A New Kind of Literary Pulse

There were two kinds of creatures. Those of darkness, and those of light.
They lived in their separate worlds––those of darkness stepping from shadow to shadow, and those of light from sunbeam ... [+]

In early October, in the forests of West Virginia, where the light of dusk fall is suffused with the red and green landscape of evergreen and oak, he carved a path along the mountain side too narrow ... [+]

He sat behind the desk in his office with his eyes closed, leaning slightly back into the chair. He held something in his left hand, resting it lightly against his temple. With his right hand he ... [+]

“We are all just walking each other home.” - Ram Dass
“In all that I am, I am art first.” This was my opening line as I shamelessly flirted with you over drinks that night. You had ... [+]

I never saw the star my great-aunt gave me, but I could feel it. It was like a warm heartbeat pulsing between my hands. It didn’t burn me— “Stars don’t burn,” Aunt Naomi said, “they just ... [+]

He just wished it would all end. The unbearable pain. The countless sleepless nights. The tears. The heartache.
There seemed to be no light at the end of this tunnel. Elizabeth had meant the world ... [+]

“Go kill somebody,” said one of the boys.
“Go kill yourself!” A burst of laughter.
“That’s stupid!” said Dimitur.
“Disappear then, ah!” another one said.
“We’re ... [+]

In the shade of a blooming magnolia tree, bows bowing under the weight of the fat pink blossoms, stood a pale god. He looked on as a woman with curly brown hair danced in the petals that fell with the ... [+]

Have you ever been in a confined space with three to five small children? I have. I spend three hours each summer morning teaching kids how to sail. It’s fun, and I love it. But it’s also a ... [+]

The exam coming up was very important. Monica sat at her desk, surrounded by open books, colored highlighters and pens, numerous empty cans of seltzer water and a mug with the dried remnants of he ... [+]

Sent: May 13th
Lovely Kokóly,
It’s hard to imagine that I just saw you ten days ago; it already feels like it’s been a month to me. Not much has happened since I saw you last. Gomena is in ... [+]

Jannya remembers before the Growing.
Of course she does. It was only a year ago, and she’s been traveling ever since. She remembers traveling before, too, but always staying in Chicago, traveling ... [+]

I don’t like to think of myself as a bad person; just someone who has made awful decisions. Someone who has had rotten luck for a long time. For years, I’ve been confined in a room with no people ... [+]

Here you are again. You sent Death a text three hours ago and he still hasn’t responded. This seems to be the norm with him lately, and honestly, it’s getting old. You need to send a clear message ... [+]

This is how the end begins:
Nearly twenty years and you can’t say you saw it coming. Browned hair and leathered shoes, he picked up his satchel of broken parts, long feet trudging down the side ... [+]

She woke with the birds and went where she pleased, when she pleased, and nobody gave a damn, and it was fantastic. No one gave her strange sideways glances. Nobody whispered when they saw her at the ... [+]

Alice had just arrived in front of Sara’s house, knocking at her front door, hearing her conscience complain about what she did to her best friend and tears came down her face, as she had no idea ... [+]

It's a weird thought, a strange feeling, cold and unsettling, like a dank wet basement illuminated by a single 40 watt light bulb swinging from an unknown force.
Your hands and palms sweat ... [+]