"Colloid," by Justin D. Anderson

Anderson’s story weaves brief scenes with associative connections between fathers and sons. It’s a “solemn” lyric story that moves between particular details and ambivalent meaning such as the opening line, “My old man used to tell me about rumors.” The title holds the piece tightly, which I realized after consulting my dictionary and then experienced the story with a slight shift, for the better. It’s quite an experience reading this story. Think of a watercolor painting blurred around the edges that calls attention to realism but does not shy away from impressions. Read it here at Necessary Fiction.

"Hero of the Nation," by Ranbir Sidhu

In a family where multiple generations live together with a variety of needs and ways to satisfy those needs, it might be expected that a lot of tension will result. The protagonist is a brave, young girl probably around the age of 12 or 13. She and her brother torment each other with a barrage of blue words. The parents are distracted with the care of the elderly grandfather, and they cower at the consequences for an ill and aging parent. One of the strengths of this story is the dialogue that captures three simultaneous conversations at the dinner table all witnessed by the inaudible grandfather. The story is both surprising and believable up to the very end. Enjoy it here at Barcelona Review.