Thank you so much to the editors of Longleaf Review for believing in my story, "Blood Brother." The blood-red lake they've chosen as the background art is perfect. Check out the 28 other pieces in the issue.

There's so much going on in this brief piece of fiction. With 911 right there in the middle of it, it appears more and more to me that I am again telling a story about an irreparable rip in a character's life. But then there's also the pervy Scoutmaster, whom you're free to speculate about all you want.

Thank you for the reads! If you right click on the blood-red lake image, and then click on "Read Aloud" you can hear a Stephen Hawkingesque voice read the story!

Blood Brother

I must be off,
Christopher

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Christopher Allenis the author of Other Household Toxins(Matter Press) and Conversations with S. Teri O'Type (a Satire). Allen's fiction has appeared, or is forthcoming, in[PANK], Eclectica Magazine's 20th-Anniversary Speculative anthology,Indiana Review, Split Lip Magazine, SmokeLong Quarterly: the Best of the First Ten Yearsanthology,Longleaf ReviewandLunch Ticket, among many others great places. Read his book reviews inNecessary Fiction, Word Riot, and The Lit Pub.His creative non-fiction has been featured inBootsnall Travel, Chicken Soup for the Souland others. A finalist atGlimmer Trainin 2011, Allen is a multiple nominee for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net,The Best Small Fictions,storySouth's Million Writers Award and others. In 2017 Allen was both a finalist (as translator) and semifinalist forThe Best Small Fictions. He is presently the co-editor ofSmokeLong Quarterlyand a consulting editor forThe Best Small Fictions 2018.