Diane Tolley

“Gone” by Diane Tolley

Submitted to Contest #222

“Cross my palm with silver, young man and I shall tell you what I see in your future!” Gerald scratched his head and stared into the blue face. Was this a face he could trust? Should he be—as Brother Martin cautioned when he gave him the day off—cautious? “How do I know what you say is true?” The man straightened huffily and his blue skin seemed to glow. “You question the Blue Haruspex?” “Well . . . I . . .” “If I may interject.” Frederick, Gerald’s friend, whispered loudly into Gerald’s ear, “You are right to questio...

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“Summer'd Out” by Diane Tolley

I thought older guys were amazing. I found out they weren’t. It changed nothing. Maybe I should start at the beginning… The summer of 1970—the year I turned 15—was likely the most…erm…memorable in my life. I just wish it could have been for the right reasons. Sigh. At least I learned a lot… My first lesson came in a delivery van. The one with “Red and White grocery” emblazoned on the side. Oh, it wasn’t because I had a thing for vans. Or food, for that matter, although both are rather necessary, I admit. Nope. It was the driver of this parti...

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“Nighttime in Newsome” by Diane Tolley

Submitted to Contest #211

The town of Newsome, Saskatchewan has a secret.Has had for a very long time. Forty years or so.Umm…I guess it isn’t much of a secret if everyone knows.And they do. Everyone living in the town that is.Maybe I should get to the point…People in our town have been disappearing. Not in huge numbers. And not all at once. But here and there.One.Then, a few months later, another.And all out of our town jail.I am not making this up. Several of the people thrown in said jail for crimes ranging from misdemeanors to the more serious violent attacks, hav...

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“Just Another Family Car Trip” by Diane Tolley

Submitted to Contest #209

Traffic has slowed to a crawl. Not a usual thing for a small, semi-hard-topped, two-lane, secondary road twisting through the foothills of Southern Alberta. The Stringams join the end of an already long line of cars. Dad peers ahead through the windshield. “Huh. Weird.”  “What on earth could be causing this?” Mom spits on a Kleenex and starts to scrub the face of her youngest son, Blair, perched on the seat between them. “Careful with that chocolate bar, son, you’re getting it on your father.” “Can’t see, yet. But the line will be strai...

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“Gone” by Diane Tolley

Submitted to Contest #124

“Cross my palm with silver, young man and I shall tell you what I see in your future!” Gerald scratched his head and stared into the blue face. Was this a face he could trust? Should he be—as Brother Martin cautioned when he gave him the day off—cautious? “How do I know what you say is true?” The man straightened huffily and his blue skin seemed to glow. “You question the Blue Haruspex?” “Well . . . I . . .” “If I may interject.” Gerald’s friend, Frederick whispered loudly into Gerald’s ear, “You are right to question. I see not any entr...

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“First” by Diane Tolley

I had known him two months. A lifetime in single-adulthood. We had hung around in the same group—going to movies. Dances. Parties. Performing in skits. Attending church services. Even singing in the same choir. We had enjoyed lots of visiting and laughter. He seemed to like me and I definitely liked him. The time had come. “Soooo…what are you doing Friday night?” And just FYI, this was me asking… “Nothing. Oh, wait, I’m driving the volleyball team to their game.” “Can I come along?” And, just like that, we had a date. Okay a ‘date’, but that...

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