Stories and Paintings
Shane “Slingshot” Adams sat on a milk crate outside a kebab shop and stared at the raindrops darting down into the street. Tiny flashes of white and blue and red, reflecting the lights of the cars and the shops. The rain trickled down the back of his neck, soaking the bright yellow collar of his... Continue Reading →
Ilya Yevgeni Semyonov interviewed for a full-time position in a duty-free shop at Pulkovo Airport. He did not interview well. Appearance-wise, his clothing was too big for his body and his glasses were too small for his face. Unsure whether potential employers would prefer the distinguished, experienced look of facial hair, or the youthful energy... Continue Reading →
You can’t judge a boat by how she handles calm waters. Let her weather a storm or two and then see if she is worth shackling yourself to a debt you have no hope of ever repaying. No matter how splendid a boat looks, no matter how many women you believe it will entice to... Continue Reading →
Elliott Pinchman was used to naysayers. Having family members, friends, legal experts, clergy and even strangers tell you that you are headed for failure seems to be a rite of passage for any self-taught taxidermist. “Oh Elliott, it’s such a gruesome profession.” “Elliott, find a new hobby. Why don’t you take up roller skating or... Continue Reading →
Ever since he was a young boy, Ernie Stamp dreamed of being a welder. To him, they were mysterious, intimidating, both medieval and futuristic. Faceless men who wielded flame and commanded steel. Welders were the ultimate union of skilful precision and brute power. A man could always hold his head high who could weld. So... Continue Reading →
“I like bread. I’m not apologising for that. And I’m not going to miss out on what makes me happy anymore just to please you.” “Why do you have to blow everything out of proportion? I never said—” “I know what you said, and I know what you meant.” It wasn’t the kind of... Continue Reading →
For the next minute, Paulo sat on a stool while Colin screamed at him to start throwing punches. Paulo’s head ached, but his focus cleared up by time the bell rang to start the second round. He tried his grappling technique again, but this time his tattooed opponent kept him at bay, snapping his... Continue Reading →
A tightly packed crowd filled the warehouse, which now stank of sweat and alcohol. Paulo felt Colin’s hand in between his shoulder blades, thrusting him toward the platform in the centre of the giant room. Stumbling through the crowd, voices filled his ears with words he could not discern, and hundreds of unfriendly stares... Continue Reading →
Finally, the van stopped. The two young men got out carrying the gym bag and the toolbox, and Paulo followed. He found himself in a carpark behind a warehouse. Colin got out of the van with a revolver in his hand. He checked the weapon then slipped it into his jacket pocket. When he... Continue Reading →
The year was nineteen eighty-three. Seventeen-year-old Paulo Del Santo said goodbye to his parents and the tiny Italian village he had known his whole life and boarded a plane for New York City. Within two days of arriving, Paulo spent all the money it had taken him his entire life to save. Broke,... Continue Reading →
In Search of Lost Marbles 