The Forest of New People – Thom Connors – Metaphorosis Magazine
When winter comes to Vakning Forest, nothing changes. The evergreens, packed tightly together, don’t wilt or become bare. Nor does the smell fade. via Pocket
Time’s Arrow – C. Heidmann – Metaphorosis Magazine
In 2130 the Nelari began resurrecting the dead. In 2133 Talia’s father called for the first time in five years. “You want to bring her back, Dad?” After all this time, after what you did? Talia wanted to add, but didn’t. Couldn’t. Not to his face. N…
The Foaling Season – Samuel Chapman – Metaphorosis Magazine
Reynard aux Chatillon delivers a gryphon foal the morning Lucia Camoreux comes to visit. It comes out squealing, eyes shut and wings folded, sticky with placenta. Within an hour its wings open, beating softly, as it stands to take food from its moth…
Strangers in the Night – David Whitaker – Metaphorosis Magazine
A vast, frozen void, stretching out in all directions, extending to the infinite. Like a colossal blank canvas, it was mammoth in scope, yet almost entirely devoid of life, thought, or purpose. The probe was an exception. via Pocket
Chasing the Light – Gloria Wickman – Metaphorosis Magazine
Markus stood on the rocky hill in front of his house, neck aching as he craned it toward the sky. He’d been waiting for hours. He’d snuck early out of bed, slinking his way through the house and slipping outside into the muggy morning air. via Pocket
Suzy’s Friend – David Hammond – Metaphorosis Magazine
Dear Dr. Hanover, I am writing on behalf of the Octopus bimaculoides in your office aquarium whom you call Suzy. The water is too warm. Please reduce the temperature to 18℃. She would greatly appreciate it. via Pocket
Koehl’s Quality Impressions – Tim McDaniel – Metaphorosis Magazine
Early Wednesday morning, not much past 10:30, I wheezed my way through downtown in my old ‘31 Ford. Down to White Center, where the city sprawl collided with the suburban rents, resulting in rows of dingy cheap apartment buildings, absentee landlord…
Always Dawn to Forever Night – Luke Elliott – Metaphorosis Magazine
Pwela woke to a chill unknown in the Forest of Always Dawn. Tar and peat filled the air, undercutting the perpetual crispness. She shot to her bare feet. While she slept, the Rot Thing had stolen her warmstone. via Pocket
Memory is a Rumor – Yaroslav Barsukov – Metaphorosis Magazine
In the heat, even paper seemed to sweat. Dr. Startsev’s fingers left wet stains on the pages of the open notebook, on a number: thirty. Thirty minutes to try and deter the people about to enter his office from doing the irreversible. via Pocket
Cheminagium – David Gallay – Metaphorosis Magazine
Pain, true pain, lives outside of time. It arrives in a shear of liminal precognition, the thudding sky before the storm. We formulate routes of escape, believing that the visitor darkening our door could be turned away with the right words. via Poc…
Dekker’s Miracle – Frank Oreto – Metaphorosis Magazine
Charlie “Bull” Dekker drove his cruiser down the East Valley Road and thought about a woman who wasn’t his wife. Donna Swanger, the woman in question, had recently made her interests in Charlie fairly obvious. And for the first time in his twelve ye…
The Cure for Cancer – Ryan Fitzpatrick – Metaphorosis Magazine
The cure for cancer exists. It can be found in the Mato Grosso region of Brazil, an intertropical convergence zone in the heart of the country. via Pocket
Wytchen Wood – Lori J. Fitzgerald – Metaphorosis Magazine
A decade of shavings covered the floor of Lewys’s carpentry shop. He didn’t bother sweeping any more, although he probably should — wood without magic produces a drab dust that desiccates the throat, shrivels the lungs. He coughed and gulped from hi…
The Number of the Tribe – Gerald Warfield – Metaphorosis Magazine
Gurn levered himself up from his bed of furs, hoping he hadn’t cried out. A few embers glowed in the fire pit, casting warm light on the roof of skins. Around him, he heard only gentle breathing and the snoring of his mother. No one else was awake. …
Making the List – David Hammond – Metaphorosis Magazine
It started with a routine-sounding letter from my health insurance company. I opened it quickly because I was in the mood for a snack, and there was a little picture of cherries on the lower right corner of the envelope indicating that they had used…