“Deadweight” by Tori V. Rainn

Nathan Philips threw his coat on the bench as he shut the front door from behind. Seven in the evening and the smell of coffee still lingered. His wife, Leanne, sat by her desk, writing her memoir. Soon her readers would get a peek at her personal life, and a tidbit of his, a telltale …

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“Ears and Eyes” by Bruce Costello

Laughing black men are playing pétanque beside the promenade. A grey haired tourist perches on a nearby bench seat, staring out to sea. She has brown eyes, set close together, and a long face, which gives her a horsey look. An elderly fat man with a white beard wearing shabby khaki overalls leaves the game …

“Illuminated” by Maura Yzmore

Derek loosened his lucky tie with black and purple stripes, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and exhaled. The soft orange rays of the setting sun grazed the city rooftops and illuminated Derek’s face. “Congratulations on your big win in court today, Mr. Banning!” Derek’s assistant peered into his office. “Thank you, Emma,” …

“Laughing Eyes” by Michael Anthony

Checking his boarding pass, the man slipped into seat 3B, alongside the woman in 3A who held an open book on her lap. While looping the seatbelt around his waist, he turned toward the window. Their eyes met momentarily. Hers were shimmering discs of burnt umber amid crisp white and were unlike any he had …