Cigarettes and Cookies
Cigarettes and Cookies Liz December 15, 2025 Vignette Vignette The road stretches out before us, our legs carrying us away — not toward. Warm summer morning light guides us forward. Our shadows trail behind, scrambling to keep pace as we hurry. Dust kicks up under bare feet — rock, grit, heat. We walk faster the […]
The Ritual of Ash and Ember
The Ritual of Ash and Ember Liz December 1, 2025 Observation Vignette The faint crackle of the cigarette ember burns bright in the center of a smoky haze. Her sallow face and bony fingers are illuminated by the glow. A long deep drag heats her airway as smoke swirls around her head. The smoke is […]
Temporary Refuge
I jump past him and his weapon as I run for cover, crouching under the table for a brief escape. His cursing and shouting follow as Mahoney chairs crash into each other, the crack of the belt against furniture as it scores several misses.
The Moment We Became Us
I see her walking toward me, back-lit—her image broken by the hand-bar that intersects the middle of the glass door. When our eyes lock, her face smiles tenderly and she is drawn to my side; first touching my yellow bow, and then stroking my arm.