THE CLIMB: A TRUE STORY
“I could have said no, of course. I wasn’t required to put my life at risk. And make no mistake, climbing this ungodly thing was doing just that.”
HERE’S TO TOMORROW
“As the light pulled me from my sleep, I could feel her nestled in the nape of my neck. As usual, she’d stolen all the sheets in the night and left me bare as a newborn, save for the parts of me wrapped in her.”
Dave the Porn Star
Well, they weren’t always hilarious. Some were just perverts or criminals. And maybe “brilliant” is a strong word for some of them. They were utterly inappropriate to be around a 15 year old boy. But nevertheless, they were a fun crew.
THE GIRL IN THE POSTER
“I was so uncomfortable. Here I was with a hot girl in my bed and all she could think was how I was a huge, weird nerd. Which unfortunately wasn’t an unfair assessment.”
I Hate Rom Coms
“Oh, there she is! On the one hand, I’m relieved that she didn’t stand me up. On the other hand, I’m nervous as hell, because now I have to remember how to act like a human.”
The Little Things
He was so wrapped up in his self-loathing that he didn’t notice the little footsteps coming down the stairs and behind him. A tiny, raven-haired girl was staring him down.
“What are you doing?”
Do Gods Bleed?
“Each one, they say, could level mountains with their bare hands. Of course some said that was a myth, but when they emerged through the portal on that day, each of us down to the most unapologetic atheist prayed that the stories were true.”
I’ll See You Again
Heartburn was just starting to set in when I saw her standing there. It made me wonder if it was the fast food breakfast I’d just wolfed down or a sign from God that he was about to play dice with my universe once again.
The Apple Falls
“The ride was quiet and it only made Michael that much more nervous. He wanted to ask his Dad what they were doing, but he was scared. His Dad had always been quiet, but this different.”
Richard and Ophelia go to Vegas
“He was immediately aware that it was not Hayley he was pressed up against. They were lying on the floor of a Las Vegas Penthouse suite and the events that led to here were a blur. Oh, and he had on his wedding ring. He removed his hand from her boob.”
Sunday Mornings
“Mondays mean there's a whole new week to start fresh and make the most of it. But there is nothing I love more than Sundays. Sundays are morning sex and family barbecues and dinner with friends. “
Kissing Frogs
“She heard a loud crack as Tim fell backwards into her arms. She tried to hold his weak frame upright and immediately realized it was a mistake as Jason came in for another blow. That last shot sent a smattering of blood from his forehead onto the dress she had just bought for the prom. Gina was having a bad night, and she knew it wasn’t over yet.”
The Ballad of Sam and Waylon
“She was BB King, art museums and long kisses on a ferris wheel. I was George Strait, motorcycles and Schwarzenegger movies. And yet somewhere better between Die Hard and Dahli, we fell in love.”
Ghosts of chattanooga
“My heart wasn’t in any of it. As I opened my room door and turned on the TV, I wondered why I had even made the trip. My mind was on her from the second I got there. As if her scent marked the city. By now it had been a year and change and I had grown so very tired of her chains still binding me.”
Objects in motion
“As the months passed, he had come to an understanding. This is life... love, loss and transition. They weren't gone forever, obviously. There would be opportunities to see each other. But selfishly he realized that this was another moment of transition for him. It wasn't just their moving. Other things were changing in his life. For the first time in years, he felt unmoored from the world, unsure of his place in it.”
The hour of the wolf
“The moonlight shone through the cracks in the drapes, illuminating the parts of her not covered by bed sheets. Unlike his restless spirit, she was in a deep slumber for the last few hours. Sleep came almost as quickly as she had. It was the first time they'd made love that night, but one of a thousand times over the years.”