by Gully Novaro

The sand castle occupied a vast area. Twisted towers, ornate walls, a deep moat. Hard to believe this architectural wonder came from a non-verbal five-year-old.

Andy didn’t need words, the beach communicated through thoughts and feelings. Those had always been enough.

Anger approached them; the beach grew alert. Andy sent a soothing melody.

Anger walked through the castle, destroying it along the way. The beach reacted to Andy’s sadness with rage. There was no soothing melody this time.

The sand opened beneath the teenager’s feet and swallowed them. Andy and the beach recovered their peace and started fixing their castle.

Gully Novaro

Gully Novaro is a non-binary writer from Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a love for all things out of this world. Their work aims to explore feelings of dread and solitude, in the genres of horror, sci-fi and fantasy. You’ll be able to read some of their work in upcoming anthologies Wyrms, Planetside and the Dystopian Showcase edited by Shacklebound Books. 

Twitter: @GullyNovaro