| this is oh so blue A MAGAZINE OF FICTION, POETRY & MORE! |
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| this is black shadow |
| ZYGOTE IN MY COFFEE.COM |
| ISSUE #1 $O.OO |
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| JAN. 04 |
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| The second he enters the apartment building it hits him: Don’t go in there. He swears he smells Paul as he passes his apartment, swears he senses him on the other side of his door. Her door is different, the air is heavier. No music comes from behind it, no smoke seeps from under the crack. She answers before he knocks, radiant with the glow young people still have on their birthdays. She gives him a hug, but a long one, a hug that is more than itself, a hug whereupon parting she drags her fingers along his arm and lingers in front of him for a few seconds. And he smells it on her. “You’ve been smoking?” “And drinking,” she says, and rushes, clumsy, into the TV room. She comes back with a glass. “And so have you.” “No Monica.” “C’mon, take it, it’s only one drink. It’s my birthday, let’s celebrate. I’m watching a movie.” “I can watch a movie without drinking.” “Well so can I but that didn’t stop me.” “Where’s you’re mother?” “Who cares? You know she’s gone. Are you here to see her anyway? No.” She points at herself. “You’re here to see me.” “How long have you been doing this? All day?” “You know that saying, Been drinkin since noon? Well I figured I’d give it a try.” She laughs. “Christ.” He turns away from her. “I should go, I don’t belong here, I shouldn’t be here.” “Oh don’t,” she says, and runs her fingers along his arm again. He turns back to her. She tilts her head. She smiles. “I’ll be good. I promise.” “But I don’t know if I’ll be.” “We’ll keep each other in line. C’mon. Watch the rest of the movie with me.” |
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| from Language of the Living |
| by Tim Miller |
| Terence |
| Continued on next page-- |
| * |
| *Note: excerpted from Tim Miller's novel Language of the Living due out Spring 2004. |