Publishing the most Innovative Short Stories, Prose, and Flash Fiction
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Wind on The Verandah by Michael Giardina - Page 2
The man shifted his weight uncomfortably. The woman stood from her chair and walked to the banister of the verandah. She looked down, wondering if she could see her reflection in the water of the stream below. "You haven't tried your drink," the man said. "I didn't order one." "He was just a child. He didn't understand what he was doing." "He wasn't a child. He was in college. He wanted to become a writer." "What did he write about?" "Have you ever looked out this way? It's almost as if the building is leaning over the cliff. It's almost like the building is going to jump." "Of course I've looked out that way. I mean I used to - " "You used to what," the woman said, turning around sharply. "It's not important," the man said, realizing he'd been caught dreaming. "You were going to say you used to hold me out here and kiss me on the verandah, hoping to plunge into the water." "I didn't say that," the man said while taking another large drink, "I asked what he used to write. Have you read his things?" "No. He wrote a book." "Any good?" "I don't know. His letter mentioned it. He said Anne would know where it was and that we could ask her if it suited us." "Anne," said the man, "his grandmother?" "His aunt," said the woman. "Did you ask her?" "What do you think? Of course we asked her. She says she doesn't know anything about a book." "You think she's hiding it?" "They searched through his room and found a diary. It didn't help us understand. They found other things that I just can't explain." "Like what?" "It doesn't matter. I just want to talk to him." "What was it? There had to be something to explain what was going on all this time." "You really want to know? They found underwear - " "His? What?" "If you would even let me finish," the woman said, "they found underwear: pink, silk underwear, skimpy black numbers, and videotapes. Everything was locked up in safes. He just had tapes of everything. He recorded other people's lives." "That doesn't tell you anything." ...continued on Page 3 |
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