By Margot Pepper From forthcoming book, the Acrobat and Other Stories for Dark Times In memory of Rachel Corrie The swans knew the sun had set. They retreated under the bridges to tuck necks under wings in slumber, and it was another exodus of light: the departure of brilliant white leaving only the dismal colors of dusk—the mercurial river, clouds… Read more →
By Margot Pepper From forthcoming book, the Acrobat and Other Stories for Dark Times For Piri Thomas, a muse to so many of us The Bay surrounded the runway on three of four sides, agitated, black as obsidian with reflections of moonlight like the small fingernail-shaped indentations in an ancient arrowhead. Across the expanse of darkness, the bracelet of lights… Read more →
By Margot Pepper From forthcoming book, the Acrobat and Other Stories for Dark Times I Left My Heart in San Francisco: Eviction Fiction, Street Spirit, July 2002 Delivered Vacant, Street Spirit In Memory of Lola Mckay Thursday morning announces itself with a blue so electric it nearly crackles. There’s no alternative but to skip the board meeting and return to… Read more →
By Margot Pepper From forthcoming book, The Acrobat and Other Stories for Dark Times Eve bolted across Hamilton Drive and ran up the driveway, along the side of the house which belonged to her two best friends. “It’s here! It’s here!” she yelled into Debbie and Jennifer Gulli’s room. “Is your dad home?” “Yeah,” came a response. “Meet you back… Read more →
By Margot Pepper Excerpt from Through the Wall: A Year in Havana (Freedom Voices, 2005) The traffic man sounded his whistle with such conviction that my mother looked up with a start. He made some grandiose gestures and his oversized jacket sleeves flopped down betraying flimsy arms. In spite of them he convinced traffic on Reforma, one of Mexico City’s… Read more →
By Margot Pepper Excerpt from Through the Wall: A Year in Havana (Freedom Voices, 2005) New Year’s day in 1977, the fourteen-foot mountain of water peeling off Third Point at Malibu’s Surfrider beach reflected the pristine early morning sky after the rains, its smooth face, mottled with black and white explosions of cloud. Eve kicked and paddled furiously toward it,… Read more →
By Margot Pepper From forthcoming book, The Acrobat and Other Stories for Dark Times When Jeb Bailey arrived at the Town Hall, the sun’s implacable rays were still imprisoned behind the courtyard walls, the light only hinting at the lavender and yellow Gentec Passion Flower®, vines of Monsatano Bougainvillea® and faces of a few dozen children. It was easy to… Read more →