revenge falls from the sky like a million roses

by rhoda penmarq

what kind of scum did this? joey was my friend ricki was my girl it is time to take a stand but what about us, billy? we still have to live joey was the greatest friend a guy ever had for a million years he took her away from me that’’s why i have to know we can’t let then get away with it because they think they rule the world i bought her a dozen red roses because i couldn’t live with myself but that’s the kind of scum they are and have been for a million years i have to do this he was my friend how long has this been going on? do you think roses fall from the sky? “i’ll tell you what falls from the sky” no, billy, no! even though she did me wrong i couldn’t hate her forever “the clock is ticking out on the highway” because they know we are in here and they are laughing at us

the old house

by timothy t jones

back in the day every town had a road and the road ran through the town and on to the next town in the town there was always another road that ran up the hill and on the hill was a house an old house where nobody lived and nobody lived since anybody could remember sometimes the old house had a name like “the old johnson place” and sometimes it did not the windows were always broken and cats crawled around the front yard and looked at the broken windows birds flew around the windows and sometimes bats, at dusk every town had a sheriff and the sheriff would drive up the hill and look at the old house and drive back down the hill again every sheriff had a friend named mike and mike would ask the sheriff anything going on up at the old house? and the sheriff would say, nothing much and mike would say, no kids hanging out, getting into mischief? and the sheriff would say no, not any more they don’t get into mischief now they just sit home and watch tv and mike would say, that’s too bad and the sheriff would nod and they would look up at the sky the darkening sky at the clouds and the old house and the birds and the bats and the moon and the trees back in the day

So now

So now I'm like the crow.
So now i'm like timmy
timmy and the slurkett
timmy and the revenge

of rhoda's revenge.
So now I'm like Harlequin
and Jimmy Bastard
and Fern.

And now I miss them so.
So now I write another line
and wish beyond wishing
you would craft this, flashing by.

all together now

all together now

walking with a dog you are
never alone
and your eyes are always down
ticks, turds, and dangerous bones
you watch the neck and the ground
between the small stones
moves an ant, and
i adjust 40 pounds of
huge, damaged leg
to avoid
who commits more horse power?
an ant's (entire) life
(toil)
or a big animal's
avoid maneuver ;
either way
he is more efficient
i
am more accurate
we both live

2019

the regular visitor

by fred flynn

illustrations by konrad kraus

the inspector arrived on earth for his regular visit. his visits occurred every twenty-eight years, three months, and nineteen days, earth time. the permanent observer greeted him at the greyhound bus station in thomasville. the observer did not ask how or where exactly the inspector had arrived on earth, and the inspector, who was not much for small talk, did not volunteer the information. there was a burger king a block away and the inspector and the observer walked over to it. both took the form of american men in their 40’s, wearing clothing suitable for golfing. the inspector wore a neatly trimmed mustache, the observer was bald and clean shaven. the burger king was two thirds empty and after collecting their orders - coffee and a bacon and cheese whopper for the inspector, and coffee and a slice of oreo cookie cheeseake for the observer - they took seats at the big window, out of hearing of the other patrons. “well,” asked the inspector, “has anything much changed?” “not a great deal,” the observer replied. “the humans are still in charge?” “yes, very much so. more than ever, in fact.” the inspector took a sip of his coffee. “the other larger species have made no counterattack against them?” “anything but.” the observer shook his head. “anything but. and the micro species have not launched anything effective against them to speak of, either.” “then the humans must be pretty well pleased with themselves.” “not so much as you might think. many of them are concerned that, as they put it, they are destroying the environment.” the inspector laughed. “what else would they be doing with it? they must have a pretty exaggerated notion of their own longevity." he shook his head. "i thought this was one of those places where the inhabitants always think their world is going to end any minute. “ “well, it still is. in some segments of the population.” “anything else?” “there is one rather curious development.” “and that is?” “within the humans, more and more females are assuming positions of authority.” the inspector did not seem to find this particularly interesting. “but is that affecting the humans’ relationship with the other species?” “it does not seem to be.” “well, then.” the inspector took a big bite of his bacon and cheese whopper, then turned his gaze out the window, and sat watching the restful scene of big rigs and suv’s moving along the interstate. a few clouds drifted across the sky.

bonnie jones

by corinne delmonico

illustrations by konrad kraus

bonnie jones had been living in the city for a little over two years without finding a job or making any friends. like most people in the city she lived on public assistance and was required to spend her day taking aerobics and yoga and nutrition classes in the morning, and various re-education classes in the afternoon before returning to her little room at night. she made it a habit to only check her mail when she got back to her room at night. it gave her something to look forward to, even though she hardly ever got anything interesting. one night she read a curious message. it said simply - if you want to make some friends, come to room 5108 in the dixon apartments at 2100 hours on wednesday. her curiosity aroused, bonnie went to the dixon apartments on wednesday and found room 5108 without any trouble and knocked on the door. a man opened the door and invited bonnie in. there were two women and another man in the room. the man introduced himself as hassan smith, the other man as george washington, and the two women as amanda cleveland and jennifer madson. none of them looked like very interesting people, but bonnie was not an interesting person herself so she did not hold that against them. the introductions completed, hassan got down to business. there was a table in the center of the room and a box on the table and hassan took a kitten out of the box. if you kill this kitten, hassan told bonnie, we will be your friends. oh no, bonnie replied, i could never do anything like that. well then, we bid you good evening, hassan said with a smile, and bonnie left. a week later, bonnie received another, similar message. this one read, if you want to make some friends, come to the recreation center at the corner of main and 367th streets, on thursday at 2000 hours, and ask for dave. after her prior experience, bonnie did not have any great hopes from this invitation, but she had nothing better to do, so she showed up at the recreation center on thursday. she found dave, and he introduced her to his friends willie, jake, and babs. as you know, dave told bonnie, firearms are strictly prohibited in the city, but we have made ourselves some bows and arrows and spears and we are going to hunt rabbits and other wild creatures in the park. if you would like to join us we will be your friends. no thank you, bonnie told him, that is not an activity i would care to partake in. three weeks later bonnie received a third message. this one was shorter and read simply - want to be our friend? 1056 temple drive, room 7765-a, next friday at 2030. i will give it one more try, bonnie thought. 1056 temple drive was a rather rundown building, and the elevator took forever to climb to the 77th floor. bonnie knocked on the door of room 7765-a, and a young woman opened it and waved her inside. no sooner had the door closed behind her than bonnie was seized and bound and gagged and tied to a chair. the young woman who had opened the door and two burly men looked down at her with impassive faces. they did not introduce themselves. there was a knock on the door behind bonnie and she heard it being opened. another young woman entered the room and the first woman brought her round to face the bound and gagged bonnie. she looks just like me, bonnie thought when she saw the newcomer. bonnie had had a twin sister from whom she had been separated at birth, and she wondered if it could be she who now faced her. one of the men took a small pistol out of his pocket and handed it to the possible twin. if you shoot her, the man said to the twin, we will be your friends.

Sisyphus at 8 AM