carries the weight of his son’s death the way a madman carries dreadlocks on his head; specks of dust caught between tangled strands, crazy knots bludgeoned by the pains of this world. Grief. Mofe holds this grief with all of his brown fur that was once white, standing …
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The Sea Beyond
Rosie was on her knees, scrubbing the bedroom floor when the news about Jimmy came. They sent Willie, Ellen’s husband, to tell her. She didn’t get up when he came in, but sat back on her heels, waiting for him to say what she already knew. “Where did they …
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Jack Pine
Vivian didn’t know how much more she could take. Maury moped around the cabin, hardly going outside, annoyingly underfoot. If he wasn’t sleeping or bothering her, he was plunked in front of the window staring at that damn jack pine, its branches gnarled and lopsided—a Halloween tree, she called it. …
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Growth Hacking
At first, we thought the mango tree was another one of Susan’s shticks. A way to feel good about showing up every morning and motivating us to write code or handle support tickets or cold-call prospects or dream up new marketing bullshit or whatever it was management expected us to …
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flyBaby
We flew our babies high, worry-free, with ample cord wrapped around the trees. We flew them in the open skies, their sequined booties glinting the sun, stars flashing at midday. And when the fogs came, we rolled back our roofs and flew them from our living rooms, gin in hand, …
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The Universe
One day, the Universe said to me, “I am the Universe. I will give you what you ask for.” That same day, I submitted a request in writing. I wrote: I would like Giovanni to call me immediately, take me out for a romantic dinner tonight, and fall in love …
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My Name is Reaškkas
It means laughter. What I left (I want you to imagine laughter without a beginning or an end. A laughter that is untethered and limitless. A laughter that is impossible to smother or cage.) I got the name Reaškkas several weeks after I was born. Until then, I was munno …
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The Night Watch
Big flakes swirl around outside while she drinks black coffee. Flannel shirt, wool hat, fingerless gloves. The thrum of the ship is steady, familiar now that she’s been out on the ice for a few weeks. Night watch on the Research Vessel Ātarangi. ‘The shadow.’ An escape and an adventure. …
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