Revenge, Fear and Self-Preservation

Brian Smith, like most of the firemen at the department, feared Jaku. After swearing me to secrecy he told me that the firefighters laughed at Jaku’s stories to appease him, but they all knew better than to believe the outrageous sexually oriented lies he’d told about me. Brian said the guys knew Jaku lied whenever…

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Liar Liar: How a Sociopath Lies to Manipulate and Control

It happened in October of ’83, a few weeks after I transferred from the Army Fire Department into the alarm room on Whaler Air Force Base. I’d just finished my initial two weeks of dispatching training on day shift, and was working the midnight shift solo. I’d turned the lights down low to keep an…

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A Glimmer of Hope in the Aftermath of Gun Violence #WATWB

Welcome to the 18th installment of the #WATWB (We are the World Blogfest.) We participants in the monthly posting (last Friday of the month) strive to link to an inspiring story that shows love, humanity, hope, and/or brotherhood. Our talented cohosts for this month are: Eric Lahti, Inderpreet Uppal, Shilpa Garg, Mary Giese and Roshan…

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Speak, Love, Last – A Non-Fiction Short Story – Part 7

Winter turned into spring and my feelings for Vic blossomed like summer roses. I tried to keep them hidden but I couldn’t conceal what was happening inside of me. Something was thawing. The ice floes protecting my heart were melting in the sunlight of my desire. Anxiety picked at me. Maybe I wasn’t Vic’s type.…

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Speak, Love, Last – A Non-Fiction Short Story – Part 6

The pain of Vic blaming me for something I didn’t do hit me hard. I barely made it to the bathroom before my tears fell. After collecting myself, I hurried back to the alarm room. The relief fireman, my pal Danny, asked, “How come your eyes all bloodshot?” “I thought Vic…Vic was my friend,” I…

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