Yellow Mama Archives

Andy Tu
Home
Adair, Jay
Adhikari, Sudeep
Ahern, Edward
Aldrich, Janet M.
Allan, T. N.
Allen, M. G.
Ammonds, Phillip J.
Anderson, Fred
Anderson, Peter
Andreopoulos, Elliott
Arab, Bint
Armstrong, Dini
Augustyn, P. K.
Aymar, E. A.
Babbs, James
Baber, Bill
Bagwell, Dennis
Bailey, Ashley
Bailey, Thomas
Baird, Meg
Bakala, Brendan
Baker, Nathan
Balaz, Joe
BAM
Barber, Shannon
Barker, Tom
Barlow, Tom
Bates, Jack
Bayly, Karen
Baugh, Darlene
Bauman, Michael
Baumgartner, Jessica Marie
Beale, Jonathan
Beck, George
Beckman, Paul
Benet, Esme
Bennett, Brett
Bennett, Charlie
Bennett, D. V.
Benton, Ralph
Berg, Carly
Berman, Daniel
Bernardara, Will Jr.
Berriozabal, Luis
Beveridge, Robert
Bickerstaff, Russ
Bigney, Tyler
Blackwell, C. W.
Bladon, Henry
Blake, Steven
Blakey, James
Bohem, Charlie Keys and Les
Bonner, Kim
Booth, Brenton
Boski, David
Bougger, Jason
Boyd, A. V.
Boyd, Morgan
Boyle, James
Bracey, DG
Brewka-Clark, Nancy
Britt, Alan
Broccoli, Jimmy
Brooke, j
Brown, R. Thomas
Brown, Sam
Bruce, K. Marvin
Bryson, Kathleen
Burke, Wayne F.
Burnwell, Otto
Burton, Michael
Bushtalov, Denis
Butcher, Jonathan
Butkowski, Jason
Butler, Terence
Cameron, W. B.
Campbell, J. J.
Campbell, Jack Jr.
Cano, Valentina
Cardinale, Samuel
Cardoza, Dan A.
Carlton, Bob
Carr, Jennifer
Cartwright, Steve
Carver, Marc
Castle, Chris
Catlin, Alan
Centorbi, David
Chesler, Adam
Christensen, Jan
Clausen, Daniel
Clevenger, Victor
Clifton, Gary
Cmileski, Sue
Cody, Bethany
Coey, Jack
Coffey, James
Colasuonno, Alfonso
Condora, Maddisyn
Conley, Jen
Connor, Tod
Cooper, Malcolm Graham
Copes, Matthew
Coral, Jay
Corrigan, Mickey J.
Cosby, S. A.
Costello, Bruce
Cotton, Mark
Coverley, Harris
Crandall, Rob
Criscuolo, Carla
Crist, Kenneth
Cross, Thomas X.
Cumming, Scott
D., Jack
Dallett, Cassandra
Danoski, Joseph V.
Daly, Sean
Davies, J. C.
Davis, Christopher
Davis, Michael D.
Day, Holly
de Bruler, Connor
Degani, Gay
De France, Steve
De La Garza, Lela Marie
Deming, Ruth Z.
Demmer, Calvin
De Neve, M. A.
Dennehy, John W.
DeVeau, Spencer
Di Chellis, Peter
Dillon, John J.
DiLorenzo, Ciro
Dilworth, Marcy
Dioguardi, Michael Anthony
Dionne, Ron
Dobson, Melissa
Domenichini, John
Dominelli, Rob
Doran, Phil
Doreski, William
Dority, Michael
Dorman, Roy
Doherty, Rachel
Dosser, Jeff
Doyle, Jacqueline
Doyle, John
Draime, Doug
Drake, Lena Judith
Dromey, John H.
Dubal, Paul Michael
Duke, Jason
Duncan, Gary
Dunham, T. Fox
Duschesneau, Pauline
Dunn, Robin Wyatt
Duxbury, Karen
Duy, Michelle
Eade, Kevin
Ebel, Pamela
Elliott, Garnett
Ellman, Neil
England, Kristina
Erianne, John
Espinosa, Maria
Esterholm, Jeff
Fabian, R. Gerry
Fallow, Jeff
Farren, Jim
Fedolfi, Leon
Fenster, Timothy
Ferraro, Diana
Filas, Cameron
Fillion, Tom
Fishbane, Craig
Fisher, Miles Ryan
Flanagan, Daniel N.
Flanagan, Ryan Quinn
Flynn, Jay
Fortunato, Chris
Francisco, Edward
Frank, Tim
Fugett, Brian
Funk, Matthew C.
Gann, Alan
Gardner, Cheryl Ann
Garvey, Kevin Z.
Gay, Sharon Frame
Gentile, Angelo
Genz, Brian
Giersbach, Walter
Gladeview, Lawrence
Glass, Donald
Goddard, L. B.
Godwin, Richard
Goff, Christopher
Golds, Stephen J.
Goss, Christopher
Gradowski, Janel
Graham, Sam
Grant, Christopher
Grant, Stewart
Greenberg, K.J. Hannah
Greenberg, Paul
Grey, John
Guirand, Leyla
Gunn, Johnny
Gurney, Kenneth P.
Hagerty, David
Haglund, Tobias
Halleck, Robert
Hamlin, Mason
Hansen, Vinnie
Hanson, Christopher Kenneth
Hanson, Kip
Harrington, Jim
Harris, Bruce
Hart, GJ
Hartman, Michelle
Hartwell, Janet
Haskins, Chad
Hawley, Doug
Haycock, Brian
Hayes, A. J.
Hayes, John
Hayes, Peter W. J.
Heatley, Paul
Heimler, Heidi
Helmsley, Fiona
Hendry, Mark
Heslop, Karen
Heyns, Heather
Hilary, Sarah
Hill, Richard
Hivner, Christopher
Hockey, Matthew J.
Hogan, Andrew J.
Holderfield, Culley
Holton, Dave
Houlahan, Jeff
Howells, Ann
Hoy, J. L.
Huchu, Tendai
Hudson, Rick
Huffman, A. J.
Huguenin, Timothy G.
Huskey, Jason L.
Ippolito, Curtis
Irascible, Dr. I. M.
Jaggers, J. David
James, Christopher
Jarrett, Nigel
Jayne, Serena
Johnson, Beau
Johnson, Moctezuma
Johnson, Zakariah
Jones, D. S.
Jones, Erin J.
Jones, Mark
Kabel, Dana
Kaiser, Alison
Kanach, A.
Kaplan, Barry Jay
Kay, S.
Keaton, David James
Kempka, Hal
Kerins, Mike
Keshigian, Michael
Kevlock, Mark Joseph
King, Michelle Ann
Kirk, D.
Kitcher, William
Knott, Anthony
Koenig, Michael
Kokan, Bob
Kolarik, Andrew J.
Korpon, Nik
Kovacs, Norbert
Kovacs, Sandor
Kowalcyzk, Alec
Krafft, E. K.
Kunz, Dave
Lacks, Lee Todd
Lang, Preston
Larkham, Jack
La Rosa, F. Michael
Leasure, Colt
Leatherwood, Roger
LeDue, Richard
Lees, Arlette
Lees, Lonni
Leins, Tom
Lemieux, Michael
Lemming, Jennifer
Lerner, Steven M
Leverone, Allan
Levine, Phyllis Peterson
Lewis, Cynthia Ruth
Lewis, LuAnn
Licht, Matthew
Lifshin, Lyn
Lilley, James
Liskey, Tom Darin
Lodge, Oliver
Lopez, Aurelio Rico III
Lorca, Aurelia
Lovisi, Gary
Lubaczewski, Paul
Lucas, Gregory E.
Lukas, Anthony
Lynch, Nulty
Lyon, Hillary
Lyons, Matthew
Mac, David
MacArthur, Jodi
Malone, Joe
Mann, Aiki
Manthorne, Julian
Manzolillo, Nicholas
Marcius, Cal
Marrotti, Michael
Mason, Wayne
Mathews, Bobby
Mattila, Matt
Matulich, Joel
McAdams, Liz
McCaffrey, Stanton
McCartney, Chris
McDaris, Catfish
McFarlane, Adam Beau
McGinley, Chris
McGinley, Jerry
McElhiney, Sean
McJunkin, Ambrose
McKim, Marci
McMannus, Jack
McQuiston, Rick
Mellon, Mark
Memi, Samantha
Middleton, Bradford
Miles, Marietta
Miller, Max
Minihan, Jeremiah
Montagna, Mitchel
Monson, Mike
Mooney, Christopher P.
Moran, Jacqueline M.
Morgan, Bill W.
Moss, David Harry
Mullins, Ian
Mulvihill, Michael
Muslim, Kristine Ong
Nardolilli, Ben
Nelson, Trevor
Nessly, Ray
Nester, Steven
Neuda, M. C.
Newell, Ben
Newman, Paul
Nielsen, Ayaz
Nobody, Ed
Nore, Abe
Numann, Randy
Ogurek, Douglas J.
O'Keefe, Sean
Orrico, Connor
Ortiz, Sergio
Pagel, Briane
Park, Jon
Parks, Garr
Parr, Rodger
Parrish, Rhonda
Partin-Nielsen, Judith
Peralez, R.
Perez, Juan M.
Perez, Robert Aguon
Peterson, Ross
Petroziello, Brian
Petska, Darrell
Pettie, Jack
Petyo, Robert
Phillips, Matt
Picher, Gabrielle
Pierce, Curtis
Pierce, Rob
Pietrzykowski, Marc
Plath, Rob
Pointer, David
Post, John
Powell, David
Power, Jed
Powers, M. P.
Praseth, Ram
Prazych, Richard
Priest, Ryan
Prusky, Steve
Pruitt, Eryk
Purfield, M. E.
Purkis, Gordon
Quinlan, Joseph R.
Quinn, Frank
Rabas, Kevin
Ragan, Robert
Ram, Sri
Rapth, Sam
Ravindra, Rudy
Reich, Betty
Renney, Mark
reutter, g emil
Rhatigan, Chris
Rhiel, Ann Marie
Ribshman, Kevin
Ricchiuti, Andrew
Richardson, Travis
Richey, John Lunar
Ridgeway, Kevin
Rihlmann, Brian
Ritchie, Bob
Ritchie, Salvadore
Robinson, John D.
Robinson, Kent
Rodgers, K. M.
Roger, Frank
Rose, Mandi
Rose, Mick
Rosenberger, Brian
Rosenblum, Mark
Rosmus, Cindy
Rowland, C. A.
Ruhlman, Walter
Rutherford, Scotch
Sahms, Diane
Saier, Monique
Salinas, Alex
Sanders, Isabelle
Sanders, Sebnem
Santo, Heather
Savage, Jack
Sayles, Betty J.
Schauber, Karen
Schneeweiss, Jonathan
Schraeder, E. F.
Schumejda, Rebecca
See, Tom
Sethi, Sanjeev
Sexton, Rex
Seymour, J. E.
Shaikh, Aftab Yusuf
Sheagren, Gerald E.
Shepherd, Robert
Shirey, D. L.
Shore, Donald D.
Short, John
Sim, Anton
Simmler, T. Maxim
Simpson, Henry
Sinisi, J. J.
Sixsmith, JD
Slagle, Cutter
Slaviero, Susan
Sloan, Frank
Small, Alan Edward
Smith, Brian J.
Smith, Ben
Smith, C.R.J.
Smith, Copper
Smith, Greg
Smith, Elena E.
Smith, Ian C.
Smith, Paul
Smith, Stephanie
Smith, Willie
Smuts, Carolyn
Snethen, Daniel G.
Snoody, Elmore
Sojka, Carol
Solender, Michael J.
Sortwell, Pete
Sparling, George
Spicer, David
Squirrell, William
Stanton, Henry G.
Steven, Michael
Stevens, J. B.
Stewart, Michael S.
Stickel, Anne
Stoler, Cathi
Stolec, Trina
Stoll, Don
Stryker, Joseph H.
Stucchio, Chris
Succre, Ray
Sullivan, Thomas
Surkiewicz, Joe
Swanson, Peter
Swartz, Justin A.
Sweet, John
Tarbard, Grant
Tait, Alyson
Taylor, J. M.
Thompson, John L.
Thompson, Phillip
Thrax, Max
Ticktin, Ruth
Tillman, Stephen
Titus, Lori
Tivey, Lauren
Tobin, Tim
Torrence, Ron
Tu, Andy
Turner, Lamont A.
Tustin, John
Ullerich, Eric
Valent, Raymond A.
Valvis, James
Vilhotti, Jerry
Waldman, Dr. Mel
Walker, Dustin
Walsh, Patricia
Walters, Luke
Ward, Emma
Washburn, Joseph
Watt, Max
Weber, R.O.
Weil, Lester L.
White, Judy Friedman
White, Robb
White, Terry
Wickham, Alice
Wilhide, Zach
Williams, K. A.
Wilsky, Jim
Wilson, Robley
Wilson, Tabitha
Woodland, Francis
Woods, Jonathan
Young, Mark
Yuan, Changming
Zackel, Fred
Zafiro, Frank
Zapata, Angel
Zee, Carly
Zeigler, Martin
Zimmerman, Thomas
Butler, Simon Hardy

feedmemysoul.jpg
Art by Steve Cartwright © 2016

Feed Me My Soul

Andy Tu

 

Daniel was walking home when he noticed the shop on the corner of the street, the front door cracked open and a glow of blue light trying to escape from inside. He’d never noticed it before, even though it sat there between the ice cream parlor and bookstore, which he passed every day to and from work.

A curiosity drew him near that windowless place, the only sign of a merchant inside being the words etched into the wood above the frame: For Purchase, or Trade.

He glanced around at the people enduring the winter fog, scarves wrapping their necks and arms around themselves. Yet a line stretched outside of the ice cream parlor; a mother and daughter left with cones in hand, licking the chocolate swirls as if it were a warm afternoon. There was something queer about it all, and it seemed like he was the only one who could see the shop on the corner, as those who passed behind him did not even glance over.

He went inside. The blue glow persisted, reminding him of one of those brothels on the other side of town that informed you of its seediness by covering everything in a shade of color. It looked more like a garage sale than a shop: items were spread across long, wooden tables that had been set up in the middle and along the sides with no regard for convenience of browsing. A woman with pitch-black hair sat on a stool in the far corner, her body angled at the door and a smile on her lips, as if she’d been waiting for someone to come in. Daniel expected her to say something—welcome, maybe—but she just sat there.

“Hi,” he offered, but she did not respond. Strange place, he thought. You could always tell what kind of items a store sold by the characteristics of its owner, just as you could tell the temperament of a dog by its master. He was about to turn right back around to leave when among the jumble of picture frames, jewelry boxes, lamps, and figurines, something caught his eye—a radio.

It had no numbers on it, just a single dial that glinted in the blue light. Two antennas perked up its sides like bunny ears. Strange, but unique.

“This radio here,” he said to the woman. “Why’s it have no frequency measurements?”

Still she did not respond.

“Excuse me!” he said, wondering if she were pretending not to hear as some sort of joke (even though her eyes seemed to be on him). “How much for this radio?” He picked it up.

“Ten dollars.” The voice came from where the woman sat. But her lips did not appear to move and it sounded like that of a much younger woman’s, high and mouse-like. Daniel took a step around the table when the voice said, “Please, sir, you may take it and leave the money on the table. I’m sorry but I have a fear of proximity. You see I was mugged and thus I’m prone not to trust anyone, especially as the lad had asked for the time and all seemed well until he kicked my shins and stole off with my watch!”

Daniel could swear her lips still hadn’t moved. But it was somewhat dark, and he didn’t feel the need to press further, so he turned around and placed ten dollars on the table before leaving with the radio in hand.

“Thank you, sir!” said the voice as the door closed behind him.

In his apartment, he plugged it in and began turning the dial. All was static for a while, until he heard a voice softly singing.

Embers to ashes…

The voice was familiar, but he couldn’t figure out who it was.

This home that burns into hell…

“Breaking news! Fire has broken out in City Square! The roofs are ablaze as store owners rush out with merchandise and families head for Lilac Park. The city is warning everyone to stay away, and to not approach even if you have family and friends there, as this will only congest the roads and make evacuation impossible. The fire is being put out, so please do not panic.”

City Square! What were the chances? Where the shop was! If he’d lingered around longer, perhaps he’d be surrounded by flames! His heart began pounding as he went to the other side of his room and peered out his window. But he saw no smoke, no glow of fire, no one in the streets. The station host had said to not panic, but he fully expected people to be fleeing their homes anyway. A chill wandered in through the window as if to confirm the idleness outside. The radio had gone silent.

It was that woman! Or whoever was in that shop, hiding somewhere! A prank! He put it together then: whoever they were, they had rigged this radio to pick up a signal only they controlled. And he was the fool listening.

He’d worked himself into a sweat, and so unplugged the radio and went into the bathroom to wash off his face before crawling into bed, hearing the faded voice of that song in his head—embers to ashes… Still, he’d go to the shop tomorrow, stomp toward the lady, and weasel out the hidden rascal behind the tables and inform them of the seriousness of their hoax.

Throughout the night, he kept waking up, disturbed by a sound that seemed to disappear the moment he listened for it. Eventually he became annoyed enough to get up and examine the radio once more.

There was no slot for batteries, and the surface was completely smooth without a single nail. Nor was the case two halves glued together, but a single piece. How the hell did they make this? He began turning the knob.

Help… me…

He froze and brought the radio to his ear. No other sounds came. Another gimmick of the radio? He wouldn’t be fooled again. He took the radio to the kitchen and set it in the cupboards above the sink, returned to bed, and finally fell asleep.

 

Daniel left for work fifteen minutes early so that he could give the pranksters a little lecture. But the door to the shop was closed. And the words that had been etched above in the sign—For Purchase, or Trade—had disappeared. He knocked. And waited. Knocked again. Waited. Until he remembered that mousy voice that had caused such commotion within him about the fire that he reached for the knob and turned it on the chance that it was unlocked, which it was.

“Forget manners,” he mumbled, going in.

“Hello?” he said. It was dark, without that blue light from yesterday. Dust sifted into his nostrils and throat. He coughed.

“I just want to talk about an item I purchased.”

His eyes adjusted to the outlines of the room, seeing only as far as the dawn light entered from behind. The tables lay before him, still placed inconveniently for anyone to pass to the back of the room.

“Hello?!” he yelled, demanding a response.

He saw a flashlight on the table, picked it up and turned it on; pointed it around the items on the table, then to the corner where the woman sat yesterday, and there she was! Her legs crossed, hands folded on her lap. That fixed smile! Daniel jumped back and felt pins pricking the insides of his skin.

“You there! I know about the radio, what it really is,” he said, making his way through the maze-like spaces. “It’s not funny, you know. Someone could have a serious fright hearing things like that.”

Still no response.

“Woman! Do you hear me?”

The door slammed shut behind him.

“Holy Hell, this is not funny!” His legs began trembling, as did his hand, which shook along with the flashlight and the spot of light on the woman’s frozen face.

“Oh but it is!” said that voice.

“Where are you?”

He saw a glow of orange on the walls in front of him and felt a heat rise from behind. He turned around and saw flames spreading, swirling and engulfing the tables.

Daniel pushed away the tables between him and the woman and ran to her face, throwing his hands wildly in front of her. But like a damned gargoyle, she did not move.

“No way out now,” said the voice.

He saw an opening in the wall behind the woman, a passage barely lit by the encroaching flames. He rushed inside and found himself descending stairs, the growing heat pushing him down as the light faded.

“Whatever this is, whoever you are. You must know, the police will come!”

He continued his descent as the darkness became darker and the air chilled on his face like cold rain. All was silent except for his footsteps, until he heard something and saw a light below.

Embers to ashes…this home that burns into Hell…

The light below did not grow as he took his steps. His legs did not tire, either. And those lyrics kept singing, looping over and over as time seemed to slow and fade toward eternity.

Feed me… feed me my soul…

He tried to yell; but only a whisper escaped, barely emerging through the chords of his throat.

Help… me…”


Andy Tu is currently living in Colombia to redefine his writing and himself. His past publications are in Apocrypha and Abstractions, Heater, The Literary Commune, and a bunch of others!

In Association with Fossil Publications