Monthly Archives: June 2022

Marylou and Mathius McCoy were still amazed by years of a steady stream of visitors to their cabin, literally at the end of the road in hill country. Sure the visitors bought plenty of moonshine and cornbread but they seemed … Continue reading →

Karaoke night was a favorite for Meg and her coworkers. Their watering hole of choice was a pizza pub near their office. Every Thursday night after work, they let their hair down and had a good time. Most of them … Continue reading →

Snuggled into a blanket and practicing endearing names like Baby and Precious, Ronnie and I were falling in love, under the boardwalk, down by the sea. Happy sounds, though, were disrupted by the shuffling of people walking above. Running, actually. … Continue reading →

Marvin stared for several seconds wondering how this was possible. How could an 80 ton piece of metal float along in the sky? It made no sense. He was glad he never dared to venture into the sky. Safety was … Continue reading →

This piece of fiction is inspired by When You Are Old, by W. B. Yeats—and is in memory of my mother, whose birthday this is, and who first introduced me to the poet’s work. The old man died sometime during … Continue reading →

The cabin in the woods was abandoned, but one night a candle burned in the window. That was the night Jack and Diane stayed there. For the last five years, Jack and Diane worked 24/7 to get their organic outdoor … Continue reading →

I meandered down the footpath’s excruciating climb Many time’s the cabin was dark covered with poison ivy vines Each traveled footstep was painful than sublime Without a course deviation or exit signs A youthful trek ending in the wooden door … Continue reading →

The Cabin in the Woods by Diane Hanley 6/22/22 Prompt:  “The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night a candle burned in the window.”  It was David, now an old man, who had unsteadily and … Continue reading →

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night a candle burned in the window. I paddled slowly as I approached. The canoe was virtually silent as it glided along. The oars delicately sliced through the … Continue reading →

(This is my submission to round 2, the Florida Weekly challenge. Couple on a boardwalk with a plane going overhead.) “Jen, will you look at that, a WWII vintage fighter plane.” “That’s nice, Jeff.” “Come on Jen, you haven’t looked … Continue reading →

On Earth 22 in another part of the multi-verse, the ministers on Xena’s world sent several teen agents, including her, to observe high school students on different Earths. Her one-week mission on E1 Earth was to try to find some … Continue reading →

“The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window.” I was talking in a mysterious, husky whisper, barely audible over the crackling of the campfire.  The two girls were leaning … Continue reading →

(This story is for a Vocal competition. Write a scary story to be told around the campfire. Everyone’s story starts with the first sentence. Looking forward to some feedback.) The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but … Continue reading →

Maybe it’s just a sex role thing. If there’s any creature large or small visible or just audible- I am called upon by “she who must be obeyed” to dispatch it. But I wonder if it’s more than just a … Continue reading →

Milton had no friends because he hated people. His deep-rooted disgust for humanity wasn’t something he was born with; it developed over a lifetime of rejection and disappointment. He was the middle child of a family of six, which meant … Continue reading →

(This is my Florida weekly submission for the picture Patti posted) My body felt as though it had been slowly baked on hot tiles. Pain forced my reluctant brain to reengage with the world. The unrelenting sun’s rays penetrated my … Continue reading →

Neither a borrower nor a lender be!  This unfortunate advice from the English Bard is not something I ever sought to impart to my daughters.  Borrowing is an art, I tell them, and not at all the opposite of lending.  … Continue reading →

You never know the last time you did something until you look back. Like the last time you went skiing. Or saw your grandmother. Or pinned sheets to a clothesline. The last time I did that I was living in … Continue reading →

My friend Gloria and I were thrilled to start our long-awaited two-week European cruise. We’d enjoyed long weekend cruises to the Caribbean before, but this was going to be an adventure to view the architecture of the oldest places in … Continue reading →

Countless inquisitions directed toward my soul with a bemused, befuddled slur “Come on man, take the donkey for a stroll” “Why don’t you choose, what’s there to lose playing tight end on our teams” I grin and see the future … Continue reading →

The Pretenders Versus The Dwellers  by Diane Hanley 6/8/2022 “Seeing is never believing.  We interpret what we see in the light of what we believe.”  Oswald Chambers The year had become 2050.  In most countries there were now two opposing … Continue reading →

If you’ve ever watched “Sunday Today with Willie Geist” you may have seen a segment called “A life well lived.” Each week it highlights a person or persons, recently deceased, that have made noteworthy contributions to our country and, occasionally, … Continue reading →

She looked harmless enough- except for the clipboard and the name tag. She smiled and I made the fatal mistake- eye contact. The social contract is buried deep in our DNA. It’s what keeps our species clinging to survival in … Continue reading →

“Let’s play the pur-tend game, Gramps!” Jacob suggests, burrowing down under the covers, brown curls framing his sweet face. “It’s pre-tend,” I say.  “And sure, we can play one game before you guys go to sleep.  Three turns each.” “You … Continue reading →

It was a horrific sight. While having a Martini Monday happy hour chat with her friend Ramona, Carol and her friend’s laughter quickly faded to screams. Ramona’s husband was difficult, to be generous. He was the star football player she … Continue reading →

Eyes & Hands  by Diane Hanley 6/1/2022 It was one of those days, you look out the window and immediately wish you could just go back to bed, or cozy up with an awesome novel in your favorite recliner — … Continue reading →

Because it was a day made for a drive, that’s exactly what Sunna and Gunnar did. With unflappable spirits of adventure, they cut a handsome profile. Nearly identical with fair and muscular features, and clad in matching black athletic gear, … Continue reading →

May 24th, iPhone vibrated a FOX NEWS alert. First thoughts, another Ukrainian city destroyed by the Bolsheviks, gas prices hitting a new high or Johnny Depp reconciling with Amber Heard. Such is the state of the media that every trite, … Continue reading →