The master alchemist's voice rang clearly from the stone walls. Anyone hearing it knew immediately that he was Important."The vials are identical," he explained, as if lecturing particularly favored ... [+]
Susan Fuchtman writes poetry and short stories. Her work can be found in Plume, Emerge, Stonecrop Review, Stone of Madness, Reckon Review, and elsewhere. She currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa. @susanfuchtman "Paris Street; Rainy Day" is in Short Circuit #13, Short Édition's quarterly review.
There's a painting at the Chicago Institute of Art by Gustave Caillebotte titled Paris Street; Rainy Day. I used to go and look at it every Thursday. Thursday, because that's the day with the fewest visitors. I'd been there so many Thursdays that there were little depressions in the floor where I always stood. And here's the thing: I loved–love–Suzette. She's the woman in the painting, with her arm looped through her lover's. Her lover is named Leon. He's a foul thing, rich and arrogant and empty. On the far right is Suzette's husband, Armand, who's returned early from a business trip. All you