Features

Replacement

Emma Brackett [YOU ARE CURRENTLY LATE FOR YOUR SHIFT AT FACILITY #2864.] Bright red text flashed across Georgina’s eyesight, accompanied by a rough robotic voice. [YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES TO ARRIVE. ARRIVING LATE WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE TERMINATION.] “Shit, shit, SHIT.” Georgina sprinted down the street, attempting to put her hair up in a company-approved bun as she slammed into person after person. The text and voice had her eyes’ and ears’ full attention, but after taking this Read more…

By sarah_burton, ago

The Dragon of Jak

by Anna O’Connell In the village of Ják, Father Peter was washing the soot from his hands, following Compline on the Day of Ashes. He had remained to extinguish the candles and stepped outside and over to the trough to the side of the door, where he poured water from a small pitcher over his fingers. He had a brief pang of hunger and allowed a sigh to pass through his lips, the wordless sound Read more…

By sarah_burton, ago

Francis

by Sophia Gorjance “Oh!” It was a great deal of self-control that kept Mrs. Dale’s little yelp from becoming a full-blown shriek. She forced a titter to make up for it. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you had a dragon.” “Oh, yes,” said Mrs. Mirela pleasantly, kindly ignoring her guest’s reaction. The creature in question had just sauntered into the room, as big as a greyhound, vibrant red, wings half-extended, glittery little eyes malevolent. Read more…

By sarah_burton, ago

The Woman of Water

by Ashley Hill Long ago, when the world was young and time moved more slowly, a hateful fisherman and his docile wife lived in a small village by the coast. They spent their days in a small boat with fishing nets and bowls, blinking the salty spray from their eyes and shivering in threadbare clothes to catch just enough fish to sell at the market and feed themselves. Nights were spent in a small hut, Read more…

By sarah_burton, ago

Factory 147

by Jerry Yap A swirl of rusty red dust stung Tom Wyatt’s eyes through the cracked lenses of his ramshackle gas mask as a fierce wind lashed at the sunbaked, desolate road. His lungs wheezed with every breath of the half-filtered air while he stood by the twisted stop sign, waiting, and stewing, for a shuttle that was always at least a half-hour late. He drew the tattered hood of his long overcoat over his Read more…

By sarah_burton, ago