Not many people crossed under the Gowanus Expressway by foot, especially after dark. Even the police stayed away. Abigail pulled the hood of her raincoat forward and tightened the strings as she walked down the center of the empty sidewalk. Her heels clicked against the cement, echoing like a beacon to all the creatures hidden inside the abandoned warehouses.

Diane knew her family was waiting for her when she opened the passenger door of the old Datsun station wagon. Shelly kept the engine idling while she tapped the steering wheel, leaning her head forward to watch her daughter get into the car.

Diane flopped down and slammed the door. Diane’s grandmother sat in the back seat,next to her brother Max, who occupied himself with a purple plastic pony. His feet dangled just over the edge of the ...

Julie, or @Jimsissy as my Twitter friends know her, has decided to throw a Holiday Bash for the Twitterific writing community.  I am only happy to share with all of you in this very interesting variation on Secret Santa.  Here goes:

So. The Holidays are here again. I wanted to have a huge bash and fly all of you publishing-types into town for a party. Unfortunately,the lotto people didn't cooperate so I've teamed up with a ...

Maria whisked the egg mixture inside of an old cheap bowl. She had to light the stove twice before it caught, but once it did, the flame held steady and the frying pan kicked off some heat.

The eggs sizzled as they hit the pan, sending a welcome aroma wafting through the one bedroom apartment— it was just the kind of smell she wanted her new lover to wake up to.

She sprinkled a handful of cheddar cheese into the egg. “That’s all of it,” she said to the cat that sat on the floor by her feet. “Fe-Fe, after this omelet, we are officially out of food until pay day.”

Diane stood on the corner of Ocean Avenue waiting for the bus in the pouring rain. A blanket of storm clouds turned the sky a greenish-black and the deluge of water left a slick shimmer over the city streets.

Diane leaned over the edge of the sidewalk, in-between the parked cars, and scanned the oncoming traffic for any sign of a bus. The glowing stream of low-riding headlights held no promises. The Avenue L bus station did not have a shelter, only a tall street post with a sign. 

Diane refused to eat. She looked at the plate of macaroni and butter and pushed out her bottom lip in an exaggerated frown. 

“Just take one bite,” Shelly said.

“No. I don’t want it!” 

Shelly stood next to the stove holding a fork in one hand and a potholder in the other. She watched the breaded eggplant sizzle inside the cast iron pot.

The little girl jumped down from the chair and headed for the back door. Shelly pointed the fork at her.

“Don’t you dare open that door!”

Diane froze.

“Get your butt back in that seat or else.”<< MORE >>

I found myself at a club in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.  Danielle and I flashed the bouncer our fake IDs.  He stamped our hands, and waved us
through. 

Hundreds of skinheads, punks— all of New York’s strange and romantically tough gathered to see the killer lineup of << MORE >>

Tommy scanned the car as we stepped into the train.  A girl with gold hoop earrings and a down jacket fussed over a stroller opposite us.  He sat next to the door and closed his eyes. I sat across from him listening to the faint trail of King Diamond leaking through his headphones.