Features

In Defense of Whimsy

by Shannon Stockdale-Elftman What is whimsy, really? The problem is whimsy is hard to pin down. It’s much like that oft-misunderstood quote concerning pornography. “I’ll know it when I see it.” Ironically, when we think about whimsy in storytelling we tend to favor children’s stories. James and the Giant Peach, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willows, and other classics, as well as more modern fare. Children have, supposedly, cornered the market on Read more

By sarah_burton, ago

Emergency Contact ⚡️

by Sky Allen I like it best when it rains. There’s a sort of kinship I feel when I look out the window at the slate sky and find the sidewalks to be empty. I can breathe better feeling like we’re all on the same playing field again. On the other hand, when I can tell that it’s a beautiful day outside from the sun warming the carpet beneath my window or the cacophonous music Read more

By sarah_burton, ago

Forget Me Never ⚡️

by Laurie Hilburn Captain James Hook, edge still earning him more than a crown ever could. Out of all of his bastard children, Beatrice was the only one to bow and bide her time. Gerard was clever, but he could never put his intelligence to proper use, too distracted by sparkling baubles, ancient treasure maps, and impatient harlots. Caxton was blunt, bludgeoning where there should have been deft precision, while his twin Hawes could slice Read more

By casey_mccarthy, ago

Asterius ⚡️

by Zenia deHaven The stylus bled black rivers in its wake as it danced across the papyrus. Its wielder’s eyebrows knitted together in a furrow, like a peasant girl’s wretched attempt at sewing. Huffing, the man sat back. The nubs of the wicker chair’s legs squeaked against the stone floor. He inhaled, breathing in the soft musk of night and old parchment, and rested his palm on the drawing. His pointed finger landed on an Read more

By casey_mccarthy, ago

Flash Fiction Runner-Up: Reality, Worth a Shot ⚡️

by Savannah Jade Jason Zuckerberg’s head spun while teleporting from his Meta college classroom to his 981-acre estate in the Metaverse to meet a few friends to explore the latest gaming theme parks. Normally, the switch from one place in the Metaverse to another was instantaneous and rarely caused disorientation. But the past few weeks, Jason’s QuestChip device somehow slowed to an Intel Core i9 processing speed, which was laughable considering he just updated his Read more

By sarah_burton, ago