James Pyles's Blog, page 163
March 8, 2018
Estrangement
A warm summer breeze blew from one end of the passageway to the other. Raisa Hewitt could feel it gently caress her face and flow like fingers through her long, dark hair. She could hear the friendly chattering of birds from outside the arch ahead of her, the rustle of leaves in tree branches, she […]
The Switchman’s Lantern
Josiah Bell was a switchman like his Pappy before him. He had a gimpy leg from an accident he had when he was six so he walked the tracks carrying his lantern in one hand and a long pole in the other. On top of the pole, he hung a red kerchief on a nail […]
March 7, 2018
Waiting in 1979
One of the perks of being “unstuck” in time and space was being able to re-experience things long gone such as a “lead burger” at that greasy spoon just north of U.C. Berkeley. Jonathan grasped the massive bun and bit down, mustard oozing over his fingers. It was a warm July evening in the East […]
Our Honored Dead
“You consider this site to be a war memorial, Jonathan?” “It’s foolish to see it otherwise, Raven. In fourteen years, an American President will give Iran nearly two billion dollars in cash ostensibly to inhibit their nuclear weapons development, but the hideous result was to fund a whole new era in world terrorism. How many […]
March 6, 2018
Tikkun Olam
This world wasn’t real but then nothing he dreamed was real. Unfortunately, he was dead and all he had left were his dreams. Jonathan Cypher stood on a salty white plain, the sky above a uniform gray mist. How had he gotten here? He woke up but the statement hardly did his situation justice. He […]
Starting Small
“Oh my god, look at those cuticles. Your nails need help, Larry.” “Hush, Violet. This isn’t about my nails. Worry about your own nails.” “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s with the tiny quill pen. Miniature calligraphy?” “My long suffering wife, you know my handwriting sucks.” “Then what’s up, dearest but daffy husband?” “Hand me the itsy-bitsy […]
March 5, 2018
Test Flight
Cory was conducting another sweep of the void in search of any contacts in the area of space where what Krista called “the indiscriminate drive” deposited the ship. “Nothing, Captain. No coalescent bodies of any kind. I’m only reading dust and hydrogen gas. Impossible to tell our location in relation to the Solar System without […]
March 4, 2018
A Case of Mistaken Identity
“We should call him Mr. Snowy McTinsel.” “Grandpa, that’s a silly name for a snowman.” “Okay, Daria. What would you name him?” “How about Frosty?” “That one’s been used.” “A name can be used for more than one snowman.” The six-year-old stomped her foot down in resignation. “If you say so, but we’d better get […]
March 3, 2018
Never Trust an Angel
“As far from the east from the west has He distanced your transgressions from you, she said. If your sins are frozen like the snows on Kilimanjaro, I will melt your heart like the wings of Icarus, she said. Ha! The best of times, the worst of times and brother, this is the worst of […]
The Last Ride
Lance and Karl Ellis and their girlfriends Brandi and Jennie had been disappointed after visiting Cross Castle near Clinton Road. No Satan worshipers, goat’s heads, or dead cats. Now they were racing north as the Jiles black pickup roared after them. Jennie screamed hearing another shotgun blast but Lance turned the curve just in time […]
