“Just picture it,” his hands gesticulated wildly, “best resort on the whole freaking island! We’d be millionaires in no time!” Jonathan wasn’t surprised that Gary talked about sandy beaches, sunshine, and surfing. It was his longstanding passion. Living in Chicago wasn’t conducive to the tanning bed California look, nor his love for surf, beautiful women,…

Three Starbucks cups, two stained with her red lip stain. Two cheeseburger wrappers, one from In-and-Out and the other from Burger King, sat discarded on opposite sides of the desk. On the other hand, each file folder was stacked neatly per each client. Angela couldn’t stand chaos on her desk. Wrappers, crumbled-up notes, pens, and…

Nightmares come alive at midnight. In the blackness of night, hope dies. But this time? “You’re breaking up with me? At midnight? On New Year’s Eve?” “I figured a clean break, new start. All that jazz. Start off the new year right.” She hugged me, but it was reflexive, not reminiscent of our romance. “Besides…

The streets were the same. The roads were just as pockmarked and potholed as the days previous. But something caught my eye. In a split second, it grabbed my attention, changing my viewpoint forever. It was him. Standing there. Standing on your standard street corner. The same place. Same time. Each and every day. Had…

Standing up too fast, the girl reached for the wall, bracing herself. Stars filled her vision, but she didn’t pass out. Staring in front of her, she blinked a few times. Sweat quickly beaded across her forehead.                “Are you okay, sweetie,” an elderly lady asked, touching her right arm. Thick glasses dangled from the…

43. That’s the approximate number of muscles in our face. Using these 43 muscles can make a person’s day. Smile. Wait and see if the person you smile at doesn’t feel good, reciprocating with their own smile. It’s a simple gesture. Using these muscles indicates our happiness and contentment, helps us to appear more attractive,…

               Metal ripped to shreds. Glass shattering. Smells of hydraulic fluid and fuel. And heat, like from a fire. These are not the sounds and sensations you want to experience at the start of your day. I felt hot, like sunburned hot. I blinked a few times, unsure where I was or what happened. Someone,…

               “Doc! Wake up.” Blinking a few times, he tried to focus on his surroundings. Frequent travel meant hotel rooms, room service, and valets at your disposal. But when you’re at home? It’s not the same unless you have a spouse or significant other taking exemplary care of you. Terrence was getting used to the…

Hanging off his left shoulder, his backpack looked heavier than it should be. Most of his life was tucked into the various pockets, including a cell phone and three rechargeable batteries. He was not used to being around people, having lived in the shadows and hillsides of civilized society. Talking was brutal, especially after not…

Saying I was uncomfortable would be an understatement, especially with Jasmine and Adam keeping tabs on Amanda. Amanda and I were inseparable. She stuck by my side, making me feel like I had a girlfriend, even for one night. Jasmine wasn’t thrilled with keeping secrets from her best friend’s boyfriend, even less so because she…

“Relax, Nicholas. It’s not like I died or anything,” Red took a swig from the bottle wrapped up in a brown paper bag. The vodka went down warm, not that Red could taste it anymore. For him, it was like drinking water.                “But you could’ve died.” Nick knelt next to Red, an odd thing…

Looking through the plexiglass window to the man sitting on the passenger side of the back seat, I heard him ask me something. “Pardon me?” I asked. “What did you say?” My thoughts wandered for a second, driving through traffic on the 405 freeway.   “I said, ‘Do you enjoy driving through this traffic? It…