Nike of the Salish Sea Eros Salvatore __________ Kay had the look of a faerie princess found under a mushroom in the forest—a seemingly innocent, adorable young woman searching for love as she metamorphosed into adulthood. But like the famous Nike of Samothrace, Kay had lost her wings and could…
Read MoreGiant Pandas Eat Bamboo Rina Palumbo __________ You could hear the steady sound of chewing, the tearing, the chomping, the rhythmic circularmunching of the giant panda. You could hear the ripping, the tearing, the breaking of thebamboo: stems one by one, leaves one by one, new shoots in bunches. You…
Read MoreThe Sea of Trees Louise Palfreyman __________ Hiroki Oura believes he has been called to the holy mountain by its guardian spirit. He is waiting for a bus at Kawaguchiko station. Tinny music is playing from speakers tacked to the walls. It sets him on edge. This is not the…
Read MoreBent Twigs Kathryn Kulpa __________ The news might have come in the daily paper, but who read papers anymore? Maybe there was an announcement on the radio. A bullhorn buzz: THIS HAS BEEN ATEST OF THE EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM. HAD THIS BEEN AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY, YOU WOULD ALL BE DEAD…
Read MoreDark Academia Pooja Joshi __________ In March, I receive a letter from the dean, congratulating me on being the first woman admitted to the university’s coveted Biosonic Fragradation Cephalomechanics PhD program. Anyone would be lucky to start their academic career under the tutelage of Dr. Marsh. Like a diamond in…
Read MoreMaking Deals Harvey Huddleston __________ July 23, 1944 Brit paper says when the Nazis invaded Russia they murdered every civilian in their path. But painting all Germans as evil is the same as what Hitler did to the Jews and if we’re no better than that how can we expect…
Read MoreThe Summer of the Eight-Legged Calf Nicole Hebdon __________ It was day two of the county fair, and we were already settled in to our routines. Having attended the fair all ten days every summer of our lives (we being me, my siblings, my cousins, and almost every member of…
Read MoreThe Favourite Louise Osborne __________ Nigel had arrived early at the office, equipped with a coffee from his local barista. As hewalked past the boss’ office, he could see her through the gap in the doorway. The boss wassitting behind a large solid-looking desk with her head down fiddling with…
Read MoreAll Turkeys Go to Heaven Brendan Praniewicz __________ His name was Nev. Short for Nebuchadnevah. An egregious typo, meant to be named the biblicalNebuchadnezzar, but a suitable name for a 55-pound turkey, who I believed would “nevah” die. The first time I saw Nev was at a feed shop in…
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