Short Story | JOYLAND PUBLISHING

the rapids

Tariq Shah -

When we tried to pay for parking at the gate, the machine wouldn’t let us go. It refused to read mom’s credit card, so...

Otke Notive

Will Niedmann -

My body carries my mind. A wooden spoon, an egg. I live with four men in Otke Notive. Our apartment is a thin hallway...

Why Are They Here?

Heather Hasselle -

For most of his life, Charlie had disbelieved in everything. He had never been religious, nor given into any sort of magical thinking. He...

Date Night

Imogen Usherwood -

"This is nice." "So nice." Gianni’s was a small Italian place near Seb’s local tube station. It was reasonably affordable, served generous portions of pasta, and...

Vermillion

Haolun Xu -

He did not feel particularly talented when it came to love. In fact, Henry's aptitude for anything, including studies at his college, showed little...

The Big One

Dolan Morgan -

Airhorn alarms were already blaring from telephone poles when I pulled into the driveway for my first delivery of the day. Pad Thai, Drunken...

Eat the Rich

Taylor Grieshober -

The hotel bar was crowded with patrons all dressed up in their post-Christmas, pre–New Years best. Ann stood at the door, wiping the snow...

This Again

Sam Eichner -

All that fall, we made a habit of entertaining hypotheticals about our eventual demise. Typically it was after a night out, with the liquor...

Blunt Force

Lynn Steger Strong -

There had been a string of blunt force beatings in the neighborhood to which we’d just moved and though no one had died, though...

Lazarus Woman

Tega Oghenechovwen -

I The secret to letting your dead sister know you miss her is simple. Never let go of the grief. Look for her in strangers....