by J. Scott King Hodge It was quiet beneath the great stone bridge. A light snow had been falling since early morning and the quay and river ice were blanketed in fresh powder. At the far end of the dock, stowermen huddled around a barrel fire, smoking pipes and warming their hands. An ice rigger,…
Read moreOne Last Thing Before I Go
by Eva Schultz Dear Charlie, I need to say a few things before I go. Captain Mayfield says it’s best to put our affairs in order before a trip like this. I haven’t said anything to you, because I didn’t want to upset you needlessly. But now that it’s time to leave, I realize that…
Read moreCrossing the Barrens
by Paul Stansbury Will was searching the skies over the Barrens. “Will, stop daydreaming,” Ryan called. He stood up, stretching his aching back. “If you want any supper tonight, we need to finish digging the blueroot before nightfall.” “I wasn’t daydreaming, I was looking for it.” “You won’t see it.” “Why?” “Because it landed last…
Read moreThe Greatest Emptiness
by James Moran “Good, I caught your attention.” “Here at the center of the galaxy, you stick out.” “And why’s that?” “The standard of cleanliness you observe surpasses that of the outlaws and murdererssheltering in these parts. Who referred you to me?” “No one. That’s how I was able to find you.” “Explain yourself.” “I…
Read moreFlight of the Rainbow Dragon
by Christina Moore The attack was over in seconds. But even a half a second would have been enough to destroy my entire investment. The fuel it took to get here, the food, the rum, every credit I paid my squad of hired goons– each burning bottled atmosphere at the rate of two tanks per…
Read moreThe Last Sludge Caravan
by Nathan Sweem Gnawlings were made for the Sludge Well. This was the Recorder’s repeated lie. Sxoi knew it was a lie. He knew it in his bones, and he was going to prove it. The gargantuan structure known as the Sludge Well was an ironwork isle that rose out of a great desert canyon,…
Read moreThe Last of the Kelpies
by Valeriya Salt Geoffrey hurried to his boat, moored to the rocks, eager to get to the priory before evening prayer. The slippery path ran down the sheer cliff, leading to the shore, and Geoffrey needed to strain all his muscles to keep his balance. A heavy basket on his shoulders full of firewood didn’t…
Read moreOffload
by Michael Just It’s just that at night I have to offload, is all. If I don’t offload, I’ll get real sick by morning. Some days, I just call in sick because I haven’t done a complete wipe by the a.m. I appear normally enough. Normally? Is that a word? I have a job, an…
Read moreWelcome Home
by Dan Yokum He’s eighteen now, graduated, and ready to leave the bay. Ready to leave his father who fishes for scraps in the dirty water, and his mother who sells bread on the docks. He’s struggled enough, the misfit, the weirdo. As everyone and everything around him falls apart, he’s still always the kid…
Read moreApril Fooling
by Stephen Kyo Kaczmarek “Frida, you loser,” Rhiannon Gallagher mumbles, “untie me from this chair right now.” Blood cakes against her temple where I’d hit her. That’s got to hurt. It’s not like in the movies, where one tap and the girl goes down. Vlump! It took effort not to kill her. More to get…
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