Hope Wanted
by Rachel Watts I printed it clearly on the form: HOPE WANTED. Toying with the pen, I stalled. Is that all? The old clock on the wall above my head ticked like a challenge. “And? And? And?” it said. I … Continue reading Hope Wanted
by Rachel Watts I printed it clearly on the form: HOPE WANTED. Toying with the pen, I stalled. Is that all? The old clock on the wall above my head ticked like a challenge. “And? And? And?” it said. I … Continue reading Hope Wanted
by Brenda Anderson In the corner of the bus station, the vending machine glowed iridescent blue. Mara punched a button, and the government holo flicked on. “Welcome, Mara! One whipping boy a day makes the blues go away, but you’ve … Continue reading Madam Lash Gets Therapy
by Sandor Kovacs I didn’t know why people called it Rainbow. It was best for me, though, because I couldn’t remember the long name of the chemical compound. After the medic had pushed it into my vein, I even felt … Continue reading Rainbow
by Janel Brubaker Pain ripped through her body, fire searing all beneath her skin. Tears ran down her cheeks as she stumbled through the forest, each breath a puff of steam amidst winter cold. She tried to regulate her breathing … Continue reading Transformation
by Eric Scholz I felt nothing the morning they committed my body to the earth though the sun shined brightly, warming deeply, all who gathered. My mother cried and my fiancée chewed her hair. My grandmother prayed and my grandfather … Continue reading When I Became a Tree
Words by Mike McClelland Visual Art by Casey McClelland As she stared at the pixelated Troll Mage aggressively prostrating itself before her, Tectonica understood that she needed to choose one of four ways to deal with the stinking, drooling creature. … Continue reading Bug
by Samuel Barnhart I’m running as fast as I can. Aside from being late, it’s a perfect night for “The New Voice of 1984” to debut. A cloudless sky with the moon’s spotlight following me as I race to the … Continue reading Idol Debut
by Dylan Taylor The fire came from the inside. Small flames licked my abdomen, but more blackened coal-stoked char than open flame. Sure it was painful, but it wasn’t the pain I remember, it was the shock. An aroma like … Continue reading Von Fries
by Jane Rawson The hurricane lantern was flickering more than usual. She checked the gas line but everything seemed fine. Oh blimey, she thought, not the mantle. Last time she’d had to ransack the outdoor shop in town it had … Continue reading The Last Idea
by Ephiny Gale “Karen!” I bash my fist against the bathroom door. “I had a friend who slipped in the shower and sliced his thumb off. I’m not exaggerating!” For several seconds all I can hear is the rumble of … Continue reading Morning Sickness