Short Stories | Torsade Literary Space

September 2026
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The Enemy (part three)

Posted by ractrose on 14 Mar 2023 in Fiction, Short Stories

The Enemy (part three) Weapon of choice, was Palma’s thought. What is small and quick? A plummet, on the other hand, had virtues, quickness among them. The engineering of a plummet might be small…a distraction, a taped switch forcing an alarm to sound, a slippery floor. She saw the court […]

The Tambinder Engine (part seven)

Posted by ractrose on 4 Mar 2023 in Fiction, Short Stories

The Tambinder Engine A McAlley Story (part seven) She woke next morning, and would have wondered at the raw throat, the ill feeling… But her bedroom air was hazy with smoke. Kitten Bobbo’s claws tickled her ankle as she toed below the spread for slippers. As often, in these days […]

The Tambinder Engine (part six)

Posted by ractrose on 31 Dec 2022 in Fiction, Short Stories

The Tambinder Engine A McAlley Story (part six) She passed Matthew’s picture window and stopped, saw a couple at the bottom of the drive. The woman’s hair, hanging long and coarse, ash blonde, her young face furrowed, mouth and brow. She scowled, and the furrows came strong. The man, wind […]

The Tambinder Engine (part five)

Posted by ractrose on 2 Nov 2022 in Fiction, Short Stories

The Tambinder Engine A McAlley Story (part five) Dear Victor I am not a scientific person, but I believe I understand some of what you’ve kindly explained. You envision—or your ancestor, I ought to say, envisioned—a spiral chamber to capture the energy of the tides and accelerate the displacement […]

Heckler (conclusion)

Posted by ractrose on 26 Oct 2022 in Fiction, Short Stories

Heckler (part three) “So like, my credit hour cost was two-hundred something, toss in fees, round it up… Say the minimum wage goes to fifteen, say I work a shift and a half at Starbucks, I earn back one hour at state. Or maybe not, I’m an English Lit dropout, […]

Tourmaline: The Enemy (part two)

Posted by ractrose on 8 Oct 2022 in Fiction, Short Stories

The Enemy (part two) “That dry wit of yours. Anyone listening in would call you a danger to the public peace.” Palma returned a smile, dry enough. “Sulya, they listen every minute. To you, too.” Sulya gave a nod. “They watch, as well as listen. Subject indicates agreement. My little schemes […]

Heckler (part two)

Posted by ractrose on 28 Sep 2022 in Fiction, Short Stories

Heckler (part two) You’re guessing I didn’t like the sound of this? No shit, but…working for Delaney is like this. You do good, he gives you more jobs. You say no to a job, maybe he’ll call you. To hand out coupons on the street, dressed like a Thanksgiving turkey. […]

Heckler (part one)

Posted by ractrose on 9 Sep 2022 in Fiction, Short Stories

Heckler (part one) One of the people I know told me about these guys. Like if you wanted a loser property you owned out of the way, it’s ashes, no one finds a trace wrong—cause they use some military kind of laser. You get a little free money from the […]

Depression Glass (part five)

Posted by ractrose on 4 Sep 2022 in Fiction, Short Stories

Depression Glass (part five) “You’re twenty-one,” her aunt said on the phone. “Yeah, I am.” Merrilee and Monica, roommates then, had gone to a steakhouse known for its goofy cocktails, with the promise they’d try three, each different from the last. “Happy birthday. How you feel?” “Not awful.” “Great. I’m […]

The Tambinder Engine (part four)

Posted by ractrose on 25 Aug 2022 in Fiction, Short Stories

The Tambinder Engine A McAlley Story (part four) McAlley had told her he did not. She believed he did. Summer of that year passed to autumn, and Dustin did not write. Deenie settled for an exercise of Tirza’s. Tell your frustrations, when they crowd up, that you see them, that […]