By Ron Rash
The new neighbors seemed strange from the beginning. Just why did ther cat wear glasses? And they would only get more difficult — until two boys took matters into their own hands. A sandbox, after all, needs to be defended.

By Carin Clevidence Later, Neil would have a hard time believing what he’d done.  He liked to think of himself as honest, not the sort of man who deceived his wife, or anybody else.  It was the pressure of the situation, he decided after it was over.  It made him both desperate and cunning. Neil [...]

By Amanda Stern
Tim wowed Deanna when they first met. He was so graceful on stage and he knew New York better than anyone she’d ever met. But who would have thought the trouble with this mime would start when he opened his mouth.

By Austin Bunn On their first morning in what was, no question, the most spectacular place she’d ever been — rampant sun, palms everywhere, bungalows on top of the water — Haley and Mac paddled (awkwardly, Mac doing most of it) one of the resort’s outriggers, a canoe with a training wheel, to the raft [...]

By Joanna Hershon
Alexander didn’t really want to travel to New Mexico for his father’s fifth wedding. But he certainly didn’t think he’d learn something about his own young marriage along the way.

By Brent Krammes Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view. —Obi-Wan Kenobi The box was narrow and long, and even though I knew it contained Trevor’s present, it reminded me of a coffin. But it was Christmas Eve, and I couldn’t let such a morbid image distract [...]

By Sonya Chung Possibly out of deference to their age, Reesi and the rest of the group look to Hank and Mary to start them off.  Hank is 74, which they know now because it’s the first thing he tells them.  “Well, I’m seventy-four years old, and here I am with you young folk, like [...]

By Brian DeLeeuw First the sky above her, a sudden wash of light.  She takes a breath and salt-water rushes into her mouth.  She chokes and coughs, tries again.  She does better this time.  The water is below her, all around her, until she is lifted into the air by her ankles and armpits and [...]

By Arthur Phillips
A young man haunted by the death of his wife spies an attractive window-dresser one day while eating lunch, and it sparks vivid and painful recollections of his marriage and other past loves.

By Simon Rich
The fairy tale turned out pretty well for Snow White and the prince. But what about the dwarfs who loved her — and didn’t have the foresight to plant that kiss?