by David Green “Why?” Ruby muttered to Nick. They knelt beside the sleeping Suraz, his raven hair encrusted with filth and grease. Scabs and sores covered the Nephilim’s obsidian skin. Track marks lined his exposed arms; used needles lay scattered around him. “We all have vices,” Nick replied with a sigh. “No,” Ruby whispered, […]
by Evan Baughfman Glass slippers sparkled on Cinderella’s feet. “They’re beautiful! Perfect! Thank you!” “Hurry along, now,” urged Fairy Godmother. “Shouldn’t be late for the ball!” Cinderella stepped towards the pumpkin carriage. The right slipper’s fragile heel snapped under her weight. In fact, the entire shoe cracked. Cinderella’s foot shifted backward, slicing against broken […]
by Hari Navarro I felt the impact as she landed in our bed. That sickly hollow plunge common to nightmares in which we fall but never land. It was sometime after the birth of our third child, I think. And she did arrive in our bed, and she did lay waste to our passion […]
by Evan Baughfman Glistening, black goo coated the surface of the penguins’ pool. Albino birds huddled, squawked on land. Though blind, the gentle giants could sense the presence of something unnatural. I thrust a cattle prod into the “slick,” zapping the dark mass, startling its many eyes open. Tentacles formed, flailed. Ragged mouths cried, […]
by Clint Foster The thing about potions is, it doesn’t matter who makes them or what their intention is. A drop of jellied brain, a twist of peeled tongue, some blood flakes. You stir them all together in a cauldron—whatever brand you choose, it’s not that important—and bring it to what we like to […]
by Heather Ewings “I brought what you wanted.” Brown with age, the playing cards cost a small fortune and a whole weekend scouring the city’s antique shops. The witch shuffles the pack and lays three cards face up. “You don’t want to hurt him. But you want vengeance. You realise those two things are […]
by James S. Austin Standing in the newly acquired estate, a painting captured my attention. It held me in rapture. Moving closer, my eyes drew to the galleon at its centre. The sails taut, rigging displayed in sharp lines from the strain. My smile faded to confusion. The waves appeared rougher, spray rising off […]
by Jesse Highsmith Richard’s ears crackled loudly in the bubbling pot. They bobbed and swirled around the heart, fingers, and toes of the man who once shared my bed. I reserved my favourite parts of his for my necklace, though. It swung wildly between my breasts as I poured the steaming concoction over our […]
by Chris Hewitt Every young witch needs the protection of a good familiar, and Tara received hers on her fifth birthday. Miss Creant, Missy for short, was the blackest of black cats, and the duo bonded immediately. Unfortunately for Missy, her ward suffered with a terrible curse that would cost Missy four of her […]
by Chris Bannor The night rumbled its greeting as the body streaked through the atmosphere. Lightning flashed across the sky, and thunder heralded its downward descent. Few who saw it would know what it was, but to the trained eye, a fallen angel was unmistakable. Hell would not welcome such a creature, so newly […]