Fiction: The Fortune Teller’s Advice

Marcie was leading the quartet to the little domestic arts building.

“Let’s see how my mom’s blueberry pie did in the judging.”

June and Ellie quickly agreed. Katie saw this as her chance to break away for a little while.

“You guys go ahead. I’ll meet you there in just a bit. I saw my little brother back there, and I should make sure he’s doing all right.”

“Okay,” Ellie said. “We’ll be over there.”

Katie headed back the way they had come, walking over to the midway of the county fair. She spotted her brother, Sam, throwing darts at balloons. He seemed fine. She looked over her shoulder to ensure that her friends had gone into the small building.

She stopped in front of a booth garishly painted and labeled “MADAME LEONORA – Fortunes! Predictions! Fate!” She gave the man standing outside the last of her precious tickets and went in.

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Fiction: Marshmallow Workout

Theo watched quietly as Rhonda sat at the table, holding as still as she could. She closed her eyes and held her hands in front of her, just above the table, as though she were holding a large ball.

A foot in front of her hands sat two ceramic mugs of hot chocolate. The one on the right had a large marshmallow bobbing gently in it.

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Fiction: Just Two Minutes

Rona trudged home from the bus stop after another long day at the diner. It had been the usual crowd of morons and misfits, plus the handsy guy from Newark who kept grabbing her ass whenever she turned away; she kept turning away, though, afraid of what he might grab if she didn’t.

She walked to the front yard of her home and leaned against a tree. She wanted a smoke, but she had only one cigarette left, and she was saving it for just before she went to bed; she wanted one smoke and two minutes of peace to wrap up the typically dull, frantic, miserable day.

Rona pushed herself away from the tree and walked up the steps. She opened the door and closed and locked it behind her.

“I’m home, E.J.,” she called.

She listened for movement but heard nothing. She walked back toward the kitchen, which was dark

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