Rumble & Woodsmoke -- Stories

Here

Plastic Jesus by Jody Schiesser

Ben knelt by a line of fireworks tubes, lighting fuses.

Love & Possible Worlds by Amba

I watch her, wanting to kiss her but loading the rifle. She just looks at me and smiles.

The Terrible Secret by Thomas Wiloch

It began when a man carved a cross in his head...

Jesus & Me by Tony Roberts

See there's Jesus, surrounded by all these hot babes dancing to the Stones....

"Texas Decadence" by Jody Schiesser

Six days of weird in the land of Shiner Bock.

"Letters from P.J." by Mark Newlon

Appropriated from the journal of John Flaherty and the letters of his secret admirer.

There

Silver Girl by Angie Chau (from Greenbelt Review)

My best friend looks like those princesses they draw in children’s fairy
tales. She has sweet clear eyes and Botticelli lips and a blaze of auburn
hair always in perfect disarray from riding in her dad’s convertible.

untitled by David Kennerly (from McSweeney's)

He had always tried to be a gentleman, courteous, respectful in the
most thorough way, and believed he was doing his utmost to continue
this philosophy when he realized he was having a heart attack...
Winner of McSweeney's Twenty-Minute Stories contest.

The Mighty Up by Maggie Dubris (from Big Bridge)

My jeans were covered with a tapestry of frogs. I tried to draw one
into my Spanish book, but every time I caught a focus the shape
changed slightly. I was sure I was seeing some kind of archetype.

Art is Gossip told by Toads by Zachary Jean Chartkoff (from deepsouth)

Margaret Atwood once asked a group of women at a university why
they felt threatened by men. The women said they were afraid of being
raped, beaten and killed. She then asked a group of men why they felt
threatened by women. The men answered they were afraid the women
would laugh at them.

The Surf Guru by Doug Dorst (from ZYZZYVA)

How does one kill fear, I wonder?

Red Spiral Notebook by Cintra Wilson (from Zoetrope All-Story)

I cry and laugh simultaneously like I've suddenly been let in on the whole

joke, like I've suddenly stuck my head through the ceiling-membrane of

of human drama and been allowed to see the whole world play at once

instead of just my maddening little role.

They Do Not Always Remember by William S. Burroughs

Tales from a Mexico cafe.

Party Under the Lilac by Joanna Rose (from ZYZZYVA)

The shine of moonlight between bodies.

Christine by Nina Newington (from Urban Desires)

The lizard tongue flicks at my ears and face.

We encourage submissions to Rumble & Woodsmoke; please contact us at rumble@lavondyss.com