Author Archives: Hank Kirton

The Story of 8

Story of 8 “The teenager of the new generation grew up in a time of nerves. Newspapers screaming headlines of race riots, revolution, earthquakes. And back of it all: speed! Everyone rushing nowhere to get nowhere for no reason. Fast planes, fast cars. It’s a fast life, Inspector. It’s a whirlpool of speed and confusionContinue reading “The Story of 8”

My Time Machine

My time machine doesn’t work too well at the moment. It hurts my face now sometimes and gives me crushing headaches when I get back from the past and all I can do is lay in bed and wait for things to get better.  I made my time machine with transistors and other shit withContinue reading “My Time Machine”

Smothered Under Heavy Cement…

It took a silvery sliver of a second. I was only thirteen. It happened so long ago… Then why does it still weigh me down like a pair of gangster-style cement shoes?   The sudden snap of light startled me from my transition into sleep…. I’d been edging into the relief of a dream…and then myContinue reading “Smothered Under Heavy Cement…”

Heaven Always Has Room

Wish List: I once worked with a tall drink of water named Christopher J. McSpinch. I’ll always remember that unusual name. He was a nice, polite guy and I liked him. We worked for a company called Intelillink Communications. Don’t bother looking it up, it’s long gone. It was merged into oblivion.  My duties includedContinue reading “Heaven Always Has Room”

The Spelunking Phlebotomist

Turn on the small black ImageGrimⓇ and surf the sewage. Record the information as it arrives:  -Do Not Miss Out Ladies and Gentlemen- “I have the freedom to live now,” says the spelunking phlebotomist just before he enters the decrepit double-wide trailer. It is raining soft warm rain. Rural Mississippi rain. There is no electricityContinue reading “The Spelunking Phlebotomist”

Little Green Worms

Part One My intention was to write an exquisite, precise, highly-calibrated account of the time I arrived at a therapy appointment covered with little green worms. It was to be written in the 1st person with little parenthetical flourishes and jokes. It would build to a breathless climax and end with an ironic punchline. ButContinue reading “Little Green Worms”

“Joe Here.”

“Joe here,” was the way Joe answered the phone when he was behind his desk at the law offices of Sobchak & Sobchak.  “Joe here,” he’d say. Every single time. He never juggled anything up. He was staid and steadfast when it came to telephone etiquette.  Joe never flirted with variety. His delivery was deadpan, allContinue reading ““Joe Here.””

The Active Training Sessions

The Active Training Sessions ended with the summer and Jacob hadn’t learned a goddamn thing. Ninja skills dulled. He would meet an attack with clumsy, uncertain moves. Hesitation begets paralysis. Hanging around deserted shopping malls (they’re easy to break into if you possess what old grandfathers referred to as gumption) watching mildew grow in patternsContinue reading “The Active Training Sessions”

Telekinetic Kelly

Kelly Green raised the red flag on her mailbox all the way from the kitchen. She didn’t even have to look out the window this time. She accomplished the feat while sitting at the table eating instant oatmeal.  The oatmeal was hot and she liked it thick. It was flavored with brown sugar and mapleContinue reading “Telekinetic Kelly”