by Daniel Roueche “What’s this about? I ask Shawn. “I can’t explain. Just follow me,” he says. We walk out to the alley behind my dad’s restaurant. It smells like grease and rotten vegetables and cat feces. A pleasant combination. “But why out...
Take My Hand by Daniel Roueche Spirit Number: 815 Gender: Male Age: 92 years old Name: Clarence “Take my hand,” I say. A tiny man named Clarence gives me the uncertain look I see every day. His eyes furrow, mouth hangs open as though he wants...
Pokie by Daniel Roueche “This is amazing!” Louis yelled as he flung his body in a messy flip through the air. His form was atrocious, but he hung in the air seemingly forever. “I feel like I can fly!” Luka replied, spinning unbelievably slow into a...
I wrap her tiny body in my arms. A snot bubble around her nose bursts as she sneezes gently into my sleeve. I bundle her up in her sleeper and place her in her crib. She fusses when I set her down, but within a few minutes, she relaxes into a slow...
November 6th My Sweet Lizzy Love, I miss you so much it hurts. And the kids, man, my heart aches not seeing their little faces smiling up at me! You’re on my mind constantly and I long for you to be with me again. This week has been one I’ll never...
The Kids from the Woods by Daniel Roueche “Where’re your parents at?” Brendon asked the small boy standing in front of him. The boy, who couldn’t be any older than seven, looked at him like Brendon was speaking a foreign language. “You lost?” he...
I’m dead. And I don’t mean I’ve-done-something-so-horrible-my-parents-are-going-to-kill-me-dead. I mean, I’m literally dead. Like my physical body is rotting in a grave. I think. I still haven’t been able to find it, but that’s not the point. The...
It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. The door was that same olive green she’d hated as a little girl. The roof hung down over the red brick like a thick eyebrow. It always reminded her of the...
Eyes glazing. Another Friday night stuck in my one-bedroom with Netflix. Fingers cramping. And scrolling through Instagram. Bored. I haven’t seen any friends in over a month. My fault, I guess. Lonely. Faces of old friends from high school smile...
The creature’s hulking presence startles her. But she can’t move. She wills her legs to do something, anything, but she’s stuck. The creature snarls at her, revealing long razors overlapping into gnarly patterns over blackened gums. They seem to...
