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By N.O. Sweatman Oxleyiin edged through the invitees, keeping to the peripheral of the surging mass of youths surrounding the bonfire. Being inconspicuous was never an option, his mixed racial heritage negated the considerable stealth and unassuming demeaned he had carefully cultivated. The last group of bullies had also broken his nose, again, and left him with a black eye. Still...
By N.O.Sweatman Raaj glanced surreptitiously at the candle, it flicked and was almost at the mark indicating they could stop, stretch and have a break. His left handed script was not as elegant as Nat’s, and he was not as quick as either Deneel or Moratiin, but in the last six months he had made significant progress and it was now legible. Flagsteen had reassured him reading and making script...
By Sam Unwin There was a man on the bed. Except he wasn’t breathing. Can you still call someone a man if he’s dead? I’m not sure when you are supposed to switch to using terms like “body” (more clinical), or “corpse” (more … gross). In any case, he was being a pain in my arse. I’d been just about to leave for the night when the call had come through. I hung back in the...
By Sam Unwin Deep breath. Eyes open. Chin down. Doors slide apart. Follow her in. Clench empty hands. Pull out the trolley. Hear the squeaky wheels. Squint in the fluorescent glare. One step after her. And another. Watch the back of her head. We used to hold hands. Used to wander the aisles, unhurried. I used to trace the lines on her palm, memorise the gentle curves and warmth...
By N.O. Sweatman The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its content. Numb. Euwaad didn’t want to think. Didn’t want to feel. Almost didn’t want to exist. Hardly breathing. His chest still rose and fell but it hurt. Hurt like Hail Fire. Had it been heart-beats or days. He didn’t know, but every time he caught a whiff of smoke, bile...
By Eileen J Boyd In the Window of the Night A Blossom forms and comes into sight. It matures, not in its head, But lingers long and, instead, Rises beyond the imagination That protects its germination. Into the mist it swiftly travels, As the grasping vine unravels, Taking with it a sense of will, When over the cliff it will spill And cascade into the deep Of the ravine that is...
By N. O. Sweat-Mann Petiil strode through the crowd and pretended he wasn’t there. Perfectly casual and keeping his mind blank. Previously excited to be involved with the planning, and thrilling to be trusted, it was logical his elder had chosen him for the job. Identical twins were highly unusual and if he was noticed his brother Rewook was busy taking the entrance exam to join the Holy...
By EjB Once, there was no sound continually happening, there was Silence. The only sounds heard were the sounds of everyday living – vehicles with motors humming, exhausts back-firing, brakes squealing, horns honking and tyres spinning. People made many different sounds – talking, singing, screaming, yelling, whispering, shouting and swearing. Everything we do, see and use has a...
By N O Sweat-Mann An Under the Aurora short story Taluun felt completely mouldy. Did anyone other than Jhaay care about him? His last two meals had not reappeared in a painful and disgusting manner so his life prospects were somewhat looking up. No sooner had he stopped throwing up, his elders had conveniently forgotten how glad they were that he hadn’t died. Punishment had been speedily...
by Kerry Fair
doctor’s office –
he reads the results
I read his face