Short Stories by Lola Nation - Make it Short

Shouts & Murmurs As published in the New Yorker By Dan Patch & Lola Nation Future Move She suggested that with the inheritance from her step-father and my recent lottery winnings we move to Alaska, kidnapping her ex lover’s daughter, she’d keep house and I’d be a crab fisherman.   I could claim she’s my half-wit sister and get to work with my hands and we could tell stories to the locals which would impress them and build a following we’re use to while living a normal life. I have a psychic gift and foretell the future for her. Here, look into the crystal ball It’s cold, wet and dark. She can see I’m having a hard time writing this because I’m missing some fingers (because that’s what happens to fingers on boats).  I’m kind of drunk too.  I started drinking when I lost the first finger, so, like 4 or 5 fingers ago. I got sick of the tweaker-eskimo neighbor parking his truck in my spot.  Every day I told him “one igloo...

She’s Not There - Book Title January 2003, Diablo’s BBQ Party, WLA Chapter:   Too Late to Say you’re Sorry             Diablo was drunk.   He was hosting a barbecue during the Sunday football game, as was the norm.   The party was predominantly his friends and some she’d known before him, but always they’d been his friends.     Sarah had no friends at this point, she’d either abandoned them for Diablo or they’d abandoned her due to her relationship with Diablo.             Earlier that afternoon, Sarah was frustrated because everyone who attended the party was doing coke in and out of what she considered their bedroom.   Diablo dismissed her complaints, accusing her of being jealous.   She let it go.   He was drunk there was no reasoning with him.     At one point during the party, she’d gone into the restroom, the...

No one told me about her Chapter 1 Sarah’s living room, March 2003.             Sarah bent over the glass table in her living room and did a line of speed.  Seth was doing a line of coke off of a CD and Elijah was balancing between both their drugs.  “I need to tell you guys something so I don’t do it.”  She said.  She wished she hadn’t gained their attention but she couldn’t help but confess.  If they told her it was a bad idea, she wouldn’t do it in May when Diablo’s family went down to Mexico for the family picnic.  If she told them, rumors could start and there was no way she’d have the nerve to do it.  “Ever since Diablo beat the shit out of me, I’ve been thinking of getting him back.  The only thing he cares about is his money.”  She said. Seth set down the CD case on her table, followed slowly by the straw.  Elijah...

(excerpt from book "She's Not There")                 Sarah was fairly sure that Diablo was not going to call or trespass this evening as he’d been on a drinking binge for the last week avoiding his own apartment in fear of Mark harassing him.   She walked from her apartment to the Lost & Found and quickly drank a couple of jack n cokes.   On her way toward the back door she saw Smythe.                 “What are you doing here?”   He asked and eyed her suspiciously.   She didn’t drink without Diablo anymore and really didn’t go out of the house as far as he knew, it was strange to see her at twilight.                 “Having a drink too many.”    She let herself in the passenger seat and closed the door.   ...