by Andrew Hughes “They’re here,” the dishevelled man howls. “They’re inside the hospital!” “Jesus,” says the nurse. “The full moon brings the loons.” “He’s scaring the other patients,” Dr McDonald says, snapping at an orderly. “Take him to psych.” With security’s help, the orderly straps the man to the stretcher and wheels it into […]
by Lena Ng Sundown and my favourite time of day was fast-approaching. The darkness of evening where I could finally be myself. I was tired of pretending, smiling fake smiles, repressing my violent thoughts, hiding my true nature. Clacking away at a keyboard for eight hours until the workday was over and the time […]
by LJ McLeod Once a month, when the moon was dark, the Zips would come trawling for new skins. Those who lived on the streets scarred their skin and covered themselves in filth. The Zips were very particular. They preferred fresh meat, before track marks and deprivation marred the flesh. Tonight, a new girl […]
by Matt Krizan Tara loves when Andrew zips her up. He takes his time, caressing her neck and shoulder with his free hand. His kisses linger, and he nibbles her ear, leaving her trembling in anticipation. When he’s finished, Tara inhales deeply, breathing in the scent of her own perfume—lavender and orange blossom and […]
by Alison Kaiser There’s a zipper at the back of my throat. It doesn’t have a toggle or a head. When the night air feels like static and I can’t move, I know he’s coming. He hums as he sets down his satchel. Steel clinks as he rummages. He fits an instrument around my […]
by Tim Law Zip goes the black sports bag, the sound makes me smile. The zipper once had a brand name but now only the “N” and “I” remain. In my line of work, sometimes you need to zip up in a hurry. I open the bag lovingly. I know each tool homed within, […]
by Shaun Bibo “Please,” James said, hitting the cloth above his face again. “It’s too dark.” The cloth unzipped down the middle, revealing a woman’s curious face. She pressed her slipping glasses back up her nose. The man breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Where am I? What happened?” “This one’s still alive,” […]
by Pauline Yates “Zip me up?” Macy stands with her back to me wearing a new dress. The exotic fabric gives her curves like Sandra’s. Have I cheated on my wife for so long I’ve forgotten how alluring she can be? I slide up the zipper but imagine unzipping Sandra’s dress and kissing the […]
by Ryan J. M. Tan When the Spots hit, it decimated our livestock, reducing them to boils and blisters. We tried everything, exotic herbs and costly medicines, to no avail. Until the scientists concocted a cure. Desperate, we blindly trusted. We blended cure with feed, and the outbreak rapidly subsided. But our livestock soon […]
by David D. West Frederick watched as the fieldhand, his last living neighbour, pulled the plough through enough soil to make an ox buckle. He glanced over his shoulder at the dusty fields, where the animals used to roam freely. Their carcasses lay rotting in the sun, where not even the buzzards would chance […]