J.G. Chayko

I sat down as the technician began to swathe my left arm in gauze. She wrapped the strips between my thumb and forefinger, and continued upwards beyond my wrist to my elbow. She pulled out a metal contraption that looked a bit like something from “The Terminator”. The metal thing was clamped over my arm and…

The summer fizzled out to cool evenings and chilly mornings. Jeans, long pants and turtlenecks emerged from the closet. The cool, cotton sheets that relieved hot skin on humid nights were now icy, giving me a slight chill every time I crawled into bed. One frosty night, I crawled between cold sheets and scrunched myself…

I stepped into the ring; the potato chip bag sat crinkled in his corner, his sealed edges rubbing his shoulders in encouragement. The old lady whispered in my ear, “You can take him”. I jogged on the spot, moving my neck from side to side, warming up for the match. The bag growled from his…

I stood at the top of the driveway gazing down the steep slope to the entrance of the bed and breakfast. The view beyond the house showed a stunning portrait of tranquil water nestled among the mountains beneath a sapphire sky. I inhaled the heady scent of salt water and seaweed, filling my lungs with…

I get into bed and wrap myself in a snug blanket; there is a chill in the summer air normally reserved for autumn. I watch as murky clouds sweep over the blue and obliterate the sunset. I can hear the old lady out on the deck. She rocks in a wooden chair, looking to the…

We stood in the hallway, just he and I in our own little bubble, while the party raged on around us. His sandy hair kissed the top of his forehead, inviting me to run my fingers through the silky strands. His deep blue eyes looked into my soul and my heart quivered at the very…

A chestnut jewellery hutch stands proudly against the cream wall. She is adorned with several drawers and secret compartments to safeguard the jewellery within her walls – strands of silver and gold chains, beaded necklaces, pendants , earrings, colorful bangles, sparkling hair pins, delicate bracelets – everything a woman needs to dress up for a…

The Mexican stand-off – a rotund opponent with a blue lid lies in wait on the counter, guns drawn, and a sneer on his transparent face. I pace the floor, flexing my fingers, prepping for the fight. The old lady rubs my shoulders, like a trainer sending his boxer to the ring. We’d met before,…

The old lady arrived one crisp October morning when I tried to rise from my bed. My muscles were stiff and sore, and I wondered if I had overdone it in dance class. I could still hear the music playing while I slowly padded around my kitchen making my coffee. I swayed to the sound…