Twenty miles from here is a crossroad with no name—just two dirt roads meeting like old friends in the middle of the desert. A place where tears, longings, and souls are bartered for heart’s desires. How do I know? My neighbor told me as much. It turns out she’s the goddess of such places.
One evening, as we sat out on our respective porches and she sipped tequila from a teacup, I asked about the delicious smell coming from her kitchen window. She smiled an ancient smile and said, “Honey, that be soul pie.”
Thinking she had too much of the drink, I chuckled and said, “It smells like apples and cinnamon.”
Laughter fell from her mouth like stardust. “It tastes near the same, but sweeter. Some might say it tastes otherworldly.”
She told me she was the goddess of the crossroads that night. She told me of her glorious past and the loneliness of this new world. There, under the arms of the saguaros, beneath the moon, stars, and space, she spoke of her own desires. After her stories, as the coyotes howled, we ate pie together.
How did it taste, you ask? Otherworldly, of course.
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Postcard Stories Podcast – An Author Reading.
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4 Replies to “Desert Crossroads”
Oh no, no, no, no. You can’t leave me here….Are you now “otherworldly” I want to know what happened to you when you ate the pie??? I know you. Something had to happen.
I know, I’ll have to wait for the book…
There should be a novella coming about the goddess of the crossroads…you know me so well! So stay tuned, my friend and thanks for your comments as always!
That was perfectly moody for Halloween! Also, in a weak moment I’d be tempted to trade my soul for a fun-sized snickers 🙂
Thanks, Dawn! And I’ll give you some respect on the fun-sized snickers bar. For me, I love a good Tootsie Pop sucker! I guess that brings us to a bigger question, what’s a soul worth? Hmmm.
Word of the Year-2025
For my 2025 word of the year, I chose COURAGE. I know, it’s not the most original pick—but hear me out. Something about courage stuck with me this time, especially after watching a documentary on The Tragically Hip. For those unfamiliar, they’re kind of a Canadian thing. A band that
Hinterland is Real
They say seeing is believing. I didn’t know what that meant until that night. I was coming home late, later than I should, and I knew I was going to catch heck. Momma didn’t even pretend to be patient when me or my sister wasn’t home in time for dinner.
Deadly Mist
The mist crept closer, slithering across the boot prints she left behind on the soft, moist ground. She urged her legs to go faster over the uneven path. A leafless tree grabbed at the flying strands of her long silver hair as she ran past. They hung like shiny tinsel