Halloween here had always been pretty typical before the Water House. It’s been the Packer House before, up on top of our street. Out front, the Packers grew basil beside wild blueberries, kept hummingbird feeders full and dangling from their cedar-shingle porch, right above crayola-colored old buoys everyone flanked their exterior railings with. You … Read more
Halfway up Route 18, near the edge of the Mojave Desert, a redrock canyon cuts across ancient lava flows and scrubby foothills before fading, without fanfare, into the western horizon. The canyon is walled by high cliffs, perfect for wandering sightseers and swarms of rock climbers, happily risking their lives for the view. Far below … Read more
Go beyond the shallow waters, Go out into the deep Discover there is more to you beyond what you’ve seen. Those were the words of the elder as she perished on her deathbed, necklace in hand, one with many pearls. I gently pulled the necklace from her hands and, giving them a thorough study, … Read more
It’s been four days since we last went, and with each dreary, drizzly day that passes, my motivation weakens. I cannot even remember the last time I saw the ground outside looking dry, so this morning I peer out of the window dubiously, expecting the worst. The sky is overcast and gloomy clouds swirl around … Read more
Water flowed slowly, yet powerfully, around and past Reto. The surface was painted green with the reflections of trees, towering over its mirror. His father’s canoe put a thick wooden wall between him and the liquid forest. Its embrace made him feel safe, able to move with the strength of the river, as part of … Read more