Harlan Covington

**The Summer in the Basement** It started with a crash. The kind that leaves your ears ringing—like a

**Just Someone Nearby** That bench in the little park on Camden Street used to be lively in the summer—schoolkids

When Joy Arrived The late March gloom hung thick as Michael trudged home after his shift. He always walked

Alice grew up like a weed by the roadside—unloved, unnoticed, uncared for. No warmth, no kindness, not

When Everything Went Quiet Without a Sound When the door slammed, William didn’t flinch. He sat on an

The letter arrived in an ordinary grey envelope, with no return address. The handwriting was unfamiliar—uneven

HOW I LOATHED HER… A slightly crumpled sheet of paper lay in her desk drawer, right beside her resignation letter.

One of those days when nothing hurts—just aches. By the bus stop near the old market square in Sheffield

**A Tough Decision. The Return** “If you want to go, then go,” said Oliver, placing his mug in the sink.

**The “Defective” Father** For as long as I can remember, Mum and I were stuck in the same old loop.