fiction
Mystery, crime, murder, unsolved cases. Contribute your own tales of crime to Criminal.
Uncle Rigby
My uncle Rigby is stuffing Splenda packets in his jacket pockets like it’s his birthright and the waitress, whose name is Mindy, looks over at us sadly from the other table. I give her an apologetic smile. Uncle Rigby takes a long sip of his tea and leans back in his chair.
By Carrie Clements6 years ago in Criminal
The Experiment
It never would have happened if they hadn’t decided to retile their bathroom. One thing led to another and before they knew it, they were completely re-doing the little bungalow they had just purchased as their first home together. Angela thought it would be fun. Her husband John thought it would be a hassle. But everything came to a grinding halt when, one Saturday afternoon as they were demolishing an unnecessary wall, a little black book tumbled out of the plaster, landing on the living room floor with a soft thud.
By Emily Gilbert6 years ago in Criminal
Irving's Money.
When you're raised in a small town in Alabama, you spend most of your time thinking about how to get out of there, or at least I did anyway. I never played the victim, but I damn sure I could have. Life was rough growing up and I was old enough and smart enough to leave it all behind now. I would daydream constantly about it. Living a life somewhere else seemed so much more exciting than just staying put like I had for so long. I entertained every fantasy that entered my mind, always plotting and scheming. I was willing to do whatever it took.
By Cody Joel Foster6 years ago in Criminal
Oregon Ducks, Not Geoducks
Travis sat in his first period class, Descisions. “A boring senior slack off class about boring life skills like writing checks, doing taxes, renting an apartment etc.,” is how he’d described it in his journal. When his teacher had urged them to write their post graduation intentions and to, “please share them with the folks sitting next to you,” Travis had responded with a hyperbolic sigh and exaggerated eye roll/chair slump then scrawled three giant, sloppy intentions in his spiral notebook, 1.College 2.Chicks 3.Snowboarding. But also worth noting, before anyone could notice, he slid his journal, a small, black, leather-bound Moleskine from his front pocket, scribbled a secretive 4th intention and slipped the notebook back in place. Travis then turned to Natalie, the neighbor he associated with her makeup-covered acne, and said “psh, so lame, right?”
By matt acosta6 years ago in Criminal
"Telling Time without the Ticking"
Franklin Mallory sat on his couch jittery and nervous, waiting for the woman across from him in his father’s chair to comment on the coffee. Abagail Hoffner sipped a minimal amount, hid her wincing well, and gave Franklin a gesture of ‘yum.’ “You don’t have to lie,” Frank said with the grin he had waited to use for twenty minutes. Russel Weiser was standing in the entrance to the hallway. “You knew my father,” Frank half-asked, half-claimed of Abby. “Sincere condolences. I should’ve said something sooner.” Frank raised his hands in a casual signal to halt the course of conversation. “No, it’s fine. Thank you.” One part general jumpiness was also equal parts eagerness to resolve the conundrum his father set upon him. Frank cut to the chase, “I’m sorry to be abrupt, but I need your help. I think I might be in trouble.”
By Taylor Merchant6 years ago in Criminal
The Secrets Behind Closed Doors
"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." I know, I know. You have probably heard this cliche quotation about a hundred times in your life, and I had always thought of it as just another useless saying with no meaning behind it. Little did I know that I would have to start applying this quotation to come out alive.
By Zainab Ali6 years ago in Criminal
The Little Black Book
The Little Black Book It was a typical Friday when I clicked into work on my stilettos with my designer purse hanging off the crook of my arm, looking forward to the weekend. I unlocked my office, tossed my purse and keys in my visitor’s chair and started my usual routine of setting myself up for the day. It took me a couple minutes to notice the book that was tucked neatly behind my ergonomic keyboard, as if it had been specifically set there, not just simply tossed on my desk. It just was laying there, all innocent and unexceptional. A small black covered book, not much bigger than my hand. I knew I hadn’t left it there the night before and no one besides myself and the HR manager had access to my office. I decided to ignore it for the time being, popping up my email and starting up the classic rock station through my computer speakers.
By Erin Kelly6 years ago in Criminal
