Author: mjumbelic
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The Canal
“Will there be girls?” the teen asked eagerly, brushing red bangs from his forehead. “Copy that,” crackled the radio followed by, “but it’s not at my home 20.” Eddie huddled next to his roommate who was speaking into the handheld. He raised his eyebrows and mouthed, “What’s he mean?” Their garage was base station for […]
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The Farmer
“How long was he out there?” I asked my assistant, who was unzipping the body bag. An aroma of mildew mixed with the sour tang of blood assailed me. The man was face down on the gurney, left in the same position in which he was found. “Two weeks,” Paul answered. “The trooper said the […]
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B.I.T.C.H. Part 2
The courtroom felt stuffy like an airplane cabin on a transatlantic flight. The defense attorney continued to bark questions at me. Jurors shifted in their seats. At times, a prosecutor objected and the judge would intervene — the referee in a game of words. Counsel spent time asking about each scratch and bump on the […]
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B.I.T.C.H.
Tick, tick, tick, tick. The circular clock’s second hand made its way to the hour of 3:00. I had been waiting 45 minutes in this windowless room, seated on an inflexible metal folding chair. The overhead panel lighting cast a yellowish glow over the papers on the table in front of me. I looked over […]
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Collapse
Dark hair was matted to the little girl’s head. Her lips were dried and cracked, her eyes sunken. Amina was gaunt, and less than fifth percentile for height and weight. Despite her olive-toned skin, she was pale. She lay lifeless on the morgue table. I sharpened my pencil, preparing to take notes. Feeling sluggish, I […]
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The Spider
People arrived, in groups of twos and threes, faces anxious. Looking rumpled as if they’d slept in the airport after a cancelled flight. Hair lackluster, makeup smeared, skin pale. They spoke in whispers, with an occasional sob. The families of the victims of TWA Flight 800, had come to identify the personal belongings of their […]
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Watching her
The song starts simply, with drums, double bass, and acoustic guitar. Gordon Sumner’s beautiful tenor joins the music at the 15-second mark. “Every breath you take” was a huge hit for The Police, winning in the category ‘Best Song’ at the 1983 Grammy Awards. Consequently, it is on the radio a lot, even now, twenty […]
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Voices
“Hi, you’ve reached John and Kelly. We’re not here to take your call right now, so leave a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.” The voice is cheery like the one we all use for our phone tags. I listen to these reminders of the recently departed life with […]
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Nightmare
Dots of sweat gather above my industrial safety glasses. Overhead lights glimmer, reflecting on the stainless steel of the table. The air is humid despite the air-conditioning, and heat emanates in waves. A butcher’s apron over my surgical scrubs lays heavily at my neck, the waistband tied too tightly. Privacy-glass windows, along one wall, above […]
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The Trailer
The mountain bike flips on its side, front wheel still spinning, as the boy hurries up the two cement steps to the trailer. The screen door has barely enough life to creak shut. “Hello?” he yells, his prepubescent voice cracking. But the only other sound is the numbers flipping to seven AM on the old […]
Final Words 