My journal of big words and pretty pictures
“Any last words? This is your final chance to make amends, to give your victim’s family some small measure of peace.” The cleric stood at the foot of the executioner’s table, looking down at Ray Vanderweele. The cleric’s dark grey cassock covered his entire body from the top of his sensible, black leather shoes to the … Continue reading Reprieve
The first leaf fell at 7:51 p.m. of the Autumnal Equinox. The brittle, brown-paper scrap fell gracelessly from the dying branches of a gray maple tree, to finally be trapped in the tangle of twigs of an abandoned catbird nest. A cold wind tugged more leaves loose, a portend of the bitter winter to come. … Continue reading A thief’s cut
It was always a plate of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, none of that pasty store-bought dough. That prefab cookies taste is like drinking instant coffee, you can immediately tell the difference. It wouldn’t matter, Maisie would never take shortcuts where Nell was concerned. She deserved the best. All of Maisie's friends tried to dissuade her from … Continue reading Cookies and sammiches
A briny wind blew in from the sea bringing a murky fog that blocked out all sunlight. It rolled across scrub covered dunes, coming to an abrupt halt at an unsteady, wooden slat fence. The slats twisted in the wind, as if trying to break free of their binding. The shrill whistle made when the … Continue reading No light, no escape
The campfire burnt low, its glowing embers sacrificing no warmth to the ebony night. Long shadows stretched toward the treeline, reaching out bony fingers towards the deepening darkness. The moonless sky, stippled with pinpricks of light, hung like a shroud over the woods. Kia sat cross-legged by the dying fire, humming her tribe’s funeral song. … Continue reading Making peace
Heavy aftershocks rocked Somerdale south to Bishop Hills, rattling windows, and cracking sidewalks. Red Olsburg prowled the streets in his heavy-duty, dually pickup using his city council ID to get him access to closed roads and highways. He was looking to claim his share of disaster spoils. What the earthquake didn’t destroy, the residual tremors … Continue reading Aftershocks
Thin spiral notebook 