The inevitable never came. After what felt like hours but was probably closer to a minute, I unclenched just a bit and opened one eye. The bright light was still there; it hadn’t been a flash after all. Trying to locate the source, I peered over my shoulder and found the light at the end of the dock, which had hung overhead as we made love, had flared back to life. Sitting up, I looked back at the house, then towards the...

Everyone screamed. Some screamed louder or longer than others, but we all cried out. Eventually, only a few sounds remained: Heather’s keening wail in the kitchen, Mari’s sobs, Tyler’s stream of profanities, and Lakshmi’s renewed, desolate moans. The heartbeat pounding in my ears threatened to drown them all out. Kyle and Blake had bolted from the room to check on their significant others, knocking over a couple of smalle...

We woke a little late the next morning; almost everyone did. Shy, awkward smiles all around were the order of the day as we made our way downstairs and were later joined by the previous night’s foursome. Shmi had started working on breakfast and seemed to be in a better mood. Ty had gone out back; I heard the ping of an aluminum bat hitting a ball every so often. Kyle and Blake set the table that morning while I relaxed,...

Marissa and I arrived late, just as we always did. To my regular annoyance, and despite my best efforts, Mari couldn't seem to get anywhere on schedule. I thought even our wedding day would be delayed until she showed up right on time with a smile that gently mocked, “told you I’d make it.” This wasn’t our wedding, though; this was a vacation. Specifically, a Labor Day weekend spent at our friend’s lake house, or, more ac...

I didn’t get any work done that day, nor did I sleep well that night. The following day was better, but by Saturday evening, I realized that I’d had no visitors, and I began to worry. I’d expected someone to come and try to talk me out of exposing Ella’s secret and, in turn, the community’s role in keeping it. That didn’t happen. No one came to talk to me about this or anything else. I thought about reaching out to someon...

I stood in front of the office building for almost an hour before he came out. Once, I had wronged him and ruined his life. Now, another had done likewise to me, in the same manner, and almost exactly twelve years apart. I don’t believe in karma, but a primitive part of my brain, the same one that made my ancestors ascribe noises in the dark to monsters and lightning among the clouds to gods, couldn’t help but link his fa...

That wasn’t the last time that we had sex; far from it. If Allison felt the need, she would initiate, and I usually responded positively. If I felt the need, she never turned me down, no matter how tired she was. I was never cruel with her, always making sure that her body was ready with my fingers before we began, and she usually came at least once. But I used a condom every time, and we rarely fucked facing each other a...

Once in the kitchen, Elizabeth showed Tommy her wine cooler and instructed him to select a bottle. “What are we going to eat?” he asked. “That could make a difference in which wine I choose. Besides, you probably have fifty bottles of red and another forty whites.” “I have a few that I like, but some of them were chosen because I liked the label.” “Ah, the scientific method.” “Don’t make fun of me,” Betts whined. “I would...

Chapter 2   Once inside, Elizabeth and Tommy were seated outside on the patio. Their table was far enough away from everyone that they both felt free to speak openly. Tommy ordered sangria for both of them. When their drinks were delivered, Elizabeth touched her glass to his. “Here’s to old times and new times.” “I don’t know that our old times are worth remembering,” he said with a warm smile. “We didn’t really have any...

Hey there stranger it's been a while Haven't seen you around lately Talk to me I'll make you smileIt's nice to talk with you daily Life has a way of keeping us awayIt's nice to see you hereTalking with you always made my daysA time or two you wiped away my tears In so many ways we're the sameJust here to share interesting thoughtsWe understand that this is just a gameKeeping it together so we don't get caught We both have...