The townspeople knew when to avoid Zabrina. Her body, she would murmur, was a bundle of sharp sticks slowly splitting her skin. A darkness that was unnatural by some accounts. She would sleep in the mornings, which was, of course, the devil’s hour of rest. Unfinished hems of dresses were scattered about the floor of […]

It’s just a street, a city street. There’s no reason for him to be buttonholing strangers, grabbing their arms, saying, Don’t you see?   And of course he doesn’t. But he must be imploring them with his eyes, because they keep veering away, a young woman in a gauzy white dress even crossing against traffic […]

18 Thomas’s muscles ached as he dug out another shelter for the night. He thought he could see, just on the horizon, the lights of a small, distant city glowing beneath the atmosphere. Tomorrow, he thought. He vomited several times and voided his bowels in the most ruthless and graphic way. After rinsing his mouth […]

16 “Who? Who?” Thomas opened his eyes. He wasn’t afraid. “Who? Who?” “Hooter.” He whispered, his voice too weak to vibrate. “Good to see you.” “Who? Who?” “I’m bear bait. But not its dinner.” The rain had stopped. There was no sound besides the owl. “Who? Who?” “I’m a stupid boy. I’m ignorant. I am […]

14 Charlie. Thomas bolted upright as the name of the feral beast licked his eardrums. He put on his boots and gloves and opened the tarps with his hands and walked outside. Snow still fell lightly then and the fresh layer of it was soft on the frozen sheet beneath. The whiteness of the snow […]