She was fifteen when her parents realized she was a kite. First, they tethered her to the bedpost to stop her from flying out the window. She kept bumping her head against the ceiling, though, so they tried other places next: the kitchen table, to keep an eye on her, but the cat wouldn’t leave … Continue reading The Kite Girl by Natalia Theodoridou
Woman’s Knife Ruby had called in all her favors for the obsidian. A very unfeminine request, some remarked. She hadn’t collected the sharp edged slab of obsidian. Her brother’s friend, obsessed with conquering mountains, left it at her door. It all boiled down to glass. A frozen pool of translucent black that cut her fingers … Continue reading Woman’s Knife * Dead Skin * Stealing Canoes by Sloan Thomas
The boy made of water doesn’t answer the door when the neighbors come knocking. He’s lived alone for a long time now, and people frighten him. He has seen their cars come up the winding drive, has heard their voices at the door. His mother is the woman who made him. She was a mad … Continue reading A Soft Heart by Cathy Ulrich
“Naflah is very beautiful,” Father says as he guides Fazil into the majlis. “Much more beautiful than the first sister. Come and see.” Fazil enters the room, followed by his three wives. He is tall and smug, a picture of self-righteousness and power. He wears robes purchased with our dead sister’s gold; he demands coffee … Continue reading Diprosopus by Christina Dalcher
When we here at Syntax and Salt started talking about creating a place to showcase magical realism short stories I knew there would be pieces from within our group that would do so well at setting the stage for our project. This piece by Jen Todhunter makes me think of a flame cupped against the … Continue reading The Alabaster Man by Jennifer Todhunter