Cognac Tan

Get your FREE copy of We Always Get Our Man, the short story of how Doctor Emmanuel Bonhomme met Zarahemla Two Crows and narrowly avoided having his brains devoured by zombie Royal Canadian Mounted Policemen.

This story was originally written in response to a writing prompt at Hair Brained Press. The prompt was “Beware, for I am fearless; and therefore powerful.”

Mia is five. She asks Mama if it’s okay to hurt things. What if you’re mad? What if they hurt you first? Mama says no—unless you’re protecting someone you love. Mama isn’t strong enough to protect herself from Daddy. Mia decides she can be. 2015 Writers of the Future Honorable Mention.

A boy starts haunting his local Walmart to see a girl with the upside down smile who won’t shake his hand and won’t leave the store. Their friendship grows in a McDonald’s booth until he asks the question she’s been dreading—and offers the thing she’s been waiting forever to accept.

“Je t’aime,” she says, breaking the silence. Her voice is soft, barely audible. Then she becomes self-conscious and pulls her collar around her face. I look at my shoes. A flash fiction piece I wrote a very long time ago, forgotten and then rediscovered. Just needed a little polishing.