Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Criminal.
Shelf Price
The fluorescence that poured from the shop windows coated a figure in its cold warmth as he inches closer toward the shop door. A bell that echoes of minimum wage alerts the lonely clerk behind a dingy fibreboard counter of his presence. A jolt of life journeys from the clerks leant arms on the counter and activates his autopilot greeting “gday mate how r ya?”
By Peter Nicolas5 years ago in Criminal
Mrs Brizzi's Fish Dinner
Mrs Brizzi was the name she went by when I knew her — Breetzi, pronounced the Italian way with a rolling ‘r’, because that’s how her sixth and final husband, a handbag mogul from Milan, pronounced it before he was crushed to death by a bull that escaped from a leather farm.
By Zoë Hazel Thomas5 years ago in Criminal
We mustn't touch what isn't ours.
I continued stumbling through the dark. Snow covered the ground and adorned treetops, muffling my steps and heavy breathing as I made my way up a particularly steep hill. The torch I had craftily affixed to my beanie with various pins and tape, threw columns of pale light through the dense trees but the constant movement of the light played tricks with my eyes and every few seconds I would turn and stare at spots I could have sworn moved without invitation.
By Alexandra Baker5 years ago in Criminal
Pennies From Heaven
I suppose it’s not terribly surprising that I forgot all about the notebook. Notebooks aren’t particularly memorable things at any time; nearly everybody has one. And this one was not only exceedingly ordinary, it had clearly seen better days. The only thing remotely unusual about it was its arrival.
By Debbe Carson5 years ago in Criminal
A Little Black Book's Purpose
Little black books got a bad wrap, the little black book thought to itself, as its owner used yet another blood smeared fingertip to turn its delicate yellowing pages. Honestly, if the man would just clean his fingers first, the little black book thought, maybe the other little books would talk to me. The dictionary was absolutely terrified of the little black book. Every time they shared a room together, the ridiculous book would shutter, losing a page or two with words like “terrified” or “murderer” defined on them.
By Elizabeth Miller5 years ago in Criminal
The Free World
The prison gate shut behind Zack, and silence hit him. He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. The air smelled like dust and burnt asphalt. Everything he owned fit into a black garbage bag. He scanned the desolate parking lot casting his eyes upon a solitary blue pickup truck.
By Matt O'Connor5 years ago in Criminal
A Series Of Minor Incidents
Accidents happen. He accidentally crashed out of bed to the sound of his blaring alarm that morning, and he definitely accidentally screamed at his neighbors’ kids through the window when he saw them snipping flower buds off the peony bush in his yard.
By Kenzie Beckerman5 years ago in Criminal
