A VISIT TO A MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Out of the two people involved in the relationship, the coffee table suffered the most. The long scratch across the stained mahogany surface might have resulted from one of two events: there was the time when they christened the table like a nuclear submarine, clean detonations in [...]

A BRIEF MOMENT OF PANIC, AND THEN Driving home from work I saw a white-and-brown form on the side of the road, in the gutter, below the sidewalk. It was not moving. There were shapes attached to it: ears, and legs; a tail. I pulled my car over to the side of the road and [...]

KNOWING, PARAMETERS If my jawline were a knife her neck would be the cutting board. They fit together so well, and steel was never so chilled as this and without steam. Hands and hands sous-vide, sous-vide. Do not cover it up. Preparation is the matter. Center, brace, and cleave with fingers flexed. The technique: suffers; [...]

THINGS I DID NOT LEARN FROM HEMINGWAY I pressed my hands against the cold metal. I wrapped my fingers around each bar. It was October and so the autumn wind beat at my neck and ears. I could not tell which held the greater chill. It was not long after two o’clock in the early [...]

ON THE WAY TO AN EXECUTION I sat up straight in bed and stared at the wall. It was either a shade of blue or gray. I blinked twice then swung my legs out of bed, disregarding the disarray of the sheets and blanket. Naked I padded into the bathroom and turned the water on, [...]

STORY CAST FROM BLOOD The man looked in the mirror and said, “Here is a story cast from our blood,” then seated himself at a wooden chair next to his son’s bed. He lifted a heavy book from the nightstand. The cover was carved from leather but had no lettering. He opened the book and [...]