Short Story Selections

By Asa Montreaux  After that I took a lengthy nap leading up to dinner. I awoke feeling strangely somber, and a little like I could have used even more sleep. The traverse was ending, it seemed I had got through it unscathed, though it still brought a sadness to see the conclusion of the journey. All the same. I was restless. I got up and had enough of an appetite that I definitely did need something to eat.  I was quite sick of eating from the hotel room service, so I thought I would need to fulfill this hunger from some other source of food service. I suppose I was along the strip. It would be getting dark soon, though the purply dusk sky and the dry cooling off air would make for a nice walk while I looked for something worthwhile eating. It was curious sensation, like any other curious sensation, a combination of feelings. A very certain hungriness, and yet a very specific craving for something differing from the usual items of pleasurable and evolutionary satisfaction. I ...

By Asa Montreaux  When I left the airport in Boston there was a large lump in my throat. This was my test, I guess, to see if I could do tour 2.0. At the same time, though, I felt ready. It was indeed a smaller venue this time. The car pulled up, and I knew inside of me it was now or never. I closed my eyes, and breathed deeply and slowly. Maybe. There was just the smallest chance I could pull this off. Just maybe. Once again Calum was waiting for me outside. He looked lovely standing out there. 'Hi, Aidan.' 'Hi, Calum. Nice to see you again.' 'Likewise. So, how you feeling today?' 'I'm feeling better, honestly. Better than last time.' 'That's good. This time will be different. Trust me.' 'Yea?' 'Absolutely. Just trust me.' 'Okay.' 'Okay?' 'Okay.' 'Alright then. So, I'll do the introduction this time.' 'Great.' 'And don't worry, right to the ...

By Asa Montreaux   Well, that wasn't exactly what I wanted. It felt like I'd been passed out a long time, when I finally woke up. I was in the hospital. I looked down. I was in a gown and I could feel my underwear were gone. Ugh, someone undressed me. I blinked my eyes. I sat up. I felt weird. Someone came in the room. It was a nurse. 'Your awake.' 'Oh. Yea. Hello.' 'Everyone was so worried about you. We weren't sure what happened to you. Or what made you pass out.' 'It happens sometimes.' 'You should have told someone about it. We were ready to do all sorts of blood tests CTs and X-rays with you to figure out what's wrong. Your tour manager was so worried. I don't think anyone was so worried. He wanted us to get to the bottom of it. He'll be relieved if it was just anxiety, I imagine.' 'Yea. It's embarrassing.' 'You shouldn't be embarrassed. It happens to lots of people.' 'Yea. ...

By Asa Montreaux  When I arrived home in Vancouver I could settle down for the first time. My heart hadn't stopped racing since the interview and I hadn't slept a wink the night before my plane ride. I sat down on my bed, my mind replaying the images of Astelle and Goderich, and I instructed my heart to slow down. Fifteen minutes later, it started to slow down, and an hour later, my heart rate was normal again. When the plane took off on the flight home, I was certain my heart rate was going to beat so fast my hear would burst open. Before we left the ground I was seeing stars, and I could have sworn I had already passed out, when we got airborne, and I breathed a sigh of relief, and came back to consciousness. The announcement of the new writer was coming. Word would be out tomorrow. But for now, it was time to sleep. I lay down in my bed, closed my eyes, and with the lights on, I slept for ten hours. When I awoke it was morning, and I groggily got out of bed, my head ...