Flask

Since his wife's death, Luke's father has been taking more and more sips from his flask. And Luke's not sure if he likes that. He's also not sure if he likes how people treat him differently now, or if he likes how his dad and Mr. Xavier treat certain customers. Luke's not sure of a lot yet, but he's learning, and that might just be the saddest bit.

Set in 1962 Arkansas, "Flask" is a story told through the eyes of an eight-year-old about death, grief, race, and not just where it is we run when we run away, but to whom.

If you enjoy short stories from any of the following authors, "Flask" might just resonate with you: Caitlin Horrocks, Adam Johnson, Alice Walker, Raymond Carver, Colum McCann, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jim Harrison, and Karen Russell.

"Flask" is a story from Strays Like Us, a collection of ten standalone short stories exploring what it means to grow up in America.