Published January 19, 2019 on the Ancient Paths Facebook page. Addie Jones told how she grew up on a farm in Texas—“Dirt poor even before the Depression,” she said. “Sometimes we went weeks and months with nothing to eat but cornmeal mush”, and then she laughed. “They call it polenta now.” Suzanne sat beside the hospital bed in the former dining room and knitted. As a Hospice volunteer, she came for an hour two days a week, time for the caregivers to get out a little, to run

This short story has been reprinted from the Ancient Paths archives. It originally appeared in Issue 8 (Spring 2002). In the printed Ancient Paths, this short story is masterfully illustrated by Mark Kilvington. Raised Up by Love by Larry Marshall Sams Yes, I know a large number of Christian people–even way over here in Worcester–may be interested in Mr. Taylor’s losing a second daughter in so short a time, and in Mr. Taylor’s manner of standing up to God’s striking him. Well

The following short story is a reprint from Issue 11 (Fall 2003) of Ancient Paths. Run for the Money by James Steimle On a sunleaning afternoon before all of his friends, Martin stood with secret wonder in hand, oblivious to the naughty wind swirling apple wood scents in the air with the smell of dinner brewing, baking, and boiling for the next autumnal hour. “Behold!” he said, and lifted the ten dollar bill. The crowd of four boys gasped and fell silent. They all lived in

This story is reprinted from Issue 12 (2004) of Ancient Paths literary magazine. The Celebration by Rachel Norris Tracy looked at the toes of her new shoes. The black patent winked back in the hot morning sun as she walked between her parents. She smiled down at the shiny leather and almost skipped as she thought how much Uncle Dan must love his new slippers. Though he never complained, those heavy boots must’ve hurt his big feet. And it did seem right, somehow, to wear new

The following short story is re-printed from the Ancient Paths archives. It was published in Issue 10 (Spring 2003). Salamanaca by Colleen Keating Joshua Claremont sat in the stiff-backed pew, bare feet aching, blistered shoulders burning. The fibers in his shirt ripped nerve endings into a screaming symphony piping through his being like the echoes of the massive cathedral organ. Shadows curled themselves into recesses of stone and wood as intrusive light spat glowing ray

This short story is re-printed from the Ancient Paths archives. It previously appeared in Issue 7 (Fall 2001). The Lord's Tennis Ball by Chris Williams I'll never forget the day I became a believer. While restlessly searching the radio dial for something to soothe my agitated soul, I stumbled upon a voice that seemed to speak to me. His words were simple yet direct and had the ring of truth. As if in a trance, I sat and listened at a master’s electronic feet for nearly three

This story is re-printed from the Ancient Paths archives. It was previously published in Issue 6 (Spring 2001). The Permission Slip by Lynn Roaten Terrell For days, the headlines had flashed the same frantic message: "Navajo Youth Claimed by Mystery Illness." The afternoon paper echoed the alarm: "Another Teen Struck Down at Four Corners." Unimpressed, I quickly turned to the crossword section. That was the only puzzle I was interested in at the moment. Our teenager, Ken, st

This short story is a re-print from the Ancient Paths archives. It was previously published in Issue 4 (Spring 2000). Mr. Wilson by Edward Leschke Old Mister Wilson and his wife lived next door to us. He’d been there forever. Even Mom couldn’t remember anyone else there and Mom was pretty old. I started to go over to Mister Wilson when I was five and watch him in his garage. He’d make chairs, tables, cabinets, rocking horses. All kinds of stuff out of wood. He even made me a

The following short story comes from the Ancient Paths archives, Issue 15. It was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2009. A History Lesson by Mark Clark "It's’s Peter,” I said. The short Japanese woman turned to regard me with something of a blank expression on her face. She had been arguing with her husband over the subject of a large oil painting on display in the sanctuary of the Cologne Cathedral. If I startled or annoyed her with my interruption, I couldn’t tell. Her

The following short story originally appeared in one of the earliest issues of Ancient Paths Literary Magazine, #3, which was published in the Fall of 1999. DECISION TIME by Thomas Stephen Burris, Sr. The screen-door slammed and the fox squirrel sitting in the fork of the mulberry tree peered bright-eyed toward the porch, ready for the handout that often accompanied that sound. To be sure, the old man was not intentionally feeding this furry marauder of the bird feeder. The t

The following short story has been republished from the Ancient Paths archives. It first appeared in 2005, in Issue 13. Flying by William R. Hincy My dad handed me the flashlight and began to ascend the ladder into the blackness of the rafters. I was aiming the flashlight right where he had directed me to as best I could as I steadied the ladder, but my consciousness kept wandering back to an imaginary bed with fluffy pillows and a permanent snooze on the alarm clock. It wa