Kelly spotted Rose sitting alone, half-hidden by ghostly shadows. The elderly woman’s thin legs crossed, one foot tapping in rhythm with the beat of the pop song the kids were singing. This was the first block party Rose had attended since Patrick’s death, and Kelly suspected it was difficult for her. Whispering something to her husband, John, she grabbed a bottle of water and hurried towards her neighbor. Her smile looked forced as Rose accepted the drink, blotting its exterior…
It was only a loose thread, but when Jenny pulled on it, she got more than she expected. She was fed up with the chaos and demands, the lack of gratitude from people when she’d gone out of her way to deal with mundane tasks. Sure, it only took a minute or two of her time, but stacked upon each other day after day, they turned into hours that robbed her from taking care of herself. From breathing. Her own…
When John started hiding his current location beneath the stamps, Mary thought it was a lark. A bit of fun that slipped right under the government’s noses. What harm could it cause? That was before Mrs. Collier discovered her German boarder, Albert, was a spy. He often sat alone in the parlor, nursing a broken ankle, while Mary dashed from one chore to the next. In her ease with him, she’d become careless, leaving the letters strewn about. Even carrying…
Every time Marv checks his reflection in the mirror, it terrifies him. Instead of neatly combed hair and a clean-shaven face, a distorted version of himself peers back. A reflection of his darkest self. Mouth carved into a scowl, jaw hard. Eyes filled with fury. Hair wild, fists clenched at his side. The image wavers as if the room is titling. He blinks. The placid man he believes himself to be returns: smile in place, hands loose. Calm. This is…