Tag Archives: maturity

VISHAAL PATHAK: Overdue

Artistic, Submissions, , , , ,

My mother died while still carrying me in her womb–
I was born all of twenty-six.
if mythology is any indication, only monsters grow up overnight.
And so I was for a while–
an oft-shapeshifting, teary-eyed, fire-breathing dragon.
While all births are painful,
not all of them bring forth joy.

Vishaal writes short stories and poems, mostly about memories. Some of his work has appeared or is forthcoming in ARTS by the People, Five on the Fifth, Ghudsavar, Kitaab, Hakara, Panorama, The Perch Journal, The Kelp Journal, Vermilion, The Rush, Open Minds Quarterly, The Rainbow Poems, Antonym Mag, Good Printed Things and Metonym Journal. One of his poems was recently nominated for the Best of the Net 2026 Anthology.

MARIA CARGILLE: self-conference

Artistic, Submissions, Top Stories, , , ,

myself at fifteen and twenty-two
sit down together in a half-imagined
coffee shop to compare notes.

she, my seven-years-ago self,
looks me up and down with curiosity,
quick insecurity-laden belligerence,
and speaks a challenge:

“you haven’t changed much.”

I say, warm and aching,
“oh, my love, believe me: I have.”

Maria Cargille wrote this story.

ANGELA CARLTON: The Boy Who Became a Man

Adventure, Artistic, Submissions, , ,

As a young nanny, I adored him quietly, this boy. When he turned twelve, I bought a drone so he could fly-fly-fly away from selfish parents. At fifteen, I taught him how to navigate black, winding roads.

At twenty-one, he came back to me, before the March rain, in bloom.

Angela Carlton wrote this story.

ANTHEA JONES: Why won’t you fly, little bird?

Artistic, Poetry, Submissions, , , , , , , ,

Like the others,
You were born in Spring.
My finest down lines your nest.
I caught every meal you’ve ever eaten.
Your body is lean.
Your wings, straight.
Spread them, little bird. Fly!
Sharp-toothed nightmares lurk below, but-
Don’t give up.
I won’t.
Even though you’re not
like the others.

Anthea lives in sunny Queensland, Australia. She’s always writing, even if it’s just in her head. Find her online at @WriterAnthea

LIAM LLOYD-HUGHES: Sirens of the Wood

Amusing, Submissions, , , , ,

When I was little, my grandmother would tell me stories of beautiful witches luring young boys who strayed too far into the forest. “Sirens of the wood,” she’d say to me. “They want to eat you for supper and swallow your innocence!”

Naturally, I prayed that I’d run into one.

Liam Lloyd-Hughes is Welsh and a ninteen-year-old English Language & Creative Writing student at the University of Chester. He doesn’t have a website, so he instead recommends supporting each other.

ALIDIANE: Autobiography

Artistic, Submissions, , , , , ,

She was a girl. Big smile, lots of friends, big demands, bigger expectations.

She went to see the world to find herself. She had to fight to keep that smile big, make new friends, reduce her needs and realise that dreams are not always real.

She is a woman now.

Alidiane is an English language student in Dublin, Ireland. Originally, she’s from Brazil.

BOB THURBER: Catholic Schoolgirls and Bad, bad Boys

Artistic, Submissions, , , ,

Imagine a leather strap looped from neck to ankle. Their beauty and magnificence hobbled us like that. When they spoke about marriage we surmised their words had more to do with things we didn’t know, things we were incapable of learning, than with anything they were prohibited from telling us.

Over the years Bob Thurber’s work has received a long list of awards and prizes. His most recent book is a collection of brief stories titled “Nothing But Trouble.” His first novel, “Paperboy: A Dysfunctional Novel,” was recently rereleased. Visit BobThurber.net.

EMILY RAMSER: Snatched

Artistic, Submissions, Touching, , , ,

Said I’d grow up, even sell the car. Met with that guy from the bar, the one with the wad of cash. But she thinks I skipped out on her and my baby girl.

He had a passion for whiskey and bloodlust. I’d never leave my girls, but he made me.

Emily Ramser is a high school author living part-time between North Carolina and California. She’s been published in a few small online journals such as Vox Poetica and Spinozablue. Her story Sins of Murder will be published in Wolf Craft Anthology this coming fall as well.