EDGE OF LIFE • by Martha J Allard
The fade began at the very edge of Nan’s life. Like an old photo, left in the sun. The colors of her peripheral vision began to wash out. She made a note to get her eyes checked. But her eyes… Continue Reading
cats
A HAUNTED CAT • by Will Shadbolt
My cat is haunted. I don’t mean that Marmalade is possessed, demonic, or evil (well, he does have an evil streak, but within the normal feline parameters). Rather, a ghost attached herself to him, the same way they often stick… Continue Reading
ANECDOTE — SEAGAL PILCHARD & PEABODY • by M A Roosenmaallen
The playwright Seagal Pilchard was known for his great love for his cat, Peabody. An affection I can well and personally attest to. The first time I met Saggy was at his apartment nearby the harbour. I had been convinced… Continue Reading
SHIFTER • by Jamie Hittman
After sex, instead of cuddles, Amy asked for the cat. Lulu protested that they just did this yesterday, but Amy was insistent. So Lulu went to the bathroom, crouched down on the rug, and changed. The thing about shapeshifting was… Continue Reading
ANGELS SING • by Ron Tanner
Shortly after she turned 70, Celeste discovered that she was suddenly, remarkably, no longer allergic to cats. “This happens,” her allergist said without resentment or skepticism. “We can’t explain it. Probably has some relation to a change in hormones.” Her… Continue Reading
PETTISHA AND THE CAT MAN OF PARIS • by Christopher Owen
Paris is a city of many things — lights, sounds, whispers… and cats. Cats haunt modern Paris like fur-clad ghosts — whiskered faces through window panes, gray mousers plying their trade in alleyways, rooftop cats and cats who sleep and… Continue Reading
THE SKOGKATT • by James Blakey
During the darkest days of the Troll War, the local militia captain dynamited the bridge spanning the Oterfjorden. Her plan proved a strategic success, disrupting the enemy’s supply lines and shortening the war by six months. *** With permits, environmental… Continue Reading
THE GIFT • by Anne Starnes Kingsbury
Jim Cooper braced himself for another show of Christmas cheer. “How ya doin’? Getting together with the family? We’ve got Christmas Eve supper, breakfast with Santa, brunch at the Club, dinner with the clan, caroling, open house, a tree trimming… Continue Reading
THE REAL PROBLEM WITH ARTIFICIAL TREES • by Cathy McCrumb
My patrol had taken longer than I had anticipated, and I returned at dusk, the cold December air clinging to me as I snuck back into the house. After weeks of spying, I finally had the intel from the last… Continue Reading
DOOMSDAY • by Peter Wood
Balancing her backpack and the box of doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, Jenny opened the door to the cramped student apartment she shared with Mark. She was surprised to see him still sitting at the kitchen table, two laptops going full… Continue Reading