“Bar in Hollywood” by Brandon Dutton

“Aren’t you hot in that?” She gestured at my sport coat. . . .

“Fade Out” by Paul D. Marks

Fade in:

Flat on my back in the middle of one of the most famous intersections in the world, Hollywood and Vine. Cars slalom around me. Finally, it becomes clear, like a fade-in from a bad movie: what it all means. The pictures run through my mind at twenty-four frames per second . . .

“John’s Spot” by Stephen Buehler

John smashed the Styrofoam cup. No metal spike under there. Did it again. No spike. Two more cups remained. He smashed one of them . . .