Flash Frog
Small. Brightly colored. Deadly to the touch.
Category: Uncategorized
Witnesses by Jan Stinchcomb
By the time Mom has disappeared under the sheets, surrendering to an eighties’ playlist heavy on Depeche Mode and Talking Heads, it is too late to reel her back. She has seen everything, all the tragic secrets of time and microbiology. As she rolls… Continue Reading “Witnesses by Jan Stinchcomb”
Komodo Island, Now Serving Lemon Cake by Lindy Biller
It started with a school project: Tell the class about your favorite animal. For most of the kids in Zoom kindergarten, this meant explaining what they liked about pandas or badgers or giraffes. Then my kid told them about Komodo dragons. Cannibalism, venom glands,… Continue Reading “Komodo Island, Now Serving Lemon Cake by Lindy Biller”
Happy Now by Claire Taylor
He says it meant nothing, but the image won’t disappear. His face pressed to the wet between her legs. How was it? Don’t tell me. Yes, tell me. No, don’t. Maybe the three of them—bad idea. But maybe? She would have preferred something cliche.… Continue Reading “Happy Now by Claire Taylor”
Kaysera Stops Pretty Places by Jamy Bond
We do not see her at Crow Fair when officers beat her younger brother and she films it to bear witness; when she vanishes two days later and they call her a runaway, a drunk, an addict, a slut; when her picture goes missing… Continue Reading “Kaysera Stops Pretty Places by Jamy Bond”
Dragon’s Teeth by Elizabeth Caswell
A man named Phil showed up at our house one day with clipboard and binder in hand, an army of pens in his pocket. I was twelve and therefore unseen as he shook my father’s hand, told my father that as he’d explained on… Continue Reading “Dragon’s Teeth by Elizabeth Caswell”
Room No. 5, Albergo Dolce Vita, Florence, Italy by Cheryl Pappas
The flowers by the window have faded to dusty brown, your letter sits on my desk, read a thousand times . . . The roses lasted the longest. The sun in the afternoon hits the wall next to the bed so the whole room… Continue Reading “Room No. 5, Albergo Dolce Vita, Florence, Italy by Cheryl Pappas”
What We Know About Broken Things by Kristin Kozlowski
Dad cooks Thanksgiving dinner and Mom handles cleanup. She cries while loading the dishwasher, but nobody says anything, not even Dad. This is when I learn about broken things — people, marriages. Grandma is psychic. She works in a tent by the DuPage River… Continue Reading “What We Know About Broken Things by Kristin Kozlowski”
The Nicest of the Popular Girls by L Mari Harris
The popular girls will see the star quarterback talking to one of the nobody girls, his foot hiked up against the locker door, shoulder pads slung over one shoulder, and their bodies will tense, ears cocked in their direction, shushing each other with a… Continue Reading “The Nicest of the Popular Girls by L Mari Harris”
And This is How You Fade Away by Tyrel Kessinger
Every day Mary comes in to work we see her less and less. We’ve decided she’s about 60% gone now. See-through enough to almost read the signs on the break room wall behind her but still solid enough to perform her favorite party trick… Continue Reading “And This is How You Fade Away by Tyrel Kessinger”
All the Ways We Tried to Kill My Father by Shannon Layne
We have been trying to kill my father for a long time. The first attempts, admittedly, were clumsy. My sister and I pushed him off the edge of Longdrop Gorge, which was his first request. It was a long fall. When we reached him… Continue Reading “All the Ways We Tried to Kill My Father by Shannon Layne”