Category Archives: Fiction

The Collector

by James Callan

Between a super volcano to the north, and the “coolest little capital in the world” to the south, a small town of less than 2000 provides a nice toilet break for travelers on State Highway 1, a perfect place to stretch one’s legs on the long journey from point A to point B. Bladders empty, gas tank full, coffees in hand; spirits are high and the road no longer seems endless, but inviting. Yet before the young couple –the Germans or Canadians or Wellingtonians– before the jet-lagged family from Japan, from America, settle back into their seats to stare out the window for five more hours on their way to the Auckland airport, first: a portrait in front of the local attraction, the giant corrugated iron boot. Continue reading

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Survivors

by Ryan White 

Within two years, Alice Sellers had lost her cat, Kevin, and her lifelong companion, Ruth. She would’ve given anything to get them back. But no such bargain could be had, so she wanted revenge. And since there was no revenge against hemorrhagic stroke, Alice’s last hope was killing the coyote that’d eaten Kevin five nights previous.  Continue reading

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The Hidden Majestic

by Abbie Doll

She woke up to a mountain range in her mouth.

Such an awe-inspiring sight caught her by surprise, despite the numbing weight of her still-present drowsiness. She stood there gawking at her reflection, bewildered by the distinctly Himalayan scene sprouting from her mandible crust. A series of jagged, panicky exhalations fogged up the glass, while her minty-mist breath worked to sculpt a pleasant-yet-bleak bathroom atmosphere. The air felt thinner somehow, and the landscape of her mind felt just as clouded, just as inaccessible as the sky-piercing peaks she saw there in the mirror. Continue reading

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2806 Cloverleaf

by Anthony Otten

With you and your dad gone, I live in the quiet. Mostly I’m fine with it. When I want my conversation fix I sit in my wicker chair on the porch, like I am today, and wait for the mailman. He’s a young Black guy in a blue cap and shorts. Real polite. I don’t know, maybe I scare him. Old white lady in socks and sandals, feet too sore for shoes. Squinty little glasses I hardly need since Medicare did my cataracts.  Continue reading

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Surrender

by Kristi Ferguson

He learned if he could make Mom laugh, everything would be okay.

He relied on that certainty when she discovered him sneaking to the corner store, first for candy, then for beer and cigarettes. He used it when he was months behind on child support after the first unplanned pregnancy, before the DNA results came back and the baby turned out not to be his. It was there again when he admitted to the second baby, which was his, after Mom received a midnight Facebook message from the pregnant ex-girlfriend, telling her everything.  Continue reading

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