GlassFire Magazine

Home     Editorial     Fiction   Creative Non-Fiction   Poetry     Reviews     Submissions     Contact Us

Quarter Acre Paradise

Tracie McBride

This is the perfect first home. 

Three bedrooms, a run for the

dog, a double garage,  there’s

even a pine tree out the

front for the kids to climb.  And

of course, you can’t go past that

view.  It’s even better at

night, with the town all lit up. 

Now, let me show you around

inside.  Yes, the bathroom and

toilet are separate.  You’ve

got to have that, with a young

family.  You’ll notice the

natural timber walls, a

typical feature of the

Lockwood home.  They go with all

colours and styles of décor,

and there’s no need to paint or

wallpaper.  And madam, if

you feel the need to bash your

children senseless against these

walls, the blood washes right off.

Tracie McBride is a mother of three from New Zealand.  She has a diploma in creative writing and is a member of the Wellington-based Phoenix Science Fiction Writers’ Group.  Her work has appeared (or will soon be appearing) in various electronic, print and podcast publications, including Pulp Net, Gambara, Electric Velocipede, Bound Off, Bravado and T-Zero.