by Bailey Flaherty TW: death occurred prior to story’s beginning, grief, mentions of car crash + blood The grandfather clock stood motionless, its hands frozen in place at 7:37 like it knew my world had stopped then. It towered over the rest of the room, huge and wooden and still, and it was staring at me like it recognized something inside my chest—like it could see the ruptured gears that cut into my heart, the Read more
By Annie Earnshaw Nelly leaned against the SS Sudan’s cedar railing, its lacquer melting into her skin. Though the ship retained the day’s heat, the air had a distinctly unexpected chill. She closed her eyes to the night air, relishing the way it was cooling, but not quite cooled. She knew heat, Philadelphia’s oppressive, mechanical heat. But the stark openness of the Nile was otherworldly. She wanted to write to Thomas Cook, proprietor of this Read more
By Ryn Brierley “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man” (Prov. 3:3-4). I realized I loved him one Sunday morning, as the final glorious reverberations of the organ receded into the ivory stone of the sanctuary walls and the Lord’s Prayer came to its conclusion. And Read more
by Elliot Berkley Elsie found the girl who was once her sister in the Chapel of the Sleeping Angels. She had known Annabel would be there. Annabel was living with her mother now, who was devoutly involved with the Chapel. And Annabel was more often alone. One had to turn to something. And if it was praying, so be it. Annabel stood before a statue of a sleeping angel. She looked like a mirror image. Read more
by Gabrielle Idso Dear Jorune, Your mother asked me to write because I can’t talk and she thinks I’m dying soon. Maybe I am. 70 years in this world. Isn’t that something? I could start with my birth, but that’s not really where I began. My mother carried all her eggs from the day she was born. I was inside her before I was anything. I like thinking about that. Makes 70 feel less final. Read more