K. Marvin Bruce

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Squirrel Play Between the Sheets

There'll be more The Space between Atoms shortly. I promise. I thought I'd stop to point out a new story publication—we struggling writers need a bit of encouragement every now and again! My weird, perhaps unnerving tale "Between the Sheets" is now live on Yellow Mama . This story is about what happens when the unexplained comes home to stay. I'm willing to admit, as most honest people are, that strange things do happen in life. Often we can find an explanation. Sometimes we can't. I suspect that's why I like speculative fiction so much. There's a sense of wonder to it. As a friend of mine who's a published novelist likes to say, stories need a flux capacitor. It's a reference to Back to the Future . It's how Doc's time machine works. It's never explained because it can't be, but without it there's no story. Some day I may grow brave enough to publish nonfiction about the strange things I've noted in my life

The Space between Atoms 34

Settling in doesn’t take long when your worldly possessions are in one pack. When Terah saw his new house was numbered 77 he had to wonder—had there ever been that many buildings here? The numbering scheme at Dickinsheet was idiosyncratic. Of course, he knew little about the place. He gathered that it was named after the unfortunately named founder, but he was curious about the history. Moby would be the man to answer his questions. He made his way back to the little man’s house. Here in the middle of winter, with no roads to be plowed and outdoor work uncomfortable, the community was in simple survival mode. January was like that. Moby seemed glad for the visit. “Come in, Cal, was it?” “Thanks, yes.” “If you don’t mind my saying, Cal, you look like a professor.” He’d known some pretty shabby academics in his day, but this made him laugh. “I used to teach,” he admitted. “Something about your face. I can tell a person who reads a lot. I suspect you miss books.”

The Space between Atoms 33

“Hagrid, you know. I think everyone goes by nickname. We don’t ask about nobody’s past. Another rule. Some people tell, and that’s okay. Askin’s not. Oh, an’ there’s a signal for privacy here.” She went to a rusty mailbox missing its door. She raised the flag. “Occupied. Put it down when ya come out. The guys all respect that. Terah felt odd, being introduced around. Until he’d met Lindsey he’d been on his own for months, and as an adjunct professor nobody really cares who you are. The clear, cold weather had continued. The first house they came to housed Moby. He didn’t look like a white whale at all, but he was surprisingly literary. “Talkin’ to him’s like readin’ a book,” Lindsey explained. Moby had been a teacher who’d fallen on budget cuts and come off scarred. A small man, he wore glasses and his skin was a pleasant shade of brown. Beards, as Terah surmised, were the norm. “I started a little free library,” Moby said. “Not all the guys

The Space between Atoms 32

He threw his arms around Lindsey. “Mich!” he called, “I can’t believe you’re here!” “Get off me!” she growled, worming out of his grip. “An’ it’s Claresta here.” She looked around to ensure Terah’s rashness hadn’t been seen. Although chastened, he couldn’t get the smile off his face. “Maybe someday I’ll use your real name. So Claresta, how’d you come to be here?” “Look, Cal, let’s step inside. Phew! No plumbing!” “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting company.” He pointed to the fire. They settled on the floor. “I been here before,” she began. “I prefer to be on my own, but when I was first tryin’ to figure it out the guys from Dickinsheet welcomed me in. Bein’ who I am, I was afraid I might get raped, but these guys are perfect gentlemen. Gave me the best house in town. We all got along well, but I needed my space. When I got on the road, outta that garage the other day, I recognized where I was an’ came straight here.” “We didn’t have any backup plans.” “I couldn’t

The Space between Atoms 31

“Claresta won’t appreciate you walking in without knocking.” Terah turned around. The bearded man behind him was large, looming, and unkempt. “Sorry,” Terah managed. “I’m new to the neighborhood.” The light was failing and Terah didn’t cherish spending the cold night outdoors. His right leg still ached and he was exhausted. “We don’t have a realtor,” the large man boomed, “but nobody’s in number 27.” “I appreciate that,” Terah said, remaining cautious. “Name’s Cal.” “Hagrid,” the stranger nodded. “It’s this way, Cal.” With the light fading fast, determining the number of houses was impossible. “If I may, what’s this place called?” “If you may? Where are you from, finishing school? Here we just ask questions. It’s Dickinsheet. And what brings you here?” His faux polite manner was mocking, but didn’t seem malicious. “On my way west. If I— Do the authorities know about this place?” “What authorities? The slave-drivers most people call bosses, police and pol

The Space between Atoms 30

As the stream began to climb, it had formed a natural setting for a mill. Dilapidated, the remains of one crouched alongside the stream. This was far from where anybody now lived, like the Deserted Village in Watchung Reservation. Danielle had taken him there. Technically Feltville, it had been a place where a community had thrived, but had eventually been abandoned. Houses still stood, falling apart, but the area was now being preserved. Of course, in New Jersey nothing was really far from anything else, but here? From the mill Terah saw scattered, clearly forsaken houses, up on the hill. Some towns, like New Amsterdam, caught on and became New York City. Others, like Pithole City near where he had entered the world, were left to rot. It was like when you had an idea and began to follow it, but others dropped out when it wasn’t an instant success. Terah recalled that Weird New Jersey had designated the area around Feltville “the Enchanted Forest.” Young people