Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Criminal.
One Subway Ride to Anywhere
"The key to being happy is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go." -Dodinsky Gemma didn’t like being a criminal. Does anyone, really? She could get rich from dirty money and stolen goods, maybe fly to somewhere in South America and disappear forever. But what would that accomplish? She’d still have that aching pain in her stomach each time she spent a dime that wasn’t really hers. Limits. Yeah, that was it. She needed to set her own limits.
By River Cronan 5 years ago in Criminal
Contract City
It's the ninety-third minute of the championship football match and Cristiano Ronaldo has struck an absolute screamer into the top left corner from 20 yards out, to win the Champions League Final again. As the goal commotion begins the Nigerian born mercenary, codename Zane infiltrates the head security office of the Acropolis Arena.
By Adekunle Jelugbo5 years ago in Criminal
Writing Homework
Susan was in her kitchen. Sweat collected on her forehead as she leaned over a pot of boiling noodles. She grabbed a towel from nearby and wiped the sweat away slinging the towel over her shoulder. Bam! Followed by a sharp creaking noise, meant the front door was opened. Susan glanced out of the window to see the school bus pulling away from the house. “How was school today sweetheart?” Susan yelled towards the front door. Jamie walks into the dining room and throws his backpack on the table. The half open zipper let folders and papers slide half way out of his bag. “It was great! Mrs. Jones told me how I can make $20,000 today just for writing a…” Susan interjected “that's great don't forget to do your homework before you go play.” “Yes ma’am” replied Jamie, “I'm going to go write a story now.”
By Kelly Barker5 years ago in Criminal
Serendipity
Azam Ali’s melodic Persian voice stirred Hakeem back to life. He eyes remained closed as he silenced the alarm and let life flood back to his body. Thrusting himself out of bed, he was determined not to be beaten by quarantine. Staring out of the window as he brushed his teeth, the audaciously green palm trees called to him. A perfect morning. He could get used to winter in California. He stopped at his regular coffee haunt on Burbank before proceeding to the park. At 7am, it was sparse. Still, he ventured further in. Taking a solitary bench, he sipped his coffee, closing his eyes to savor the serenity of the chocolate notes.
By Abdul Al Hakim5 years ago in Criminal
The Bounty Hunters' Choice
“What would you do for us to really hit it big?” When Nikki didn’t look up from the magazine she was paging through, I reached out and nudged her with my foot. She shrugged, “Seriously Caren? I don’t know. What does hitting it big even mean?”
By Lady Coy Haddock5 years ago in Criminal
Second Chance Cafe
There it was, just sitting there. Looking deceivingly innocuous and innocent. He should have known better than to give in to his curiosity. But the distinguished looking little black book beckoned to him. Calling to him, sitting pretty on the stained yellowing Formica cafe counter, refusing to be ignored. Stopping dead in his tracks, he took a quick glance around. No one was paying him or the little black book any attention. Without sparing another thought to the other patrons, he grabbed the book in a quick swipe and hid it under the raincoat slung over his arm. He had no idea why he would give in to an impulse to steal someone else's property. It was out of character and against his usually mundane existence.
By Jennifer Newbauer5 years ago in Criminal
Taking Out the Trash
There is only so much I could stand playing Xbox on a Friday night. I thought the “batteries are dead anyway” as I tossed the controller on the recliner. I headed out, down the stairs of my apartment out to the street for a short walk to shed the foul stink of my one bedroom. As I headed out, I debated on where to go when I checked my wallet to see $3. I went to the corner store to grab a snack.
By Travis Leonardi5 years ago in Criminal
Blood Money
The little black notebook should have gone straight to the police. I knew that, but for some reason I decided to keep it. That was my first mistake. It had arrived on my doorstep late at night when everyone was supposed to be asleep. If I recalled correctly it was around two at night. The dogs in the neighborhood had started barking right before I heard the loud crash in the kitchen. I had grabbed a heavy dictionary and heaved it up ready to attack the intruder. But when I cam into the kitchen there was no sign of any breakage or an intruder. The only thing was a small black notebook sitting on my counter nonchantly. I lowered the dictioary but kept it close just in case the intruder was planning to attack me from behind. My thumbs flipped through the notebook until it came to a page that seemed to have been opened many times before. The page had in big red pen three words. I read them. That was my second mistake.
By Summer Ryan5 years ago in Criminal
Next
In a world peppered with negativity, some pretty amazing events have occurred in our lives since the last time I wrote. Our little girl has turned four months old, and she is all smiles and squeals, quite unlike the colicky first seven weeks we survived. I’m pretty sure she said, “Da-Da,” but it may have just been gas. She eats, sleeps, pees, and poops a lot, and she is growing at what seems to be an exponential rate. People say over and over that you should enjoy these moments, and we are. We love all of the time we get to spend with the girls, and we are growing ever closer together. What a beautiful life.
By Vincent Maertz5 years ago in Criminal
Little Black Book Or: The Spider Waits
Strangely, living in the city always provided him with a reassuring feeling of comfort. It was the fantasy perhaps, that all these unconnected lonely people share something, even if they didn’t know it. We all may be strangers to one another, but we’re all in it together and collectively we make a community. For some reason that thought made him happy. It was late in the evening, well into the twilight hours, and from the balcony he could perfectly see the beautiful skyline of the City.
By Brian Glover5 years ago in Criminal
