October Blues

The stickiness of the summer air had finally disappeared, leaving behind a brisk chill in its wake. Bronze leaves danced in the wind after departing from their trees, reviving nostalgia that remained hidden deep within your bones. The same way you felt it deep inside your bones when he kissed you that Fall years agoーcupping your face with his warm hands while leaving the sweet taste of honey and cinnamon behind. Shuddering, whether from the bitter wind or suppressed memories of times that no longer existed, you crunch the leaves beneath your heavy boots harderーand you keep on walking.

From Guest Contributor Kelsey Swancott

Kelsey is a graduate of St. John Fisher College, majoring in English, with a concentration in writing while also being an editor in the campus literary magazine Angles.She is furthering her education by attending SUNY Brockport for her master’s in English, specializing in creative writing. Following graduation, she is interested in working in the editing and publishing field.

See You Soons

Autumn was the only time we could be together, but that doesn’t mean it was the only time we were together. Catching quick glimpses, stealing kisses behind closed doors and see you soons were all we knew. But I was okay with that, because it was all I knew. All I knew were rainy October days, curled up for a few hours in his arms. He whispered half promises of forever onto my forehead, but we knew that it wasn’t the truth. It was just a better version of our reality; the one where see you soons never became goodbyes.

From Guest Contributor Kelsey Swancott

Kelsey is a senior majoring in English with a minor in Visual Arts and Spanish while also being involved in the campus literary magazine Angles. She plans on furthering her education by getting her masters degree in English as well. Her work has been published in Entropy Squared, The Dribble Drabble Review’s Spring 2021 issue and Otoliths in February 2021.

The Receipt

Monday was always wash day in Marla’s house. She sorted through the load of “darks,” mostly jeans and towels. While checking the pockets, she thought she felt a piece of paper in her husband’s jeans.

Marla found a receipt made out to her husband. It read: “Rent for the month of October 2020, paid.”

“What rent?” she thought to herself. Marla didn’t recognize the address. She began to consider the possible explanations. Was it a pied-a-terre? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. What had the bastard done now?

Just then, her husband walked in the door.

From Guest Contributor Janice Siderius

The Hunchback

It was a game. Sean and Phil followed the hunchback along the Northland Road on a gloomy October evening. It was something to occupy them. They were slight ten-year-olds, so although the eight-foot wall to their left hampered their manoeuvring, they were able to find cover behind the electric junction boxes, bus tops, and lampposts each time the figure in the long coat and brimmed hat made to turn.

Flushed with excitement at their successful shadowing, the hearts of the play-spies stopped when he tipped his Fedora, and skipped over the wall into the asylum; clipping stone with his hooves.

From Guest Contributor Perry McDaid