Short Story

‘Saturday the 27th of August’ was the day Tom Brennan’s life changed forever. The Story of Tom Brennan is written by J.C. Burke with the story centred on teenager Tom Brennan and how his brother, Daniel, made the Brennan family the most hated people in Mumbilli. The Brennan’s were then forced to move to a new town, Coghill, where they knew no one but Gran, Tom’s grandmother. Daniel had been a heavy drinker and one night he had way too many but yet still decided to get into his car, leading to an accident and therefore the death of two mates and leaving another a quadriplegic. The themes of growing

“Not bad,” replied Gabby, who had thrown her bag up on the counter and was trying to fish out a lighter, “just got off!” Both of her stockings had a run in them and flicks of discarded food stuck to the sides of her tennis shoes. Her dress was black and sparkling. Vernon could tell she worked at another diner the moment she got out of the cab. The waitress flipped over an empty cup and poured out what was leftover of the coffee. Gabby had lite her cigarette, inhaled a drag, took a sip, and exhaled out a thick cloud of smoke in one single breath. “Ended up pulling a double?” The swirls in the smoke seemed to actuate Gaby's words. “Don’t remind me!” replied the waitress, who had removed one of her flats and was rubbing her heel, “I’ve been on and off my feet since 9:30 this morning.” Gabby looked towards the front of the diner at the back of Vernon’s head and then back at the waitress. “Rough night?” “Nope,” replied the waitress, “he’s been coming in here late for the last month or so, keeps to himself.” They both could see that Vernon was moving his hands while he was talking to himself. “We still on for tonight,” asked Gabby. “Maybe,” said the waitress, “as long we can get a table.” The band aids on the back of her heels needed to be replaced with new ones. Gabby

“I saw them in Santa Barbara when they came back, and I thought I’d never seen a girl so mad about her husband. If he left the room for a minute she’d look around uneasily, and say: “Where’s Tom gone?” and wear the most abstracted expression until she saw him coming in the door. She used to sit on the sand with his head in her lap by the hour, rubbing her fingers over his eyes and looking at him with unfathomable delight. It was touching to see them together — it made you laugh in a hushed, fascinated way. That was in August. A week after I left Santa Barbara Tom ran into a wagon on the Ventura road one night, and ripped a front wheel off his car. The girl who was with him got into the papers, too, because her arm was broken

With a weary grunt, Booker shifted the bag of groceries in his arms and kicked his apartment door closed with his foot. He had planned to be home early so he take Tom out to dinner as a birthday surprise, but as usual, work had ruined his plans. When he had rung Tom and explained that he would be home late, he had expected him to react moodily, but instead, he had received a sympathetic response. It was a sign that their relationship was now on stable footing. Tom was more open about his feelings, and they argued less about the trivialities of everyday life; they were moving forward.

Tom’s expression became pensive before his lower lip pushed into a soft, enticing pout and lifting his gaze slightly, he peered solemnly up at Booker through his long, thick lashes. “I have trouble trusting people,” he confessed softly, his dark eyes shimmering with emotion. “But I do trust you. I’m lonely, Dennis. I had no real human contact for six months and then you showed up. It was terrifying, but suddenly, there was someone who had belief in me and didn’t just see a disabled ex-con. You made me want to be Tom Hanson again and that’s why I stopped taking my meds; I didn’t want to be that fucked up zombie anymore. But I crave more… I need more. There’s something between us and I can’t live here pretending there’s not. I know we can’t be intimate, but there’s nothing wrong with hugging and kissing, is there? I mean, we’re friends, right? We can do that as friends… can’t we?”

My heart wasn’t with him and it had been this way since the moment he brought me home to his apartment above the garage the day we were wed. I had at this point given up fighting to free myself and sunk deep into my thoughts. Upon remembering the day we met I could recall almost every detail about him; from the twinkle in his eyes to the gleam of his golden watch. There was a gleam of hope which I saw when I looked at him much unlike the strain and exhaustion I see as he lurks in the grey shadows of the garage. Though I detested this awful place, it was not New York I longed to adventure away from, it was him. Him and his oh-so ordinary ways. I wished to live a life of the extravagant and the bold, a life with Tom, a life that was not

After an excruciatingly uncomfortable cab ride back to his neighborhood, Tom paid the driver, and ignoring the curious stares from the many bystanders going about their Saturday morning business, he hurried into his apartment building. He felt vulnerable wandering around in public in his underwear, and he longed for the sanctuary of his home, free from the scrutiny of prying eyes. While he recognized he had acted irrationally, spurred into action by the ferocity of Booker’s kiss, it was the second time his lover had pounced on him and forcefully tried to demand what should only be given freely, and the uncharacteristic behavior unnerved him. Something wasn’t right, but as much as he loved the dark-haired officer, he was too afraid to hang around and find out exactly what was going on inside his head. He needed space, and although he didn't want to admit it, he also needed time to reevaluate their relationship. A ripple of uncertainty was slowly gaining momentum inside his mind, and he was no longer sure if committing to Booker so soon after his rape was the right thing to do.

“Of course they aren’t helping,” Adia groaned, slamming the door to Heron’s Hideaway shut. It was our last midnight patrol for the week of camp, and it was supposed to be easy. But how was cleaning an entire building with just the two of us easy?

Tom and his grandmother move Winesburg, Ohio because of a series of misfortune. First her son in law was killed and her daughter became an invalid and died also. Tom’s grandmother had to save money for two funerals. Tom was unable to provide for himself when his grandmother got ill was out of work, so he started stealing. But for a year Tom Foster lived in the backer’s stable and then lost

Johanson,” Deshawn blurts out before handing the gorgeous lady a tall brown envelope. The usual pearly white smile that deshawn received was replaced, instead, by a half hearted grin. The Johansons, in Deshawn’s eyes, was the perfect family. A small dog being chased by their hope filled son behind a nicely, posted, white picket fence. Little joey Johanson or “JJ” reminded everyone of the joy that comes with childhood. While showing off a bright smile, one that can only be rivaled by his mother’s, joey continues to chase the dog around the yard. Getting back into his delivery vehicle, Deshawn notices something out of the ordinary. He’s been delivering to this family for years, and not one time has he failed to see the head of the house’s vehicle missing from it’s usual spot. Tom Johanson and Deshawn both graduated from the same high school. Even though they never really spoke to one another, neither of two would deny being friends with the other. Tom met his gorgeous wife, Cynthia Log, one day after being late for his bus stop. This made Deshawn ponder : had he not traveled to school in one of the shorter buses, could he have possessed the same fate as Tom’s. He gave one more good look at paradise before heading home. Delivering to the Johanson’s is what reminds Deshawn, on a weekly basis, that life could me so much better. His deliveries to that whole neighborhood is a painful reminder of his failures and pointless efforts. What could be worst than being subjected out of paradise, then being forced to service those who weren’t? As he closed his eyes, for bed, Deshawn came to the conclusion that maybe the only thing worst than being below paradise is falling from it.

He struggled to keep up with traffic on his small bike, but eventually made it to the dry cleaner’s. Brett successfully completed all of his tasks and managed to get everything on his bike home safely, and just in time to get ready for his thrilling night. After the well-dressed man child was ready his mother picked him up in her car, so he wouldn’t ruin his suit. The real reason his mother didn’t want his riding his bike was because she didn’t want his looking like the loser he was in front of his new girlfriend. It was go time. Brett’s mother dropped him off at Denny’s where single’s night was taking place. In was time for the new debut of the new Brett, for no one had ever see him so dressed up for such an occasion. Brett reluctantly stepped out of the car, not wanting to get rejected for the billionth time. He mustered all of his courage and stepped into the dimly lit building. The small room was filled with all types of people and there were strobe lights along with loud music. The strobe lights distracted people from Brett’s awkward face. Perfect. There she was, the perfect

The tree-lined country road narrowed into a winding track, and decelerating slightly, Booker carefully navigated the bumpy dirt trail. Horshack’s directions were vague at best, hurriedly whispered down the phone in a panicked voice, and Booker could not help but wonder what horrors the young freshman had experienced at the hands of his elders to leave him so terrified. But now was not the time to reflect on the abhorrent behavior of parental bullying; his focus was on Tom and giving him the peace of mind he so desperately sought. If he could achieve that one goal, his mission would be classified a success, and then he could concentrate on building a friendship with the man he adored.

Clare's parents put their bags into the trunk of their rusty car, ready to travel. They were headed seventy miles out, to visit the cemetery, There rest all her family who has ever passed away, including her brother Alex. Alex was only twelve years old when he died of an unknown

I press my face against the icy cold window. I watch one by one the snowflakes fall in the moonlight. I can tell it’s Christmas time even though nobody here says anything about it. It’s as if the ward tries to drag us away from any traditions a normal person would do. I think about the Christmases I spent with my kids.

Jack Smith a 17 years old teen from (Ontario, Canada) is invited to stay with his cousin Mary Loose-Doe from (Water city, N.Y). Accompanying him in his trip is his other cousin 21 year old Bill Jones, both boys are foreign to the United States and the city life as they derive from a small settlement. Mary shows the boys a good time, taking them out to party’s offering them marijuana and alcohol. The boys are later introduced to Mary’s boyfriend 21 year old Pete Poorchoice. Pete is a High school droop out and veteran of two reformatories.