Feast! Pure Slush Vol. 9

by Susan Tepper

  9.00pm

  East Village, New York City, NY, USA

  The New Czarina

  by Kyle Hemmings

  The rooms feel cold and she doesn’t wish to be alone. Kit will be sleeping with Czarina’s ghost for a long time, perhaps forever.

  Dasha arrives, takes off her jacket and hugs Kit, kisses her on the forehead.

  “You’re shaking,” Dasha whispers in her ear.

  Kit takes Dasha by the hand into the kitchen.

  “You see that pot?” she says pointing to it. “Well, it was for me and Mama. But she can’t be here. So you are my new Czarina. And there is still plenty for the both of us.”

  Dasha smiles and nods gently.

  The two girls face each other at the table. And as hard as it is to eat without thinking of what happened, Kit works up a smile at Dasha.

  “It is good?” asks Kit.

  “It is good,” says Dasha.

  “Will you live with me?” asks Kit.

  8.30pm

  Fort Worth, Texas, USA

  Food for Thought

  by Tom Fegan

  The dread of April 24th was over. Night draped the city as I sat at the Stockyards Café studying the menu. Earle Bowles had happily informed me that Ben Tomlinson had accepted a plea bargain of 30 years to run concurrently with his current sentence of 50. He confessed to murdering Gerry Day. Bowles laughed and told me after speaking with the suspect’s lawyer, he called his father as well. Joseph Tomlinson was a retired 30-year veteran of the Fort Worth Police and had a distinguished record. It was his father who convinced Ben to do what was right.

  “His attorney told me that boy hung his head and said ‘yes sir’ to his old man,” Bowles had chuckled, “Your efforts were okay too, Jonson. The evidence helped me work this deal. Take care.” The conversation was over my cell phone as I’d walked back to the station. Bowles would take the bows for being a judicious public servant and elected official. I could clear the case from my desk. I thought of the Day family. I had informed them of the outcome and they promised to be at the parole hearings and protest Tomlinson ever being released.

  My stomach growled as I scanned the entrees. The thought of a succulent prime rib steak, baked potato with sour cream and chives, salad and a dessert of double chocolate layered cake enticed my taste buds. I ordered the Cobb Salad with hot tea and side order of garlic bread. The latter was a little cheat on my diet, but not a big one. The doctor expected some of that; the cholesterol medicine had to work on something to keep me healthy.

  I ordered and gave the young lady my menu. Her shapely figure melted into her tight uniform. I guessed a college student working part time. When my order arrived and I began eating I realized how easy it is to do what is right, whether ordering healthy food or living an orderly life. I saw it every day. The wrong choice always leads to a destructive path. The right choice may be a difficult way, but the benefits will reap. It takes honest hard work.

  I tore a piece of garlic bread and munched on it and returned to the salad. When the meal was finished the day would be over. I could rest easy on a full stomach and clear conscience.

  9.00pm

  Comfort, Texas, USA

  Howard and Maggie

  by Jonathan Levy

  It was nine o’clock, and the stars shone brightly over Comfort, Texas. Howard Fletcher sat in a lawn chair in the backyard of his small brick home, holding a glass of milk. Next to him sat another lawn chair, empty, though in it, Howard saw his wife, Maggie.

  “Well, hello, dear. Did you enjoy your birthday today?”

  It was a lovely birthday.

  Howard raised his glass and took a sip. “And a nice dinner, too. Doesn’t Al make the best caesar salad?”

  Yes, dear.

  “I’m happy for Al and Cara. They’re an adorable couple.” He sipped again then wiped the milk mustache off his lip. “Will you be spending the night?”

  I have to go, Howard.

  Howard nodded slowly. “Where do you go?”

  It’s not time for you to know.

  “Take me with you. I miss you, Maggie. All the time.”

  Maggie stood, walked to Howard’s side, and knelt. She clasped her hand in his empty one. A gust of wind swept up Howard’s arm then whispered down his back. His shoulders shook as he shivered.

  You really want to?

  “Please.” Howard placed the glass of milk on the ground, sat back up, and breathed in, ready.

  Maggie placed her free hand over Howard’s chest. His eyes closed, then his heart slowed until it stopped.

  10.10pm

  Belmont, Massachusetts, USA

  Mothra

  by Gloria Garfunkel

  I start to remember what it was like at home just before I was hospitalized. A sudden infestation of grain moths drove me crazy. It was bad enough that stationary objects seemed to be moving, but these tiny vermin were flitting all over the house and were impossible to catch. I remember Googling grain moths and it said to empty the source, throw everything out, and vacuum to eliminate the larvae. My husband started to empty a top shelf in the kitchen, the source of the infestation, where we kept all our flour, nuts, oatmeal and raisins, things that grain moths love to eat. They even wormed their way through plastic bags, weaving little webs. We knew we would have to vacuum it out, but not that day. That day I spent in the emergency room and was hospitalized that night, so meanwhile the grain moths were left to our two vigilant cats, jumping up to catch and eat them for entertainment.

  “Did you kill all the grain moths yet?” I ask my husband.

  “That’s great that you remember them,” he says. “You’re making progress.”

  But he doesn’t answer my question.

  How could I not remember them? I had been obsessed. I had started researching Mothra, the good monster who fought the evil but stupid Godzilla. She captivated my imagination, but I still can’t keep straight all the stages she went through, including egg, larva, chrysalis, pupa and full moth. I just know that my healing will have to go through stages, too, and right now I am a sedentary egg, my mind flitting like a chamber of moths. I do remember my cats on constant moth patrol, Mothra’s little fairy twins. Yes, I remember the moths.

  And this I remember as well, without writing it on the wall: my children and husband will love me forever, even if I lose all my words.

  Authors

  Paul Beckman

  has been published widely, in print, online and via audio and video. In 2014 he had four stories in anthologies and so far in 2015 he has fourteen stories due out including in Pure Slush, Pank and Apocrypha & Abstractions. His new collection of Flash Fiction, Peek is available now, and you can find his website here: http://paulbeckmanstories.com.

  Claudia Bierschenk

  lives in Berlin, Germany. In the last eleven months she has produced 300 litres of milk.

  Tom Fegan

  is a native Texan and lifelong Fort Worth resident. He spent several years in the steel industry after college. Tom is contentedly divorced and works in private security which allows him freedom to read and write.

  Lyn Fowler

  lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband. She has two wonderful adult daughters. She is a member of the Fellowship of Australian Writers Western Australia. She participates in a writers group, Booklength Project Group, that meets once a month for support and friendship. She has attended several writing workshops and has written family and travel memoir. Currently she is working on a novel, inspired by her travels. Her passion for Mediterranean food and culture is never far from her writing.

  Desmond Fox

  1968: Milk, sugar & mashed bananas.

  1969: White bread with meat paste.

  1970: Biscuits (Lincoln, Bourbons, Custard Creams).

  1971: Sausages. Baked beans. Cheese.

  1972 – 1986: Boiled-potatoes, -peas, -carrots, -cabbage, meat.

  1973: Chocolate, Smarties, Choc Ice.

  1976: Frozen-fish fingers, -pota
to waffles, -savoury pancakes.

  1987: Garlic, pasta, curry.

  1991: Tuna melt on toast.

  1996: Burger with a pickle.

  1997: Chicken with peanut sauce.

  1998: Thai curry with coconut sauce.

  Gloria Garfunkel

  is a psychologist and writer with a Ph.D. from Harvard University in Psychology and Social Relations. A former psychotherapist, she has published many stories in literary journals and anthologies.

  Walter Giersbach

  bounces between writing genres, from mystery to humor, speculative fiction to romance. His work has appeared in print and online in over a score of publications. Two volumes of short stories, Cruising the Green of Second Avenue, are available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other online booksellers. He’s also bounced from Fortune 500 firms to university posts, and from homes in eight states and to a couple of Asian countries. He now writes and moderates a writing group in New Jersey.

  Kyle Hemmings

  lives and works in New Jersey. He has been published in Your Impossible Voice, Night Train, Toad, Matchbox and elsewhere. His latest ebook is Father Dunne’s School for Wayward Boys at amazon.com, and you can find his blog at http://upatberggasse19.blogspot.com/.

  Gill Hoffs

  lives in Warrington, England, with her family, Coraline Cat and never quite enough cake. A non-fiction piece included in her first book Wild: a collection (Pure Slush Books, 2012) led to her writing the history book The Sinking of RMS Tayleur: The Lost Story of the ‘Victorian Titanic’ (Pen & Sword, 2014). Questions answered and chocolate accepted via gillhoffs@hotmail.co.uk and @GillHoffs on twitter.

  Jonathan Levy

  currently lives in Raleigh, NC, with his wife and two dogs. He began writing fiction in late 2013, and so far the staff and readers of Boston Literary Magazine, Pure Slush, Tell Us a Story, Paper Tape, r.kv.r.y quarterly, and Cafe Irreal have made him feel so grateful and lucky.

  Cindy Matthews

  has worked as a chambermaid, potato peeler, data entry operator, teacher, and vice-principal of special education programs. She writes, paints, and instructs online courses from her studio office in rural Ontario, Canada. Her fiction and non-fiction have appeared in magazines / online in Canada, USA, Australia, and the UK. Find her work at http://cindymatthews.ca.

  AR Neal

  got bit by the writing bug in the 1970s and despite a career in education has never been cured of her penchant for speculative fiction. Her most recent book, After, is available on Amazon.com, and you can find more of her work at http://starvingactivist.com.

  Mandy Nicol

  grew up in Melbourne, Australia and made a tree change to country Victoria in the mid-nineties – the decade, not her age. She has various animals including a flockette of pet sheep that are thankful for her vegaquarian habits. She writes short stories and loves flash fiction.

  Matt Potter

  is an Australian-born writer who keeps a part of his psyche in Berlin. Matt has been published in various places online, and he is, rather amazingly, also the founding editor of Pure Slush, and thus the publisher of this book! You can find more of his work at http://mattcpotter.webs.com/.

  Andrew Stancek

  grew up in Bratislava and saw tanks rolling through its streets. On occasion he has claimed direct descent from Janosik, the Slovak Robin Hood. He writes, dreams and entertains Muses in Ontario. His work has appeared in Tin House online, Every Day Fiction, fwriction, Necessary Fiction, Prime Number Magazine, Camroc Press Review and Blue Five Notebook. He’s been a winner in the Flash Fiction Chronicles and Gemini Fiction Magazine contests and been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

  Susan Tepper

  is the author of four published books of fiction and a chapbook of poetry. Her current title The Merrill Diaries (Pure Slush Books, 2013) is a Novel in Stories. Tepper is Second Place Winner in story/South Million Writers Award for 2014, the recipient of nine Pushcart Nominations, and a Pulitzer nomination for her novel What May Have Been (co-written with Gary Percesepe). She writes a monthly column called Let’s Talk at Black Heart Magazine, hosts FIZZ a reading series at KGB Bar in NYC, and moderates the Indie Press Panel each June at Hunter College Writers Conference. Find more about Susan at her website here: http://www.susantepper.com.

  Michael Webb

  has been reading and writing since approximately the time of the cooling of the Earth’s crust. His work has been seen at Metazen, The Broken Plate, and in The Lost Children Charity Anthology, as well as on his own website, which you can find at http://michaelwebb.us.

  Allan J. Wills

  lives in a small town among the forests of Western Australia with his Japanese wife and young son. His day job is in the field of forest entomology, and he has co-authored a body of published scientific writing on forest entomology. Flash fiction provides a new challenge for him, with its demand for drawing complete engagement of the reader within the constraint of concision.