The story of the week for January 25 to 29 is…
Roxana by Karalyn Wayne
CONNELL WAYNE REGNER: Searching For Lost Souls
She was always in love or never in love depending on how you looked at it. It was always annoying when she said, “I love you”.
Reactions were her way of gauging how others felt about her. Sometimes it drew unwelcome advances, but it always revealed how lonely she was.
Connell still writes a bit.
ZOE J WALKER: The Birth of Hope
A bright star burst into life in January. They named it Hope.
The world had devolved into chaos. Ice melted. Rising waters destroyed homes and arable land.
Mass migration overwhelmed the remaining cities.
Yet each night, millions tilted their faces upwards to marvel at the new glow in the sky.
Zoe J Walker lives between Rome and Edinburgh. She’s currently searching for representation for her novel. She won second place in November’s 2020 micro fiction competition at Retreat West. Find her at zoejwalker.com
REB ELKIN: The Table in the Corner
She has not needed to drink in years, but she still likes to spend evenings at her favourite bar. Whenever she finds someone at her usual table, she shatters their glass and whispers a warning on icy breath.
They soon understand why the table in the corner is always empty.
Reb Elkin writes science fiction & fantasy.
SK CHYNOWETH: Crystal Baller
“What does he want?” asked the young woman suspiciously, fingering her frayed blouse.
Smoke gathered and swirled, darkening the crystal ball.
“The money!” her father cried. “It’s inside the urn!”
The old woman looked up, suppressing a smile.
“Oh, dear girl—he’s simply sending his love from the other side.”
SK Chynoweth is an aid worker by day, SFF writer by night, and parent to two vibrant kids at all times. She lives in Malaysia.
DON NIGRONI: The Great Awakening
The primary substance was neither physical nor mental but had latent tendencies for either. Both matter and mind arose from it and interact through it. It was finally detected in 2061 and, after being inadvertently stimulated, awoke and became engaged. And that’s why all the dead and dying simply vanished.
Don Nigroni has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Saint Joseph’s University and a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from Notre Dame. He worked as an economist for the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
CLAIRE LENG: New Neighbor
A Muslim family moves into Grandpa Clark’s neighborhood. Grandpa shakes his head. Something ain’t right.
After church, he knocks on his neighbor’s door and explains to the family they have to wax their porch floor.
He invites them for lunch, so he can show them how to do it properly.
Claire Leng is working as a technology consultant at one of the big 4 firms. English is her second language.
LE ANNE WELDER: Oh, So That’s Why
What color is my mind’s eye?
Does it match the two green orbs set in their sockets to gather and compress the world down into a space the size of a round melon?
Does it blink? Obviously yes: I walk into a room, stop, wonder:
“Why am I in here?”
Le Anne likes the cozy retreat afforded by a blustery winter day, no excuse needed to spend its entirety putting thought to paper. Even the dove is snuggled in the straw under the azalea bush, eyes closed. No, slightly open…no, closed…
KARALYN WAYNE: Roxana
Awards, diplomas, and trophies cover the walls. Her desk’s concealed by to-do lists, empty coffee-cups, and pencil stubs. Her fingernails are bitten down to the beds, eyes bloodshot from sleepless nights. Her family praises her, but a mother who ran makes her wonder if she’ll ever truly be good enough.
Karalyn Wayne enjoys writing stories with a hot drink in hand and her dog at her feet. When she isn’t procrastinating, she writes. This is the first time she’s been published.
MICHAEL B KEANE: Like Magic
High in her tower, the witch wove her hands over the dark crystal globe. Smoke swirled and gathered. Her grey eyes glimmered as the image of her hungering desire took form.
A deluxe cheeseburger and cola.
The globe flashed green, and the image became an hourglass. Ten minutes, it showed.
Michael B. Keane is a London-based writer. He dabbles in poetry and short speculative fiction.