Short Story Review: "Chalkers" by Michael Bracken

Using chalk to send coded messages on the sidewalks at an unnamed Baptist university in Texas is a way for men with certain interests to contact other men with those same interests. It was done 40 years ago when the narrator had attended the conservative school and it is still the technique used now.

40 years ago something happened one night and Bryce Daniels vanished. The eleven remaining numbers of the group have hardly spoken to each other since. Now, thanks to a sidewalk message in chalk in their traditional spot outside the English Building, the remaining members of the group have been summoned to meet once again. Secrets will be revealed in this complex story from author Michael Bracken.

Along with his crime fiction, author Michael Bracken is perhaps best known for his confession style stories published in a variety of markets. Such is the case here in “Chalkers” as the entire story consists of narration without almost any dialogue. The one sentence of dialogue in the story is powerful because of the statement it contains but also because the one sentence explains almost everything. This short story of slightly more than two thousand words from Untreed Reads Publishing works on all levels and is a good one.

Material supplied quite some time ago by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012