James Pyles's Blog, page 202

The Solution

“This is a good place to camp, Dallas. Let’s stop here.” “We could keep hiking and find some place less rocky, Grant. We’ve got another good hour of daylight.” “Listen brother-in-law, I’m not as young as I used to be. Let’s rest here tonight.” Dallas laughed. “That’s ex-brother-in-law to you. Julie and I have been divorced […]

The Plants Have Taken Over

Hadn’t been to the cabin since I was a kid. After Grandpa died, I forgot all about it. He only stayed here during the winter. I sat in the chair next to his desk. The plants had taken over everything. Still, I can almost hear his voice. “I’m still here, boy.” “What? Grandpa?” I looked […]

A Time to Go Home

Colin wasn’t the only one to stop and admire Winchers Stance at Glasgow’s Buchanan Bus Station, but it had a meaning to him no one else would understand. He too was hoping for a tender reunion after being away from home so long. The late John Clinch had captured the young man’s emotions in this […]

For the Love of Marilag

He sat eating his Ang Chicken Inasal and sipping a Red Horse while watching “The Chosen Band’s” female lead singer. Benjie didn’t really care for their music, but Marilag was beautiful. He came every Tuesday night to see her while everyone else was listening to what they were playing. He knew when the band arrived, […]

Dearest Treasure

She could hear the crying of her two dear little ones. “Mommy. Fluffy Bear’s all burned up.” Fluffy Bear had been Emily’s favorite toy for all five years of her life. “Monkey. Dolly.” Gwennie was just shy of two years and sobbed, lamenting of her two best friends who she took to sleep with her […]

Threatening Violence

It had been a long time since Eddie played tourist, especially in San Francisco. He’d lived here a long time ago when you didn’t have to be a wealthy tech worker to afford a place in the City. Eddie got off the Number Four cable car at the Market-Powell turnaround intending to take BART back to […]

The Relic

“Wow. Where’d you get that?” Thirteen-year-old Jess had been a fan of the Predator movies ever since he watched the original when he was nine. “My uncle. He made it for a display at ComicCon to promote next year’s reboot.” Bobby was Jess’s best friend and they shared a special love for horror-based science fiction. […]

If I Had a Time Machine

I doubt that buying one comic book will change history all that much, except maybe that one kid who would have read it before won’t be able to now. “That’ll be 13 cents with tax.” I’d made sure all of the coins in my pocket were minted before 1965, so I casually reached in and pulled out […]

The Name on the Gravestone

“No one even knew his first name, just the initial A.” “It’s okay, Bubbe. It took a long time, but we finally found your Dad.” Esther Rosenberg Katz had been waiting for this day since she was old enough to understand her precious Abba was lost in the war. She grew up with her mother, […]

The Hunter Goes North

There’s not much in Portal, North Dakota. The population is a little over a hundred, but it’s one of three ports of entry from Canada. It’s also in the Bakken Oil Field region, which makes it expensive as hell to live here. Fortunately, I’m only visiting. I found his hiding place in an oversized load […]