Andrew Cyr

I locked my crush on Dani in a boxbecause she wore another man’s ring.Seeing it was like a cross searedinto a vampire’s skin, melting before my eyes.We used to come here as kids,and here we were again, smoking pot.Dani flirted with the thought of us.I calmed myself with the sparkle of her diamond ring.Expensive.Much more cash than I had to fork out.Dani’s soft lips shimmered … [Read more...] about Ring Finger, By: Andrew Cyr

I lived in a small urban towntucked inside a farming community.We removed the Christmas treeand unraveled the lights to box for another year.My wife and I sat over coffeeon a Saturday evening.Dancing flames crackedover oak logs.She said I needed a haircut.I didn’t want to, but I decided to go.The barber cut my hair.Before me, people sat in chairspast the door and to the … [Read more...] about Barbershop Talk, By: Andrew Cyr

Coreen was a friend to trustif ever there was a friend to trust.She lived next door, and we’d talkover glasses of wineon the back deck some evenings.Coreen wore another woman’s ring.But we’d been friends for forever.We’d attended the same Washington high school,and in our mid-forties, I lacked a life partner.Coreen set me up with a gal from work.I juggled my reservations.Coreen … [Read more...] about Blind Date Twist, By: Andrew Cyr

The plows used each sideof the road to pile snow.Ephrata was a small towntucked inside a farming community.I arrived home from work.I set my keys on the coffee tableand moved to the kitchen.The lantern that hung abovethe kitchen table was on.Something, I didn’t know what,had me entangled with mercy.But mercy and I had never seen eye to eye.I flipped through envelopes when one … [Read more...] about Have Mercy, By: Andrew Cyr

I knew Eleanore was guilty.But I did my defense attorneything and got her off.“Not guilt,” the judge read.The detectives didn’t know,but I knew where Eleanore hid the gun.But she had money—even more moneywith her husband dead.My fridge resembled a ghost town,with nothing to shift to look for something else.My shelves lacked canned food, and my lackof cash outlined my pockets … [Read more...] about No Defense, By: Andrew Cyr