The short fiction of j hardy carroll
For decades it seemed that time had no purchase on the old man, save for the barely noticeable graying of hair and beard. He worked the bar of the White Horse six days a week, knowing each patron by face and preference, yet universally cold and rude to all. To the men of the town,…
Estéban loafed in the entryway, clearly nervous. “You’ll do great,” I said. “Besides, what’s the worst that can happen?” He gave a wry smile. We both knew the worst all too well. Olivér came out of the back carrying two of the loose jackets he favored for working. “You ready?” he said, handing one to…
I went to the Jungle on the east side of the river. As I suspected, Roughhouse Red was there, all too eager to share my bottle in exchange for giving me the low-down. He took a long pull, the whiskey trickling into his grizzled whiskers. “Ooh, that’s good,” he said. “What was it you want…
It was like some giant had lifted off the roof and dumped in the entire contents of a thrift store. The huge room seemed cramped and choked by teetering piles of boxes, furniture and other clutter. Tall wardrobes bursting with clothes, cardboard cartons vomiting sheafs of paper onto the dirty floor, stacks of chairs missing…
“This is Hauptmann Shulz.” “Guten Tag, Hauptmann. I would like to make a report.” “Go ahead.” “It is about Herr Nordmeyer of Bänschstraße 33, apartment 12.” “Yes? What about him?” “Well, he is constantly receiving visitors in his apartment. Usually women. Many of them are from the west.” “And?” “I believe he is planning to…
The plane is rolling back from the jetway. Pushing, they call it. We’re going to push. I watch it, the chill ash of my heart drifting down to fill my entire body like snowfall into an upturned barrel. I remember my grandmother telling me that it’s bad luck to watch your loved ones leave. “You should say…
We strolled through the Old City past soldiers carrying machine guns at the ready. Pops didn’t seem to notice, intent on educating us. “This gate only looks old,” he said. “Ottoman Turks built it in 1898 so the Kaiser didn’t have to walk. Wide enough for a carriage.” An armored car idled in the square,…
The sheriff stood with his arms folded, dead cigar dangling from the corner of his mouth. “Dogs been all over the damned forest. Not a trace.” The mayor sighed, ran his hand over his weary face. “Well, we gotta keep looking. That’s all.” The sheriff shook his head. “It’s been almost three weeks. I think…
Everyone named Christian on this island descended from the same two bastard boys, Charles and Thursday. There are hundreds of us now, spread as far as Australia and the States. When we recount the history, we agree Fletcher Christian seized the Bounty from Bligh and sailed it to Pitcairn, that he brought along the two…
The night everything changed was one he barely remembered