Latest Stories
Most recently published stories 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
The Black Books
The Black Books The narrow stairs spiral down into the dark café. It’s the only café in Chicago that boasts a brooding atmosphere. Dim lighting and booths with dark upholstery. I strain my eyes as I make my way to the back near the bar, then smash my hipbone into the corner of the table as I plop down in a booth across from Sam.
By Andrea Perno5 years ago in Criminal
Two Wrongs
Roger sat in the old bar chair nursing a drink in one hand and smoking a cigarette in the other. He stared off into nothing as he went over more excuses, he could give his wife as to why he lost another job. “Ro” she’d say in exasperation. “This is the third job this month. How are we ever going to be a family when you can’t even support the two of us”. He smirked as he imagined walking up to her and kissing her perfect pink lips before placing a kiss on her forehead.
By Blue Dymond5 years ago in Criminal
Old Notes
“That’s a lot of money.” “But is it good money?” I looked at Pete. I was about to say that that was a stupid question, but then, to be honest, I had briefly wondered the same thing myself, so I guess it wasn’t so stupid after all. It was old money, anybody could see that, two thick bundles of one hundred dollar bills stuffed in a decaying wooden box laid open on the floor in front of us.
By John Thornquist5 years ago in Criminal
Destination Unknown
Mary stood outside the club and looked at her phone. It wasn’t very late. A quiet sob escaped her throat as she searched for the Uber app and set up a ride home. Friday night, likely a ride will come quickly, she thought, trying to steady her breathing. She knew her face was a mess, but the crowds walking by and the long line of people waiting to get into the club paid no attention to her. She focused on the little car moving across the map on the phone, willing it to arrive quickly and take her away from the loud music and noisy people.
By T. Larissa Fogleman 5 years ago in Criminal
The Little Black Book
In the grand scheme of things, there were much worse ways to spend the day than picking up a notebook from routine repairs. It helped that the local bookbinder ran his shop just down the street from my apartment building. I would pop in, drop off my notebook, and in a few weeks I'd get a call to come pick it up. I got such a call this morning, and I had enough free time to stop by the following afternoon.
By Samira Daukoru5 years ago in Criminal
