lzshortstories

For the Life of a Parakeet

“But I passed all of my classes.” Sherry, who was in sixth grade, couldn’t understand why her father was so angry. “C’s are not acceptable. You’re very bright. You should be getting A’s. From now on you are to come straight home after school and do your homework and study. I will oversee your work.”Continue reading “For the Life of a Parakeet”

Procrastination

“But Mom, the week before Christmas is the beginning of my winter break. I thought we were going to do something, like take a trip together. We even talked about going to Florida.” “Well, you wouldn’t want to be seen with your mother, would you? Oh, it’s spring break when college students party in Florida.”Continue reading “Procrastination”

Cat Life

If someone had told Tabitha how much she would identify with a cat she had taken in, she wouldn’t have believed it. Nobody would believe it. She and her husband share the secret. Tabitha had been living alone for a couple of months when a cat started coming around that liked to be pet. ItContinue reading “Cat Life”

The Astral Plane

In many ways it was the end of a day like any other day of work in an office of a cosmetics firm where Amber was a long term temp. What nobody else realized about that January day was that it was the eighth anniversary of her grandfather’s death, a day of sorrow for Amber.Continue reading “The Astral Plane”

Dahlia Makes a Stand

A few nights before the shooting, Dahlia and Steve shared a joint, drank beer, and laughed hard over a Steve Martin skit on Saturday Night Live. The kids, an eight year old son named Jonathan, and a six year old daughter named Emily, had gone to bed hours before. This was Dahlia’s and Steve’s timeContinue reading “Dahlia Makes a Stand”

Rarefaction

The small country was overcrowded and had long, hard winters. It was a powerful country, with many uninhabited islands. It started a “rarefaction” movement, encouraging citizens to move to the uninhabited islands near the equator. The country would give the citizens land and grants to build homes and businesses. The government promised a Garden ofContinue reading “Rarefaction”

The Hacked Tattoo

“Does this tattoo parlor give the new high-tech tattoos?” “Sure. We give several kinds. What did you have in mind?” “I heard there was a type of tattoo which could transport me to a vacation spot, like a Bermuda.” “We have a few for vacation spots. The one for a Bermuda beach is the bestContinue reading “The Hacked Tattoo”