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388 389 390<link crossorigin='anonymous' rel='stylesheet' id='all-css-0-5' href='/_static/??-eJyNjMEKgzAQBX9IfVpq60X8lGLXRaLJJrhZ/P1SUM8eZxgGeyopSmbJCFYmb7MTxcI5jbQeDDXBxwnh6yOtCt1d4q0i1QK3ByFO5llB4xZN2V/NKf6/IfTNu2sfzbPuXssPrlM6pw==&cssminify=yes' type='text/css' media='all' /> 391<style id="jetpack-subscriptions-inline-css"> 392#subscribe-email input { 393 width: 95%; 394} 395 396.comment-subscription-form { 397 margin-bottom: 1em; 398} 399 400.comment-subscription-form .subscribe-label { 401 display: inline !important; 402} 403 404/* 405Text meant only for screen readers. 406Provides support for themes that do not bundle this CSS yet. 407@see https://make.wordpress.org/accessibility/2015/02/09/hiding-text-for-screen-readers-with-wordpress-core/ 408***********************************/ 409.screen-reader-text { 410 border: 0; 411 clip-path: inset(50%); 412 height: 1px; 413 margin: -1px; 414 overflow: hidden; 415 padding: 0; 416 position: absolute !important; 417 width: 1px; 418 overflow-wrap: normal !important; 419} 420 421/*# sourceURL=/wp-content/mu-plugins/jetpack-plugin/sun/_inc/build/subscriptions/subscriptions.min.css */ 422</style> 423 424</head> 425 426<body class="home blog wp-theme-pubretro-fitted customizer-styles-applied content-sidebar jetpack-reblog-enabled"> 427 428 <div id="container"> 429 430 <div id="header" class="contain"> 431 432 <div class="wrap"> 433 434 <div id="branding"> 435 <h1 id="site-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/" title="Microfiction Monday Magazine" rel="home">Microfiction Monday Magazine</a></h1> 436 <div id="site-description"></div><!-- #site-description --> 437 </div><!-- #branding --> 438 439 </div><!-- .wrap --> 440 </div><!-- #header --> 441 442 <div id="main"> 443 444 <div class="wrap contain"> 445 446 <div id="access"> 447 <div class="menu"><ul id="menu-menu-1" class="menu"><li id="menu-item-4111" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom current-menu-item current_page_item menu-item-home menu-item-4111"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/" aria-current="page">Home</a></li> 448<li id="menu-item-4112" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-4112"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/about/">About</a></li> 449<li id="menu-item-4114" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-4114"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/article-archives/">Article Archives</a></li> 450<li id="menu-item-4115" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-4115"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/submissions/">Submissions</a></li> 451<li id="menu-item-4116" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-4116"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/contact/">Contact</a></li> 452<li id="menu-item-4138" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-4138"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/support-us/">Support Us</a></li> 453</ul></div> </div><!-- #access --> 454 <div id="content"> 455 456 <div class="hfeed"> 457 458 459 460 <div id="post-5485" class="post-5485 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-uncategorized contain"> 461 462 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/03/11/we-are-coming-to-an-end/" rel="bookmark">We Are Coming to an End</a></h1> 463 <div class="byline"> 464 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/03/11/we-are-coming-to-an-end/"><time datetime="2024-03-11T08:15:37-07:00" title="Posted at 8:15 am" pubdate>March 11, 2024</time></a> 465 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/03/11/we-are-coming-to-an-end/#comments">8 Comments</a> 466 467 468 </div> 469 470 <div class="entry-summary"> 471 472 473<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dear Writers, Readers, and Friends,</p> 474 475 476 477<p class="wp-block-paragraph">After nearly a decade of storytelling, community building, and celebrating the unique art of microfiction, it is with a heavy heart that I announce the closure of Microfiction Monday Magazine. </p> 478 479 480 481<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This decision was not made lightly. It comes after much contemplation and realization that, due to various circumstances, we can no longer sustain the magazine at the level of quality and dedication it deserves. It’s been a journey filled with incredible tales, inspiring authors, and invaluable lessons. However, all stories, no matter how brief, have their conclusion, and for Microfiction Monday Magazine, that time has come.</p> 482 483 484 485<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Submissions and Feedback:</h2> 486 487 488 489<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We understand that many of you have submitted your work and have been waiting for a response. We deeply regret that we won’t be able to proceed with our usual review process. If you have not heard back from us regarding your submission, please assume that it is no longer under consideration. We encourage you to continue sharing your stories elsewhere, as the world always needs more storytellers.</p> 490 491 492 493<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gratitude:</h2> 494 495 496 497<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Our heartfelt thanks go to every writer who trusted us with their stories, every reader who joined us week after week, and everyone who has been part of our journey. </p> 498 499 500 501<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Though the magazine is coming to an end, the spirit of microfiction continues. Keep writing, keep sharing, and keep making every word count. The end of Microfiction Monday Magazine is not the end of your storytelling journey.</p> 502 503 504 505<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While the magazine will no longer publish new content, our website will remain accessible for those who wish to revisit past stories. </p> 506 507 508 509<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In closing, thank you for being an integral part of Microfiction Monday Magazine. Here’s to all the stories that were, and all those yet to be written.</p> 510 511 512 513<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Warmest regards,</p> 514 515 516 517<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Gayle Towell</p> 518 519 520 521<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Founder, Microfiction Monday Magazine</p> 522 523 524 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 525 526 <div class="entry-meta"> 527 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/uncategorized/" rel="category tag">Uncategorized</a> </div> 528 529 </div><!-- .hentry --> 530 531 532 <div id="post-5379" class="post-5379 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-editions tag-ann-hillesland tag-cecilia-kennedy-2 tag-g-j-williams tag-ina-briar tag-marjan-sierhuis contain"> 533 534 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/02/12/microfiction-monday-218th-edition/" rel="bookmark">Microfiction Monday – 218th Edition</a></h1> 535 <div class="byline"> 536 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/02/12/microfiction-monday-218th-edition/"><time datetime="2024-02-12T07:00:00-08:00" title="Posted at 7:00 am" pubdate>February 12, 2024</time></a> 537 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/02/12/microfiction-monday-218th-edition/#respond">Leave a comment</a> 538 539 540 </div> 541 542 <div class="entry-summary"> 543 544 <div class="wp-block-image"> 545<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg"><img data-attachment-id="5382" data-permalink="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/02/12/microfiction-monday-218th-edition/pavers-4525242_1920/" data-orig-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg" data-orig-size="1920,1280" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="pavers-4525242_1920" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg?w=620" width="1024" height="682" src="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-5382" srcset="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg?w=1024 1024
545w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg?w=150 150w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg?w=300 300w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg?w=768 768w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pavers-4525242_1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure> 546</div> 547 548 549<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Inheritance</h2> 550 551 552 553<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="https://www.annhillesland.com/">Ann Hillesland</a></p> 554 555 556 557<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dad is cutting Mom in half while I watch. I know itâs an illusion, but from the wings it seems realâ the anger in Dadâs eyes as he calmly wields the saw, the fear in Momâs despite her stage smile. Iâm forced to feel bothâthe seething resentment toward the woman who tied him down, and the agony of legs crammed in the box, of waiting for the blade to fall and finally take away all ability to run.</p> 558 559 560 561<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Gob-Smacked</h2> 562 563 564 565<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Marjan Sierhuis</p> 566 567 568 569<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the morning, Piper collapses on her living room sofa. She opens one of the business-sized envelopes that she has removed from her front porch.</p> 570 571 572 573<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ring.</p> 574 575 576 577<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She listens to the automated messaging system. Her heart beats rapidly in her chest, her hands tremble, and the phone slips from her grasp.</p> 578 579 580 581<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Several days later, more envelopes land on her porch.</p> 582 583 584 585<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ring.</p> 586 587 588 589<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She takes a deep breath, swears into the microphone and then listens to the speaker.</p> 590 591 592 593<p class="wp-block-paragraph">âSorry, mother. I thought you were someone else.â</p> 594 595 596 597<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Piper decides it is time to move and change her service provider.</p> 598 599 600 601<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">How to Happen</h2> 602 603 604 605<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by G.J. Williams</p> 606 607 608 609<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Watch him sleep. How he scowls, mumbles, snorts, shudders, frets. I’ve yet to hear him wake with a shriek. But he’s getting there. The odd flail at first light. Bad dreams, he’ll say, nothing more. As ordinary as it gets. Were it not for those dreams he’d be brighteyed and bushytailed, no question. As if. How he sleeps is how it is. Who knows what world he wakes to. Other people’s daylight impossible to bask in. Friends hover, corners darken. He pales, gets paler, flirts with a statue, moons. He’ll continue or he’ll not. He panics: nothing is happening.</p> 610 611 612 613<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Move-In Day</h2> 614 615 616 617<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Cecilia Kennedy</p> 618 619 620 621<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The walls of the house lash out, whispering Melâs name, telling her theyâve seen her hide some bodies.</p> 622 623 624 625<p class="wp-block-paragraph">An exorcism wonât do, so she calls a therapist instead.</p> 626 627 628 629<p class="wp-block-paragraph">âBut do you feel scared?â the therapist asks.</p> 630 631 632 633<p class="wp-block-paragraph">âNoâjudged, which is worse.â</p> 634 635 636 637<p class="wp-block-paragraph">After her session, she paints over the walls, installs new floors, pushes ghost hands and feet into graves, posts the renovations, while the voices condemn her, but she sells the house and moves into a new one thatâs freshly built. She digs her hands in her pockets, her fingers brushing old paint chips: a fine dust, ashes of whispers.</p> 638 639 640 641<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Famous Last Words</h2> 642 643 644 645<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Ina Briar</p> 646 647 648 649<p class="wp-block-paragraph">âItâs fine,â he said, wrapping the oily cloth around his thumb. He rolled back under the car, gripping the flashlight between his teeth.</p> 650 651 652 653<p class="wp-block-paragraph">His six-year-old threw up her hands and marched back to the house. âMooom!â</p> 654 655 656 657<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Sirens blared, clearing a line through traffic.</p> 658 659 660 661<p class="wp-block-paragraph">âAnother do-it-yourselfer,â grumbled the driver.</p> 662 663 664 665<p class="wp-block-paragraph">His wife watched them tow the car away. The service was at eleven. Flats, she decided, since sheâd have to walk.</p> 666<div id="atatags-370373-6a77366a0ff3e"> 667
667<script type="text/javascript"> 668 __ATA = window.__ATA || {}; 669 __ATA.cmd = window.__ATA.cmd || []; 670 __ATA.cmd.push(function() { 671 __ATA.initVideoSlot('atatags-370373-6a77366a0ff3e', { 672 sectionId: '370373', 673 format: 'inread' 674 }); 675 }); 676 </script>
676 677 </div> 678 679 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 680 681 <div class="entry-meta"> 682 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/editions/" rel="category tag">Editions</a> | Tagged: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/ann-hillesland/" rel="tag">Ann Hillesland</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/cecilia-kennedy-2/" rel="tag">Cecilia Kennedy</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/g-j-williams/" rel="tag">G.J. Williams</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/ina-briar/" rel="tag">Ina Briar</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/marjan-sierhuis/" rel="tag">Marjan Sierhuis</a> </div> 683 684 </div><!-- .hentry --> 685 686 687 <div id="post-5373" class="post-5373 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-editions tag-amber-weinar tag-chung-suk-yu tag-david-m-wallace tag-laurie-kuntz tag-rachel-weinhaus contain"> 688 689 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/02/05/microfiction-monday-217th-edition/" rel="bookmark">Microfiction Monday – 217th Edition</a></h1> 690 <div class="byline"> 691 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/02/05/microfiction-monday-217th-edition/"><time datetime="2024-02-05T07:00:00-08:00" title="Posted at 7:00 am" pubdate>February 5, 2024</time></a> 692 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/02/05/microfiction-monday-217th-edition/#respond">Leave a comment</a> 693 694 695 </div> 696 697 <div class="entry-summary"> 698 699 <div class="wp-block-image"> 700<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg"><img data-attachment-id="5376" data-permalink="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/02/05/microfiction-monday-217th-edition/persons-933564_1920/" data-orig-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg" data-orig-size="1920,1486" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="persons-933564_1920" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg?w=620" width="1024" height="792" src="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-5376" srcset="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg?w=150 150w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg?w=300 300w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg?w=768 768w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/persons-933564_1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure> 701</div> 702 703 704<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Lessons On Electricity</h2> 705 706 707 708<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="https://lauriekuntz.myportfolio.com/home-1">Laurie Kuntz</a></p> 709 710 711 712<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Who is culpable? The lights left burning when weâre no longer in rooms that we share together or alone. Who left it on? No cat or dog to blame, and our son is long gone to his own lighted place. When admonis
712hed for this faux pas, I don’t need the lecture on wattage and currents, or the waste of power. All I need to hear are three words, Lights off please, or maybe those other three words we should be saying more often in our lighted and darkened places.</p> 713 714 715 716<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Two Elderly Men with Dementia</h2> 717 718 719 720<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Chung-Suk Yu</p> 721 722 723 724<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Charlie and Bob are elderly roommates in a two-person room in the lockdown unit at the nursing home. Neither of them recognizes that they are roommates. At night these two men are trying to protect their shoes. When Charlie goes to sleep, he either hides his shoes under the bed or sleeps with the shoes on the bed. On the other hand, Bob carries his shoes to the living room where he used to sleep. The residents in the unit at the nursing home do not wear shoes but wear socks since they forgot how to put their shoes on.</p> 725 726 727 728<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Icy Heart</h2> 729 730 731 732<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Amber Weinar</p> 733 734 735 736<p class="wp-block-paragraph">You can tell itâs almost winter when it starts to rain, and the water crystalizes on impact. All it takes is one drop expanding. Your heartburn was similar. All it took was the pain to expand before the worrying struck. By then, it was too late. Initially undetectable, The spread was inevitable. Like a sheet of black ice you couldnât prevent and had to drive over. The doctor asks why you didnât come sooner. Itâs hard to say when you felt fine yesterday. Maybe the doctors were wrong? The heart was overtaken by ice, and yet only my hope remained.</p> 737 738 739 740<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Business as Usual</h2> 741 742 743 744<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="http://davidmwallace.ca">David M Wallace</a></p> 745 746 747 748<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dusk in September after a rain. Street lamps spread their white steeples of light around the wooded park. Here is where the flying termites convene, as reckless as early aviators in close quarters combat.</p> 749 750 751 752<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Supper is done. An hour of liberty. Children charge down porches armed with corn brooms. In this vespering hour, they knock all those stars from the sky and pluck out their silver veined wings.</p> 753 754 755 756<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And this is a skill that will come in handy later in life. In the real world. Where the mighty will thrive and the vulnerable will need a bit of a trimming.</p> 757 758 759 760<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Whack</h2> 761 762 763 764<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="http://www.rachelweinhaus.com">Rachel Weinhaus</a></p> 765 766 767 768<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I was too young to attend the funeral, too young to understand grief. I remember watching my older brother through a window. Mark and Andrew, sixteen, had been best friends. After Andrew killed himself, Mark went outside to hit rocks with a wiffle ball bat. Heâd scour the ground for the perfect-sized rock, pick it up, and toss it in the air. Then, with all his might, he swung the bat. Over and over again. Scour the ground. Pick up a rock. Toss it in the air. Swing the bat. I remember the sound; it cracked the sky in half.</p> 769 770 771 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 772 773 <div class="entry-meta"> 774 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/editions/" rel="category tag">Editions</a> | Tagged: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/amber-weinar/" rel="tag">Amber Weinar</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/chung-suk-yu/" rel="tag">Chung-Suk Yu</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/david-m-wallace/" rel="tag">David M Wallace</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/laurie-kuntz/" rel="tag">Laurie Kuntz</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/rachel-weinhaus/" rel="tag">Rachel Weinhaus</a> </div> 775 776 </div><!-- .hentry --> 777 778 779 <div id="post-5323" class="post-5323 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-editions tag-g-j-williams tag-johannes-springenseiss tag-sara-merkin tag-tiffany-farr tag-tom-gadd contain"> 780 781 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/29/microfiction-monday-216th-edition/" rel="bookmark">Microfiction Monday – 216th Edition</a></h1> 782 <div class="byline"> 783 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/29/microfiction-monday-216th-edition/"><time datetime="2024-01-29T07:00:00-08:00" title="Posted at 7:00 am" pubdate>January 29, 2024</time></a> 784 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/29/microfiction-monday-216th-edition/#respond">Leave a comment</a> 785 786 787 </div> 788 789 <div class="entry-summary"> 790 791 <div class="wp-block-image"> 792<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg"><img data-attachment-id="5325" data-permalink="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/29/microfiction-monday-216th-edition/chamber-5264172_1920/" data-orig-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg" data-orig-size="1920,1440" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="chamber-5264172_1920" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg?w=620" width="1024" height="768" src="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-5325" srcset="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg?w=1024 1024
792w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg?w=150 150w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg?w=300 300w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg?w=768 768w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/chamber-5264172_1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure> 793</div> 794 795 796<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Dayenu</h2> 797 798 799 800<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="https://saramerkinwriting.tumblr.com/">Sara Merkin</a></p> 801 802 803 804<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Maybe if she could just let him plan a date. If he could plan a date. Maybe if she wasnât so controlling. If he wasnât so disorganized. If she could just trust his compliments. If he could learn that âyour tits are amazingâ wasnât enough to make her feel attractive. If she had the courage to ask for what she needed. If he didnât put his needs first. Maybe if she wasnât so afraid of being abandoned. Maybe If he wasnât so afraid of commitment. Maybe if this wasnât true for all the relationships sheâd had, she could be happy.</p> 805 806 807 808<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Maria Jumps into a Big Blue Mouth</h2> 809 810 811 812<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Tiffany Farr</p> 813 814 815 816<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She nestled into the corner of the suitcase. Nose tucked under tail, trying to hide within herself. First day home from the rescue and learning her triggers. Who knew dogs could understand the concept of leaving? Itâs possible permeance.</p> 817 818 819 820<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The motions of handling my jumbo-sized hard-scuffed suitcase, warmly named Big Blue, were fluid. I found unpacking a suitcase harmless, but the instinct etched into her body said Jump inside! Donât be left behind!</p> 821 822 823 824<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Consider the body of a newly homed six-pound pup. The shaking and panting, pointed ears that donât twitch when your mouth forms the words âMariaâ and âHome.â</p> 825 826 827 828<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Wentwell</h2> 829 830 831 832<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by G.J. Williams</p> 833 834 835 836<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Eyes pink veined, it was Wentwell alright. What formerly loomed now stooped, what had radiated now oozed. He seemed all overcoat. He took his plate of food and sat away from the others. Of all people. Mr Wentwell. Geography. He of the sly cigarette and extracurricular punishments. Keeping his eyes to himself.</p> 837 838 839 840<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">The Award</h2> 841 842 843 844<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Johannes Springenseiss</p> 845 846 847 848<p class="wp-block-paragraph">After the committee handed her the Widows of the Revolution plaque and a manilla envelope containing cash that was more money than the annual salary of most of us, we could hardly wait until they left.</p> 849 850 851 852<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It was entirely up to her how to spend the money, after all grandpa had been one of the first martyrs of the uprising, and she herself had worked in various underground hospitals the entire time.</p> 853 854 855 856<p class="wp-block-paragraph">âFirst weâre going to buy new sturdy suitcases and waterproof boots for us. When the wind changes, weâll have to get out of here in a jiffy.â</p> 857 858 859 860<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">On Watching Lawn Maintenance Videos</h2> 861 862 863 864<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Tom Gadd</p> 865 866 867 868<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There are videos, now, of lawn vigilantes, who knock on the doors of houses where yard grasses are reaching toward fulfillment and tiny furred creatures find solace and insects dip themselves into the pollen of wildflowers and he watches as all that life is hacked and harassed with mowers and edgers and whackers. Watches abundance converted into easy geometry. Watches one lawn maintenance video after the next in his one-bedroom apartment. In the city he grudgingly moved to for work. Where the sight of a thistle hunkered in a sidewalk crack fills him with equal amounts of hope and despair.</p> 869 870 871 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 872 873 <div class="entry-meta"> 874 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/editions/" rel="category tag">Editions</a> | Tagged: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/g-j-williams/" rel="tag">G.J. Williams</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/johannes-springenseiss/" rel="tag">Johannes Springenseiss</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/sara-merkin/" rel="tag">Sara Merkin</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/tiffany-farr/" rel="tag">Tiffany Farr</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/tom-gadd/" rel="tag">Tom Gadd</a> </div> 875 876 </div><!-- .hentry --> 877 878 879 <div id="post-5318" class="post-5318 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-editions tag-david-m-wallace tag-laura-shell tag-sam-anders tag-sara-merkin tag-tom-gadd contain"> 880 881 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/22/microfiction-monday-215th-edition/" rel="bookmark">Microfiction Monday – 215th Edition</a></h1> 882 <div class="byline"> 883 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/22/microfiction-monday-215th-edition/"><time datetime="2024-01-22T07:00:00-08:00" title="Posted at 7:00 am" pubdate>January 22, 2024</time></a> 884 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/22/microfiction-monday-215th-edition/#respond">Leave a comment</a> 885 886 887 </div> 888 889 <div class="entry-summary"> 890 891 <div class="wp-block-image"> 892<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg"><img data-attachment-id="5320" data-permalink="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/22/microfiction-monday-215th-edition/white-318525_1920/" data-orig-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg" data-orig-size="1920,1440" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="white-318525_1920" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg?w=620" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="768" src="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-5320" srcset="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg?w=1024 1024
892w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg?w=150 150w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg?w=300 300w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg?w=768 768w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/white-318525_1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure> 893</div> 894 895 896<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Really</h2> 897 898 899 900<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Laura Shell</p> 901 902 903 904<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Your name is Really because it was all I could think to say as you marched across my lawn. Your pitted, black scorpion body. Your gray wolf head with drooling smile. Your stinger tail you swivel in all directions and snap like a bullwhip. I filmed you on my phone that day, and then I said, “Really?” The video went ultra viral. You stand by my front doorâan alien sentinel. Do you have a crush? You let me stroke the gray hair on your wolf face. Just below your ear. If you were a cat, you would have purred.</p> 905 906 907 908<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Problem Child</h2> 909 910 911 912<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="http://davidmwallace.ca">David M Wallace</a></p> 913 914 915 916<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dolly knew only the rules of her game and did not notice the other games being played. She thought she had a home, an annoying little sister, parents who could sometimes be persuaded and who sometimes must be obeyed.</p> 917 918 919 920<p class="wp-block-paragraph">But her parents were divorcing. The court would decide with whom she would live. The market assigned a portion of the asking price to what had been her bedroom. District boundaries led to a new school and no friends. The clinic determined a diagnosis and prescribed a medication.</p> 921 922 923 924<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Years later, newly sober, she confessed sheâd made some bad life choices.</p> 925 926 927 928<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Restless</h2> 929 930 931 932<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="https://saramerkinwriting.tumblr.com/">Sara Merkin</a></p> 933 934 935 936<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Is it creepy to stare at him while he sleeps? Youâre not sure. Still, you lay there, counting each blackhead-filled pore on his crooked nose. Fourteenâwaitâseventeen on the tip. His breath smells like bourbon, but you were the only one that drank. Up the bridge makes twenty-two. Was he still mad? No, his sleeping body was too still, too relaxed for anger. Thirty-eight. You mimic his breathing, an attempt to drift off. Forty-seven total. At least he kissed you goodnight. Your eyes shut but your mind doesnât. He might still be mad. Damn, pores are a sorry replacement for sheep.</p> 937 938 939 940<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">During an Overdue Oil Change</h2> 941 942 943 944<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Tom Gadd</p> 945 946 947 948<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The undercarriage of the car floats in the oil pan. Breaks into ever expanding circles. Reforms and breaks again. Like our lives, he thinks beneath the car they bought together that he visits now only when she phones about a strange ticking sound or another stall that made their child late for school.<br>And here are her feet. Just her feet. Toenails flaking pink paint. The daisy chain tattoo circling her ankle. And an opened beer sheâs placed on the garage floor.<br>How does it look?<br>Looks like heaven, he wants to answer but he says good. Itâs all good.</p> 949 950 951 952<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Marital Gratitude</h2> 953 954 955 956<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="https://sam-anders.com">Sam Anders</a></p> 957 958 959 960<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In winter he makes soup for my dinner while heâs working at the restaurant. The eggplant creaminess is dark, satiny, subtle, and surprising, like my husband. He might flirt with butternut squash risotto or seduce with the aroma of roast duck. On the day of our sonâs birth, I arrived home to feast on his gift of gratitude: lemony sautéed soft-shell crab. I am more fluent in words than in actions, but he understands how much I love him when I make his tea or walk the dog on a cold night, though itâs his turn.</p> 961 962 963 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 964 965 <div class="entry-meta"> 966 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/editions/" rel="category tag">Editions</a> | Tagged: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/david-m-wallace/" rel="tag">David M Wallace</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/laura-shell/" rel="tag">Laura Shell</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/sam-anders/" rel="tag">Sam Anders</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/sara-merkin/" rel="tag">Sara Merkin</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/tom-gadd/" rel="tag">Tom Gadd</a> </div> 967 968 </div><!-- .hentry --> 969 970 971 <div id="post-5313" class="post-5313 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-editions tag-char-rennes tag-david-m-wallace tag-jessica-klimesh tag-laura-shell tag-matthew-schultz contain"> 972 973 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/15/microfiction-monday-214th-edition/" rel="bookmark">Microfiction Monday – 214th Edition</a></h1> 974 <div class="byline"> 975 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/15/microfiction-monday-214th-edition/"><time datetime="2024-01-15T07:00:00-08:00" title="Posted at 7:00 am" pubdate>January 15, 2024</time></a> 976 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/15/microfiction-monday-214th-edition/#respond">Leave a comment</a> 977 978 979 </div> 980 981 <div class="entry-summary"> 982 983 <div class="wp-block-image"> 984<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg"><img data-attachment-id="5315" data-permalink="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/15/microfiction-monday-214th-edition/statue-4247494_1920/" data-orig-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg" data-orig-size="1920,1275" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="statue-4247494_1920" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg?w=620" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="680" src="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-5315" srcset="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg?w=1024 1024
984w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg?w=150 150w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg?w=300 300w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg?w=768 768w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/statue-4247494_1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure> 985</div> 986 987 988<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">German Trains</h2> 989 990 991 992<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="http://davidmwallace.ca">David M Wallace</a></p> 993 994 995 996<p class="wp-block-paragraph">First it was the beer. Uncorrupted beer. The commandment: Water, barley and hops. Simplicity.<br>Second came these ingredients, nailed to the church door: Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura.<br>Third was that spud, Philosophy, pared down to Pure Reason.<br>Fourth, the Reich and those immaculate weapons. Purgation and flames.<br>And now, a hair shirt and a stringent orthodoxy. A secular temple to correct thought, correct action. Perfectly sorted trash.<br>Why is it that every time we board a train for Jerusalem, we end up in Munich?</p> 997 998 999 1000<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Bye-Over</h2> 1001 1002 1003 1004<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="http://jessicaklimesh.com">Jessica Klimesh</a></p> 1005 1006 1007 1008<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Benny and Jenny float back to the start like defeated, sputtering balloons. What now? Benny says, and Jenny shrugs. What now? Jenny says, and Benny shrugs. Together, with sordid reluctance, they shrug their way through seasons they never expected to see. Bennyâs azaleas bloom, and Jenny gets promoted. Rain runs rogue from willing gutters, forms a puddle in their yard that soon becomes a lake. Neighbors call out the obvious, hey, youâre still here, feign cheap ignorance. Benny and Jenny kiss each otherâs hesitant lips because duty calls, and moths fly toward the light, igniting death like paper and match.</p> 1009 1010 1011 1012<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Dine and Dash</h2> 1013 1014 1015 1016<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Char Rennes</p> 1017 1018 1019 1020<p class="wp-block-paragraph">You never know when someone will fuck your whole day. They came five minutes to closing, ordered a lot and ate slow – thanks, dudes. Canât close, guess Iâll scroll my phone and get high. When they split you wouldnât believe how fast I locked up. But I was frickin high cause I didnât see them behind the counter with their guns but I was done. âYou couldnât, like, do this when you walked in?! You know what? I quit.â I stomped out, drove home and told Dad I lost my job and sat through his bullshit all night.</p> 1021 1022 1023 1024<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Mom</h2> 1025 1026 1027 1028<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Laura Shell</p> 1029 1030 1031 1032<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mom had stopped bathing, had developed a rash beneath her right breast that looked like measles. She’d stopped curling her hair and wore perpetual bedhead like a hat. Her makeup bag remained at the bottom of a bathroom drawer instead of on the bathroom counter. No more dressing up, just the same three outfits, all pajamas, usually inside out and backwards. No more healthy meals, only fast food burgers via delivery, and bedtime snacks of cookies and gummies hidden in her nightstand drawer with her Oxycodone.<br>Did she know the end was near?<br>Why didn’t she tell me about it?</p> 1033 1034 1035 1036<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Poughkeepsie/Persephone</h2> 1037 1038 1039 1040<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Matthew Schultz</p> 1041 1042 1043 1044<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Slow steam rises from a perfect circle carved into crumbling asphalt beneath blinking yellow traffic lights that flash staccato warnings like the beacon of a north shore lighthouse shouting madly through the brume. The heavy steel water works cover has been removed and set to the side as if the moon about to slide before the sun. Traffic lights blink a brief solar eclipse and she appears ascending from beneath the avenue wearing a reflective safety vest and a golden helmet. She holds a wrench and ratchet like a queen brandishing sword and scepter, like Parmenides returning from the underworld.</p> 1045 1046 1047 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 1048 1049 <div class="entry-meta"> 1050 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/editions/" rel="category tag">Editions</a> | Tagged: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/char-rennes/" rel="tag">Char Rennes</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/david-m-wallace/" rel="tag">David M Wallace</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/jessica-klimesh/" rel="tag">Jessica Klimesh</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/laura-shell/" rel="tag">Laura Shell</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/matthew-schultz/" rel="tag">Matthew Schultz</a> </div> 1051 1052 </div><!-- .hentry --> 1053 1054 1055 <div id="post-5308" class="post-5308 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-editions tag-adam-snider tag-becky-neher tag-brandy-reinke tag-david-sydney tag-john-szamosi contain"> 1056 1057 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/08/microfiction-monday-213th-edition/" rel="bookmark">Microfiction Monday – 213th Edition</a></h1> 1058 <div class="byline"> 1059 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/08/microfiction-monday-213th-edition/"><time datetime="2024-01-08T07:00:00-08:00" title="Posted at 7:00 am" pubdate>January 8, 2024</time></a> 1060 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/08/microfiction-monday-213th-edition/#comments">1 Comment</a> 1061 1062 1063 </div> 1064 1065 <div class="entry-summary"> 1066 1067 <div class="wp-block-image"> 1068<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg"><img data-attachment-id="5310" data-permalink="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2024/01/08/microfiction-monday-213th-edition/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920/" data-orig-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg" data-orig-size="1920,1280" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="pxclimateaction-4684217_1920" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg?w=620" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="682" src="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-5310" srcset="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg?w=1024 1024
1068w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg?w=150 150w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg?w=300 300w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg?w=768 768w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pxclimateaction-4684217_1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure> 1069</div> 1070 1071 1072<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">The Not So Merry Men</h2> 1073 1074 1075 1076<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by David Sydney</p> 1077 1078 1079 1080<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We’ve got problems.”<br>“What’d you mean?”<br>“It’s not working.” Little John explained that the men weren’t merry.<br>First, they robbed from the rich, as Robin had instructed. They gave to the poor. But, then, they robbed from the newly-rich to give to the poor who formally were well-off. It was not only repetitively confusing but also exhausting after a while. It was too much.<br>Robin was at a loss. He turned from Little John to the Friar.<br>“What’d you think, Tuck?”<br>“I’d use the religious solution.”<br>“You mean?”<br>“We have one last robbery. And, then, keep everything for ourselves.”<br>“Exactly.”</p> 1081 1082 1083 1084<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Transitional Pains</h2> 1085 1086 1087 1088<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Adam Snider</p> 1089 1090 1091 1092<p class="wp-block-paragraph">On a park bench, he wallows in boredom. Three weeks after the bar exam, the immediate unshackling freedom dissipated, he sits in a hole dug with obsessive studying, refusing calls, and ignoring texts. For months, he hadnât watched a movie, checked social media, or listened to music.</p> 1093 1094 1095 1096<p class="wp-block-paragraph">He absentmindedly watches a child wind up a toy robot and let it run. Her mother calls, and she abandons it. Its key slows and stops, and it falls over. Its eyes point at him. They stare at each other. Motionless.</p> 1097 1098 1099 1100<p class="wp-block-paragraph">He blinks, winds himself up, and speeds off to apply for jobs.</p> 1101 1102 1103 1104<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Mansion at the Beach or Cabin at the Lake</h2> 1105 1106 1107 1108<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Brandy Reinke</p> 1109 1110 1111 1112<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Eight years before me a person convinced you your insides should not show on the outside.<br>You agreed. When you tell me I think of your shoulders so broad, so beautiful how they curve, how precisely they fit under my palms. I thought you made them so I could anchor myself to you. I guess in a way they did. When you tell me âNo, in fact, they were made out of survival,â I no longer want to drape myself across them. They no longer seem like they can bear my weight.</p> 1113 1114 1115 1116<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Mutations</h2> 1117 1118 1119 1120<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Becky Neher</p> 1121 1122 1123 1124<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“You do not have cancer,” she said.<br>My heart sank.<br>She had been my biggest supporter for twenty years. Down-to-earth, whip smart, kind-hearted. Lately, though, diseases were “states of mind” stemming from “modern culture’s toxicity.” Remedies were only a juice cleanse and several ImmuNature pills away.<br>I exhaled, wondering how I’d cope through the chemo.</p> 1125 1126 1127 1128<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Philosophy</h2> 1129 1130 1131 1132<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by John Szamosi</p> 1133 1134 1135 1136<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The past is only whatâs in our recollection; what weâve forgotten might as well have never happened. The part of future thatâs predictable is only a continuation of the present, and the rest is complete surprise, delightful or devastating. The present is happening to us, that is, itâs not our doing, and by the time we understand whatâs going on, itâs too late. Another opportunity missed, another error made.<br>Thereâs always confusion.<br>Thatâs why people, especially in big cities and in Alaska, keep muttering to themselves.</p> 1137 1138 1139 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 1140 1141 <div class="entry-meta"> 1142 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/editions/" rel="category tag">Editions</a> | Tagged: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/adam-snider/" rel="tag">Adam Snider</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/becky-neher/" rel="tag">Becky Neher</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/brandy-reinke/" rel="tag">Brandy Reinke</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/david-sydney/" rel="tag">David Sydney</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/john-szamosi/" rel="tag">John Szamosi</a> </div> 1143 1144 </div><!-- .hentry --> 1145 1146 1147 <div id="post-5277" class="post-5277 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-uncategorized contain"> 1148 1149 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/18/holiday-break/" rel="bookmark">Holiday Break</a></h1> 1150 <div class="byline"> 1151 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/18/holiday-break/"><time datetime="2023-12-18T08:00:39-08:00" title="Posted at 8:00 am" pubdate>December 18, 2023</time></a> 1152 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/18/holiday-break/#respond">Leave a comment</a> 1153 1154 1155 </div> 1156 1157 <div class="entry-summary"> 1158 1159 1160<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Microfiction Monday Magazine is on a short break over the holidays. Feel free to keep reading and submitting – we will be back with a new edition on January 8th, 2024!</p> 1161 1162 1163<div class="wp-block-image"> 1164<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg"><img data-attachment-id="5279" data-permalink="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/18/holiday-break/snowflakes-1014159_1920/" data-orig-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg" data-orig-size="1920,1371" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="snowflakes-1014159_1920" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg?w=620" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="731" src="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-5279" srcset="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg?w=1024 1024
1164w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg?w=150 150w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg?w=300 300w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg?w=768 768w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/snowflakes-1014159_1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure> 1165</div> 1166 1167 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 1168 1169 <div class="entry-meta"> 1170 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/uncategorized/" rel="category tag">Uncategorized</a> </div> 1171 1172 </div><!-- .hentry --> 1173 1174 1175 <div id="post-5237" class="post-5237 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-editions tag-f-d-jackson tag-g-j-williams tag-kristen-smith tag-luanne-castle tag-zebulon-huset contain"> 1176 1177 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/11/microfiction-monday-212th-edition/" rel="bookmark">Microfiction Monday – 212th Edition</a></h1> 1178 <div class="byline"> 1179 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/11/microfiction-monday-212th-edition/"><time datetime="2023-12-11T07:00:00-08:00" title="Posted at 7:00 am" pubdate>December 11, 2023</time></a> 1180 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/11/microfiction-monday-212th-edition/#comments">2 Comments</a> 1181 1182 1183 </div> 1184 1185 <div class="entry-summary"> 1186 1187 <div class="wp-block-image"> 1188<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vintage-1794747_1920.jpg"><img data-attachment-id="5239" data-permalink="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/11/microfiction-monday-212th-edition/vintage-1794747_1920/" data-orig-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vintage-1794747_1920.jpg" data-orig-size="1209,1920" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="vintage-1794747_1920" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vintage-1794747_1920.jpg?w=620" loading="lazy" width="645" height="1024" src="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vintage-1794747_1920.jpg?w=645" alt="" class="wp-image-5239" srcset="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vintage-1794747_1920.jpg?w=645 645w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vintage-1794747_1920.jpg?w=94 94w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vintage-1794747_1920.jpg?w=189 189w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vintage-1794747_1920.jpg?w=768 768w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vintage-1794747_1920.jpg 1209w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px" /></a></figure> 1189</div> 1190 1191 1192<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">There Is No Pirate Treasure in Indiana</h2> 1193 1194 1195 1196<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Zebulon Huset</p> 1197 1198 1199 1200<p class="wp-block-paragraph">They knew it wasnât likely that pirates had made their way as far inland as Indiana, but they still couldnât wait to find some sort of buried treasure in their back woods. It was in all of the movies. It wasnât until the girls found a third human femur in the way of their treasure hunting that the police cordoned off the woods, ending their adventures for goodâand sparking a lifelong interest in forensics for one sister, and something darker in the second which laid dormant for years until she found a local mentor, years before the police would.</p> 1201 1202 1203 1204<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Bernie’s Buyin’</h2> 1205 1206 1207 1208<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kirsten.wanders/">Kirsten Smith</a></p> 1209 1210 1211 1212<p class="wp-block-paragraph">He shouldnât, but heâs doinâ it anyway.</p> 1213 1214 1215 1216<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Bernie canât afford to sit here, the one bar in this half-horse town, buying the rest of us codgers rounds. I âspect weâre drinking grocery money.</p> 1217 1218 1219 1220<p class="wp-block-paragraph">âAnything ya like,â Bernie repeats, saluting us, his pals, with a Co
1220ors thatâs surely gone warm.</p> 1221 1222 1223 1224<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Wivesâll soon be after us.</p> 1225 1226 1227 1228<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I wonder if this has to do with Annieâs recent passing. They never had kids. Itâs just him and that mutt in the trailer out on the prairie.</p> 1229 1230 1231 1232<p class="wp-block-paragraph">âYou like dogs, donâtcha, Lou?â Bernie asks, an imploring look in his eye. âYou like old Buddy, dontâcha?â</p> 1233 1234 1235 1236<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Friends With Guns</h2> 1237 1238 1239 1240<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by F.D. Jackson</p> 1241 1242 1243 1244<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The circumstances have suddenly changed; Will had been pounding Caleb in the face. Caleb has the upper hand now, pulling Will across the yard by his dislocated arm, Will howling in pain. Caleb slams Willâs head against the 47 Chevyâs wheel well.</p> 1245 1246 1247 1248<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A shot reverberates through the trees. Caleb leans over Will with his head resting on Willâs left shoulder. A hole the size of a childâs hand is just over the spot where Calebâs heart would have been.</p> 1249 1250 1251 1252<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Will is wide-eyed, holding his breath, blood and tissue smattered on his face and in his hair. âIâm sorry,â he whispers.</p> 1253 1254 1255 1256<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Manchild</h2> 1257 1258 1259 1260<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by G.J. Williams</p> 1261 1262 1263 1264<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In another life she’s on her way upstairs, her feet bare, the carpet deep. No one’ll say nothing doing. She’ll climb. She’ll run a bath, go for aromatic and take her time, knowing there’s no man sitting on the bottom step. The stairs are clear. Music is a distinct possibility.</p> 1265 1266 1267 1268<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">This is Why She Never Gets Anything Accomplished</h2> 1269 1270 1271 1272<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="https://www.luannecastle.com/">Luanne Castle</a></p> 1273 1274 1275 1276<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She deftly placed some curves in her sketchbook until the vague shape of an elephant sitting on an overturned classroom wastebasket appeared. She erased the back and redrew, adding skin folds. After she finished water coloring, she signed the piece. Thatâs when a foot lifted off the page. The other feet followed suit, and the trunk wrapped around her pencil, so she reluctantly released it. The elephant erased itself, letting the colors float out the window.</p> 1277 1278 1279 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 1280 1281 <div class="entry-meta"> 1282 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/editions/" rel="category tag">Editions</a> | Tagged: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/f-d-jackson/" rel="tag">F.D. Jackson</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/g-j-williams/" rel="tag">G.J. Williams</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/kristen-smith/" rel="tag">Kristen Smith</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/luanne-castle/" rel="tag">Luanne Castle</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/zebulon-huset/" rel="tag">Zebulon Huset</a> </div> 1283 1284 </div><!-- .hentry --> 1285 1286 1287 <div id="post-5229" class="post-5229 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-editions tag-brandy-reinke tag-f-d-jackson tag-joseph-howse tag-roman-albertson tag-scott-burnam contain"> 1288 1289 <h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/04/microfiction-monday-211th-edition/" rel="bookmark">Microfiction Monday – 211th Edition</a></h1> 1290 <div class="byline"> 1291 By <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/author/gtowell/">gtowell</a></span> on <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/04/microfiction-monday-211th-edition/"><time datetime="2023-12-04T07:00:00-08:00" title="Posted at 7:00 am" pubdate>December 4, 2023</time></a> 1292 | <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/04/microfiction-monday-211th-edition/#respond">Leave a comment</a> 1293 1294 1295 </div> 1296 1297 <div class="entry-summary"> 1298 1299 <div class="wp-block-image"> 1300<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg"><img data-attachment-id="5234" data-permalink="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/2023/12/04/microfiction-monday-211th-edition/rain-2538429_1920-1/" data-orig-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg" data-orig-size="1920,1280" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="rain-2538429_1920-1" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg?w=620" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="682" src="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-5234" srcset="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg?w=1024 1024
1300w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg?w=150 150w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg?w=300 300w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg?w=768 768w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg?w=1440 1440w, https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rain-2538429_1920-1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure> 1301</div> 1302 1303 1304<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Eyebrow</h2> 1305 1306 1307 1308<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Brandy Reinke</p> 1309 1310 1311 1312<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Blanket around our shoulders, ankles crossed, mine crossed again over the top of yours. The rubber soles of my slippers do not stop the rain that drips off the edge of the roof from seeping through to my feet. The smell of it- wood and wet-is why we are outside. The snick of the lighter in my hand is loud. You watch me bring the cigarette to my mouth.</p> 1313 1314 1315 1316<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>I hate when you do that.</em></p> 1317 1318 1319 1320<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>I hate when you do that</em>, I say back, grateful for the edge of my right eyebrow, how I can make it arch up.</p> 1321 1322 1323 1324<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Unbelievable</h2> 1325 1326 1327 1328<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by <a href="https://nummist.com/stories/">Joseph Howse</a></p> 1329 1330 1331 1332<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I mean, who are you gonna believe, the ones in the kitchen or the ones in the dining room? There’s a flambé to light and a grandfather in ashes. He was a yachtsman and a sportsman and a man, oh, man! Quite a businessman. And how many times he shoved her down the stairs. And if she divorced him he’d get the kid.</p> 1333 1334 1335 1336<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Endless Grays</h2> 1337 1338 1339 1340<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Roman Albertson</p> 1341 1342 1343 1344<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Those I met in the other place speak only of gray.</p> 1345 1346 1347 1348<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I first sought the ferrymanâs advice, and he told me colors were signs of madness. I thanked him, two gold pieces poorer, and wandered from the bank. I followed her voice, fading into my amnesia.</p> 1349 1350 1351 1352<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Then you, the mirror, revealed to me my forgotten truth:</p> 1353 1354 1355 1356<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I met my end by the venom of love. I rushed to her side, but she moved no more. I drank deeply of poison, and began my search for her. Now I search, trapped in memory, my endless grays traded for loveâs taunting ruby.</p> 1357 1358 1359 1360<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Practice</h2> 1361 1362 1363 1364<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by Scott Burnam</p> 1365 1366 1367 1368<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cassieâs always one-third done her tea when she reaches for her Taoist to-do book. She opens to todayâs reading with a heading numbered forty-six. There are no page numbers. She never remembers if her bookmark, a piece of red construction site danger tape, is for the left page or the right one. Or maybe, and likely, she never turned the last page.</p> 1369 1370 1371 1372<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Uncaring (some review or preview never hurts), she sips, ponders, then puts the danger tape back. She closes the book on her peaceful space to ready for traffic, work, and whatever else she has not yet figured out.</p> 1373 1374 1375 1376<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Short Shrift</h2> 1377 1378 1379 1380<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph">by F.D. Jackson</p> 1381 1382 1383 1384<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The sheriff, needing chest x-rays, arrives at the county hospital. He doesnât recognize the radiology techâs face. Eliâs daughter, Frances, sizes him up, arms folded over her chest. She fits him with the shortest hospital gown she can find.</p> 1385 1386 1387 1388<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Standing in the doorway, chewing on a sucker, Frances watches the sheriff walk down the hallway. A sad smile forms at the corners of her mouth.</p> 1389 1390 1391 1392<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Despite his best efforts, the sheriffâs privates dangle out from under his gown. A small indignity compared to the one that he visited upon Francesâ father–the night Eli died in his jail cell.</p> 1393 1394 1395 </div><!-- .entry-summary --> 1396 1397 <div class="entry-meta"> 1398 Posted in: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/category/editions/" rel="category tag">Editions</a> | Tagged: <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/brandy-reinke/" rel="tag">Brandy Reinke</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/f-d-jackson/" rel="tag">F.D. Jackson</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/joseph-howse/" rel="tag">Joseph Howse</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/roman-albertson/" rel="tag">Roman Albertson</a>, <a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/tag/scott-burnam/" rel="tag">Scott Burnam</a> </div> 1399 1400 </div><!-- .hentry --> 1401 1402 1403 1404 </div><!-- .hfeed --> 1405 1406 1407<nav id="nav-posts" class="paged-navigation contain"> 1408 <h1 class="assistive-text">Posts navigation</h1> 1409 <div class="nav-older"><a href="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/page/2/" >← Older</a></div> 1410 <div class="nav-newer"></div> 1411</nav> 1412 1413 </div><!-- #content --> 1414 1415 1416 1417 <div id="sidebar-primary" class="sidebar"> 1418 1419 <div id="search-2" class="widget widget_search"> 1420<div class="search"> 1421 <form method="get" id="searchform" class="searchform" action="https://microfictionmondaymagazine.com/"> 1422 <label for="s" class="assistive-text">Search</label> 1423 <input type="text" class="field" name="s" id="s" placeholder="Search" value="" /> 1424 <input type="submit" class="submit" name="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="Search" /> 1425 </form> 1426</div><!-- .search --></div><div id="custom_html-2" class="widget_text widget widget_custom_html"><h3 class="widget-title">Support Us!</h3><div class="textwidget custom-html-widget">Click <a href="https://www.patreon.com/microfiction">here</a> to support us on Patreon.</div></div><div id="facebook-likebox-2" class="widget widget_facebook_likebox">
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1511<script> 1512 // Initialize and attach hovercards to all gravatars 1513 ( function() { 1514 function init() { 1515 if ( typeof Gravatar === 'undefined' ) { 1516 return; 1517 } 1518 1519 if ( typeof Gravatar.init !== 'function' ) { 1520 return; 1521 } 1522 1523 Gravatar.profile_cb = function ( hash, id ) { 1524 WPGroHo.syncProfileData( hash, id ); 1525 }; 1526 1527 Gravatar.my_hash = WPGroHo.my_hash; 1528 Gravatar.init( 1529 'body', 1530 '#wp-admin-bar-my-account', 1531 { 1532 i18n: { 1533 'Edit your profile â': 'Edit your profile â', 1534 'View profile â': 'View profile â', 1535 'Contact': 'Contact', 1536 'Send money': 'Send money', 1537 'Sorry, we are unable to load this Gravatar profile.': 'Sorry, we are unable to load this Gravatar profile.', 1538 'Gravatar not found.': 'Gravatar not found.', 1539 'Too Many Requests.': 'Too Many Requests.', 1540 'Internal Server Error.': 'Internal Server Error.', 1541 'Is this you?': 'Is this you?', 1542 'Claim your free profile.': 'Claim your free profile.', 1543 'Email': 'Email', 1544 'Home Phone': 'Home Phone', 1545 'Work Phone': 'Work Phone', 1546 'Cell Phone': 'Cell Phone', 1547 'Contact Form': 'Contact Form', 1548 'Calendar': 'Calendar', 1549 }, 1550 } 1551 ); 1552 } 1553 1554 if ( document.readyState !== 'loading' ) { 1555 init(); 1556 } else { 1557 document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', init ); 1558 } 1559 } )(); 1560 </script>
1560 1561 1562 <div style="display:none"> 1563 </div> 1564 <!-- CCPA [start] --> 1565
1565<script type="text/javascript"> 1566 ( function () { 1567 1568 var setupPrivacy = function() { 1569 1570 // Minimal Mozilla Cookie library 1571 // https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Document/cookie/Simple_document.cookie_framework 1572 var cookieLib = window.cookieLib = {getItem:function(e){return e&&decodeURIComponent(document.cookie.replace(new RegExp("(?:(?:^|.*;)\\s*"+encodeURIComponent(e).replace(/[\-\.\+\*]/g,"\\$&")+"\\s*\\=\\s*([^;]*).*$)|^.*$"),"$1"))||null},setItem:function(e,o,n,t,r,i){if(!e||/^(?:expires|max\-age|path|domain|secure)$/i.test(e))return!1;var c="";if(n)switch(n.constructor){case Number:c=n===1/0?"; expires=Fri, 31 Dec 9999 23:59:59 GMT":"; max-age="+n;break;case String:c="; expires="+n;break;case Date:c="; expires="+n.toUTCString()}return"rootDomain"!==r&&".rootDomain"!==r||(r=(".rootDomain"===r?".":"")+document.location.hostname.split(".").slice(-2).join(".")),document.cookie=encodeURIComponent(e)+"="+encodeURIComponent(o)+c+(r?"; domain="+r:"")+(t?"; path="+t:"")+(i?"; secure":""),!0}}; 1573 1574 // Implement IAB USP API. 1575 window.__uspapi = function( command, version, callback ) { 1576 1577 // Validate callback. 1578 if ( typeof callback !== 'function' ) { 1579 return; 1580 } 1581 1582 // Validate the given command. 1583 if ( command !== 'getUSPData' || version !== 1 ) { 1584 callback( null, false ); 1585 return; 1586 } 1587 1588 // Check for GPC. If set, override any stored cookie. 1589 if ( navigator.globalPrivacyControl ) { 1590 callback( { version: 1, uspString: '1YYN' }, true ); 1591 return; 1592 } 1593
1594 // Check for cookie. 1595 var consent = cookieLib.getItem( 'usprivacy' ); 1596 1597 // Invalid cookie. 1598 if ( null === consent ) { 1599 callback( null, false ); 1600 return; 1601 } 1602 1603 // Everything checks out. Fire the provided callback with the consent data. 1604 callback( { version: 1, uspString: consent }, true ); 1605 }; 1606 1607 // Initialization. 1608 document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { 1609 1610 // Internal functions. 1611 var setDefaultOptInCookie = function() { 1612 var value = '1YNN'; 1613 var domain = '.wordpress.com' === location.hostname.slice( -14 ) ? '.rootDomain' : location.hostname; 1614 cookieLib.setItem( 'usprivacy', value, 365 * 24 * 60 * 60, '/', domain ); 1615 }; 1616 1617 var setDefaultOptOutCookie = function() { 1618 var value = '1YYN'; 1619 var domain = '.wordpress.com' === location.hostname.slice( -14 ) ? '.rootDomain' : location.hostname; 1620 cookieLib.setItem( 'usprivacy', value, 24 * 60 * 60, '/', domain ); 1621 }; 1622 1623 var setDefaultNotApplicableCookie = function() { 1624 var value = '1---'; 1625 var domain = '.wordpress.com' === location.hostname.slice( -14 ) ? '.rootDomain' : location.hostname; 1626 cookieLib.setItem( 'usprivacy', value, 24 * 60 * 60, '/', domain ); 1627 }; 1628 1629 var setCcpaAppliesCookie = function( applies ) { 1630 var domain = '.wordpress.com' === location.hostname.slice( -14 ) ? '.rootDomain' : location.hostname; 1631 cookieLib.setItem( 'ccpa_applies', applies, 24 * 60 * 60, '/', domain ); 1632 } 1633 1634 var maybeCallDoNotSellCallback = function() { 1635 if ( 'function' === typeof window.doNotSellCallback ) { 1636 return window.doNotSellCallback(); 1637 } 1638 1639 return false; 1640 } 1641 1642 // Look for usprivacy cookie first. 1643 var usprivacyCookie = cookieLib.getItem( 'usprivacy' ); 1644 1645 // Found a usprivacy cookie. 1646 if ( null !== usprivacyCookie ) { 1647 1648 // If the cookie indicates that CCPA does not apply, then bail. 1649 if ( '1---' === usprivacyCookie ) { 1650 return; 1651 } 1652 1653 // CCPA applies, so call our callback to add Do Not Sell link to the page. 1654 maybeCallDoNotSellCallback(); 1655 1656 // We're all done, no more processing needed. 1657 return; 1658 } 1659 1660 // We don't have a usprivacy cookie, so check to see if we have a CCPA applies cookie. 1661 var ccpaCookie = cookieLib.getItem( 'ccpa_applies' ); 1662 1663 // No CCPA applies cookie found, so we'll need to geolocate if this visitor is from California. 1664 // This needs to happen client side because we do not have region geo data in our $SERVER headers, 1665 // only country data -- therefore we can't vary cache on the region. 1666 if ( null === ccpaCookie ) { 1667 1668 var request = new XMLHttpRequest(); 1669 request.open( 'GET', 'https://public-api.wordpress.com/geo/', true ); 1670 1671 request.onreadystatechange = function () { 1672 if ( 4 === this.readyState ) { 1673 if ( 200 === this.status ) { 1674 1675 // Got a geo response. Parse out the region data. 1676 var data = JSON.parse( this.response ); 1677 var region = data.region ? data.region.toLowerCase() : ''; 1678 var ccpa_applies = ['california', 'colorado', 'connecticut', 'delaware', 'indiana', 'iowa', 'montana', 'new jersey', 'oregon', 'tennessee', 'texas', 'utah', 'virginia'].indexOf( region ) > -1; 1679 // Set CCPA applies cookie. This keeps us from having to make a geo request too frequently. 1680 setCcpaAppliesCookie( ccpa_applies ); 1681 1682 // Check if CCPA applies to set the proper usprivacy cookie. 1683 if ( ccpa_applies ) { 1684 if ( maybeCallDoNotSellCallback() ) { 1685 // Do Not Sell link added, so set default opt-in. 1686 setDefaultOptInCookie(); 1687 } else { 1688 // Failed showing Do Not Sell link as required, so default to opt-OUT just to be safe. 1689 setDefaultOptOutCookie(); 1690 } 1691 } else { 1692 // CCPA does not apply. 1693 setDefaultNotApplicableCookie(); 1694 } 1695 } else { 1696 // Could not geo, so let's assume for now that CCPA applies to be safe. 1697 setCcpaAppliesCookie( true ); 1698 if ( maybeCallDoNotSellCallback() ) { 1699 // Do Not Sell link added, so set default opt-in. 1700 setDefaultOptInCookie(); 1701 } else { 1702 // Failed showing Do Not Sell link as required, so default to opt-OUT just to be safe. 1703 setDefaultOptOutCookie(); 1704 } 1705 } 1706 } 1707 }; 1708 1709 // Send the geo request. 1710 request.send(); 1711 } else { 1712 // We found a CCPA applies cookie. 1713 if ( ccpaCookie === 'true' ) { 1714 if ( maybeCallDoNotSellCallback() ) { 1715 // Do Not Sell link added, so set default opt-in. 1716 setDefaultOptInCookie(); 1717 } else { 1718 // Failed showing Do Not Sell link as required, so default to opt-OUT just to be safe. 1719 setDefaultOptOutCookie(); 1720 } 1721 } else { 1722 // CCPA does not apply. 1723 setDefaultNotApplicableCookie(); 1724 } 1725 } 1726 } ); 1727 }; 1728 1729 // Kickoff initialization. 1730 if ( window.defQueue && defQueue.isLOHP && defQueue.isLOHP === 2020 ) { 1731 defQueue.items.push( setupPrivacy ); 1732 } else { 1733 setupPrivacy(); 1734 } 1735 1736 } )(); 1737 </script>
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