Mary changed into her work uniform, walked to her workstation, and fastened the grounding bracelet around her left wrist. She picked up a pineapple, poured in the measure of TNT, put a drop of sealer on the fuze threads, then carefully screwed the filled body onto the fuze. Whispering a brief prayer, she slipped the finished piece into its cardboard tube, then put the tube into the crate....

Added 21 Feb 2020 | Category Micro Fiction | Votes 3 | Avg Score 5 | Views 72 | 2 Comments

For a second or two after waking, she was lulled by the atavistic relief that comes from surviving another night. Then Faith remembered what day it was, and reality shouldered aside her absurd peace of mind. Resigned to her destiny, she reluctantly abandoned the warm bed. Despite her disquiet she took special pains with her ablutions, carefully shaving her legs and underarms, even...

Added 18 Feb 2020 | Category General | Votes 2 | Avg Score 5 | Views 245 | 2 Comments

THE WINTER OF 1946-47 was long and cold in northern Montana. On Christmas Day my father pulled me on my brand-new sled to a neighbor's house, where we borrowed a load of firewood that we stacked on our back porch. I seem to remember that the thermometer read --55 that day, but childhood memories are notoriously suspect. Nonetheless, it was very cold. Flathead Lake froze so thick people...

Added 17 Feb 2020 | Category Musings | Votes 1 | Avg Score 5 | Views 73 | 1 Comment