Marcia, Tobias, and Amanda eat at La Bodega every August twelfth, calling in their reservation months in advance even though it’s never busy as most people don’t seem to want to commemorate the day that everyone lost something. But Marcia, the ringleader, who makes sure the hostess on the other end of the line knows … Continue reading Mourners by Joe Baumann
In the long sleep between home and Earth, Ve dreamed in song. She dreamed of percussions that sounded like war, of lilting chants so like her own lullabies. But most of all, she dreamed of the dun-dun-dun-DUN. When others would describe the images found on the disc, they would set the record to play the … Continue reading Earth Music by Jennifer Lee Rossman
Dear Madam, I must apologize for the lengthy break in our correspondence prior to this letter. With the death of Councilman Yamazaki under such bloody circumstances, I felt it best to avoid attracting notice for a while. However, I have not been idle after Yamazaki’s passing. Indeed, I have learned of an even graver danger … Continue reading Blood-Stained Letters Found in a Roadside Shrine on the Outskirts of Kyoto by Stewart C Baker
The room was quiet as they cut the cake. Alternating tiers of lemon and vanilla buttercream, sponge infused with rosewater. Carolyn was careful not to smear too much frosting on his nose, probably fearing he would retaliate with equal force and God-forbid some got on her dress. It was an immaculate white, lace handmade by … Continue reading Belong to Me by Rachel Harrison
After the first night, he finds it a little hard to walk to his car. This is partly because he wants to go back immediately and kiss her again and again and again but: he feels slightly off-balance, giddy. He drives home with both hands on the wheel, 10-and-2. At home, he takes off his … Continue reading Piece by Piece by Sean Woznicki
As Armand’s Amazing Traveling Ménagerie arrived on the outskirts of Beauvais, a young girl, perhaps ten years old, ran up to the trudging, overburdened man. She had a dirty but earnest face and wore ragged shoes and boys’ clothing. An alert-looking squirrel perched on her shoulder. “You’re here, monsieur!” she shouted. “We’ve been waiting for … Continue reading Ménagerie in Motion by Amy Sisson
After two months one would think anyone could tire of a sight, no matter how amazing, but this never grows old and my heart is missing it—missing her—already. Maxine is with us as always, and to see her bounding effortlessly across the red soil in Mars’ low gravity has been both the amazement and delight … Continue reading R*E*X by Mike Adamson
Suzanna wears her central nervous system like an exoskeleton now, shrieking the glass shards of bloody murder whenever I even think about touching her. I bring us back suspect materials wrapped in butcher’s paper that I chop so finely they have almost become mist by the time I pour them between her translucent teeth. Her … Continue reading The Vigil by Matt Neil Hill
There is a building in town whose roof is dotted with plastic dog statues. It`s a dump, really. Squat, ugly, painted rust red and old-coffee-stain yellow in a way that suggests one of the colors was slapped on cause they ran out of the first. Outside it says it’s a post office museum and a … Continue reading Tale Telling by Couri Johnson
1. When I was born, my daddy didn’t come home from war, but the army sent a drone, hand sized and with tiny little pincher arms, in a broken-sealed box. Inside, the lid had “Daddy’s gonna watch over you” written on it in Sharpie and the drone was wrapped in a kaffiyeh. In the email … Continue reading Daddy’s Girl by Jennifer R. Donohue