New year's Stories

At first I barely felt the bullet pierce the low-slung cocktail dress and enter my heart. It seemed impossible to consider death real, despite the warning minutes earlier from the mysterious lady with the black eye shadow alongside me. I always thought I'd have more time. Guess everyone does. My demise only registered when I caught sight of the spatter of red – my red – peppering his shirt as he tucked the gun away, butto...

“Halt! Who goes?” “Relax, private. It’s Major Jessop.” “Password – Sir!” “Seriously? You know I’m your CO, right, Private Tyson?” “Yessir, I know – but I still need the password. Sir!” I smiled, “’In England's green and pleasant land,’” I quoted, “And well done, Tyson. I would have skinned you alive if you hadn’t insisted. No one gets past you without the password. Not even General Byng.” I nodded as I walked past, then t...

Ralph never knew quite why he went into the Plaza hotel on that bright summer afternoon. He had passed by the place so many times without ever going inside and each time he did pass, his intrigue grew. The building almost seemed to call out to him. It was as if he was meant to go there and become a part of something, something big, bigger than him, bigger than his pet rabbit, bigger than his Ford Focus, and perhaps bigger...