Demakatso May
by Demakatso May Art by Arnold T. Blumberg When the first echo bloom appeared in Clara’s garden, she mistook it for a weed. Its stem was knotted and gray, and its petals were translucent like moth wings. She nearly uprooted it, but something—a flicker of movement in the
Vince Stadon
by Vince Stadon “You see, everybody in this room is part of my dream. Everybody.” – Walter Craig Walter wakes up. Dr Van Straaten breaks his spectacles. July 1969: The Beatles are working on their final album. Paul McCartney is sat at a piano in Abbey Road Studio 2 picking out
Michael M. Jones
by Michael M. Jones Art by Arnold T. Blumberg “First day on the job, huh?” the elder kobold growled, looking down his crooked green nose at the visibly nervous rookie standing before him. “Yes, sir,” came the reply. “Chim the Extremely Lesser, of Clan Coaleater.” “Another Chim. I swear, every
A Personal History of Horror Films in 101 Quirky Objects
by Vince Stadon “I'd rather see you dead than meddling with Black Magic!” – Duc de Richleau It’s England in 1929. George V sits on the throne. Stern-jawed, stiff-upper-lip Englishmen are racing fast cars—and single-handedly flying light aircraft—around the leafy, sun-kissed countryside, speeding from one impressive
Sam Logan
by Sam Logan Art by Arnold T. Blumberg You have started a conversation. Chatbot: Hi! I’m your employer-provided mental health coach. How are you feeling today? Employee: Well, I’m NOT thrilled to discuss my mental state with an artificial intelligence chatbot. This is a mandated session after I
A Personal History of Horror Films in 101 Quirky Objects
by Vince Stadon I read The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson back-to-back with The Shining by Stephen King. I was fourteen. In both cases, I wondered how filmmakers had made Hill House and the Overlook Hotel as scary and unnerving and as alive as they are depicted so
ART of the Solar System
By Cody Schell
By Cody Schell © 2025 Cody Schell
by Mags L. Halliday Artwork by Doan Trang Hannah was focusing on Reggie, who was in pieces on the hotel bar, when every phone in the place pinged, and people groaned. That was the ferry cancelled, then. The icy rain was already hammering the windows, hurled by high winds. She&
by Dorian Wolfe From: Athena Pallas Hiring Manager, Interpantheonic Criminal Court 12 Kibisis Lane Interpantheonic City, Olympia District To: Nuwa Kitts (Former) Head Defense Attorney, Interpantheonic Criminal Court 1 Mortal Circle Interpantheonic City, Midgard District June 11, 2020 Ms. Kitts: You should thank the gods that I am drinking a
Narrative, unbound
By Jack Morton Art by Arnold T. Blumberg Gran shuffles over from the stove, a thick, home-knit cloth protecting her hand from the black iron handle of the kettle. She pours over the dried brown leaves, and a thick, musty, homey smell rises with the steam. It smells like a
by Vince Stadon “Have you never wanted to do anything that was dangerous?” – Henry Frankenstein Henry Frankenstein is an asshole. He’s not the worst asshole in Frankenstein, a film populated by assholes, but he’s up there near the top. Before we look at this gallery of jerks, I’
by Malda Marlys Artwork by Doan Trang My daughter haunts me. Her shadow lingers in doorways that are empty when I look. The cat, older than dirt, wakes only to yowl for her attention. Books tumble, sensible books she bought me for Christmas that I never read. They fall from
by Vince Stadon “Remember, I'll be watching for you on the big screen.” – Irene I don’t know what Mulholland Dr. is about. I’ve watched it dozens of times—always thrilled by it, always seduced by it, always perplexed by it. Sometimes I wonder if the next
by Chris Doty-Dunn Art by Arnold T. Blumberg 187 Begonia Avenue was depressed. The house had been happy once. As a starter home, a suburban oasis, a hospice. But since its last occupant had died, only raccoons and mice and a few splotches of mold lived under 187’s sagging
by Vince Stadon “Suzy, do you know anything about... witches?” – Sara Simms I’ve always found it a bit odd that, given it’s a medium of moving images, cinema—particularly Western cinema—favours storytelling above all else. Weird films with little regard to narrative are the preserve of the
by Dan Peacock Scott, I know this isn’t a good time for you, with the mysterious ultradimensional entities occupying most of downtown. But it’s not a good time for anyone. It’s taken me a long time to pluck up the courage to write this letter, but here
by Vince Stadon “What else am I good for?” – Håkan It’s 1982 and Oskar is a weedy, lonely, twelve-year-old blond boy who is being relentlessly bullied at school. His dad is an alcoholic who would rather drink with friends he brings home than be with his boy. Each day,
by Lorraine Schein Art by Arnold T. Blumberg She has heard a whisper say, A curse is on her if she stay To look down to Camelot. She knows not what the curse may be, And so she weaveth steadily, And little other care hath she, The Lady of Shalott.
by Vince Stadon “Would you believe me if I told you there was something inside of that rock we found tonight? Something that could wipe out this whole town?” – Steve Andrews In the ‘50s, the UK didn’t have hot rod racers, the atom bomb, or Steve McQueen. We had
by Cody Schell © 2025 Cody Schell
by Liz Hill Art by Arnold T. Blumberg I stood on the roof of our goat hut and listened to the song of the coming storm. Footsteps sounded behind me on the roof planks. I drew in a deep lungful of air. “It calls to me, Machel.” “It’s not