Chris Klassen
Chris Klassen lives and writes in Toronto, Canada. After graduating from the University of Toronto and living for a year in France and England, he returned home and worked the majority of his career in print media. His stories have been published in numerous journals including Fleas on the Dog, Literally Stories, Vagabond City, Dark Winter, Ghost City Review, The Raven Review, The Coachella Review, Sortes Magazine, Amethyst Magazine, Toasted Cheese, and Mobius, among others. His first novel, entitled An Individual, is available through Dark Winter Press. Chris recommends Haven on the Queensway, a non-profit food and clothing bank.
“What normal life?” a third reporter asked. “Slum life?” But the government spokesman didn’t hear that question, or at least didn’t acknowledge that question. He had already turned towards his waiting black car and its open back door.
"Well, perhaps you can do your sermon on Job instead. I've always found that to be such an intriguing story. All the difficulties he faced, his tribulations, and his struggle to be patient and obedient. Yes, I would love to hear you preach about Job."
Holding my knapsack tight, the one I had packed with a few provisions for the inevitable chaos, I unzipped it and, from the fridge, filled it with the few pieces of fruit that had not gone moldy and a half-empty bottle of warm juice and some cookies.
"We were a team of five. We were laying explosives. Around an enemy safe house. At night. In the dark in the middle of the night. We had all finished our tasks. Had retreated back to the edge of the woods. Except your grandfather. He wasn't quite done. Almost done."
One weekend, walking randomly on the other side of town in a neighbourhood I’d never visited before, I stumbled upon a cemetery and it immediately fascinated me. Hundreds of tombstones, some visibly decaying with names almost illegible, others brand new, shiny and elegant.
