The Christmas Guest by Gabriella Balcom “You really go all-out for the holidays, don’t you?” Hank studied his hosts’ décor. A spectacular, festively decorated tree and brightly wrapped gifts dominated the living room, along with lifelike models of Santa and his reindeer. Christmas music played, and wreaths, holly, mistletoe, Read more…
The Lonely and the Lost by K.B. Elijah My boots squelch as I descend the worn steps, the ubiquitous dirty rain of the city haunting me even in this dark little hole in Djinntown. It’s impossible to avoid stepping in the puddles when the rains haven’t let up for Read more…
The Sky-Blue Gene by Philip Berry Zach spins his postal shuttle down onto the Immigration & Naturalisation department’s immense roof. Here, ten thousand functionaries dedicate whole careers to determining the status of the Archipelago’s thirty billion inhabitants. The Archipelago is an elongated smudge of star systems, bright seeds thrown Read more…
We Weren’t Always Strangers by Kelly Matsuura “Good morning. ePassport and documents, please.” “Good morning.” When he smiled back, Kiyomi felt a tingle of déjà vu but quickly dismissed it. Djinn travelers passed through immigration daily, so she’d likely scanned his ID on another visit. Still, she felt her Read more…
The Last Si’lat by Alanna Robertson-Webb Jirizi, the last Si’lat Djinn residing in the Bedouin Desert, spied upon a small group of humans as they meandered hopelessly over dune after blistering dune. She had taken on the form of a small lizard, and had been watching them for the Read more…
The Plancksgiving Miracle by Shawn M. Klimek Officially, Sara Barrick was both the second human to set foot on Planck’s Planet and it’s second governor. Yet, since her more honored predecessor had also been the first to die of Planck’s Pox, she believed she had drawn the longer straw. Read more…
Wishlocked, and Key by Jo Seysener She dallied along the riverbank, fingers trailing in the mesh of the fence. Overgrown and rough, she was glad of her strong boots. Finely crafted, as always, they tread softly along the old pathway. The metal of the locks was cool beneath her Read more…
The Girl That Barked by Peggy Gerber “Honey, stop the car!” Holly shouted. “I hear a baby crying.” Danny dutifully pulled over, even though he hadn’t heard a thing. He was really worried about his wife. While they were both suffering from broken hearts after making the decision to Read more…
Coffee Break by Scott Macmann Aron opened the file cabinet next to his desk, and retrieved the tarnished red coffee can. Holding it close to his nose, he pulled back on the plastic lid to take a deep breath of the strong Arabic roast coffee. “You smell wonderful,” he Read more…
Dead Man Walking by Charlotte Langtree There was a time, long past, when humans and Djinn worked side by side, building their world together. In truth, however, they lived apart, separated by ancient laws and deep-held superstitions. Distrust and wariness ran rampant throughout their civilization. It is possible to Read more…