Short Story | JOYLAND

The Abortionist

Anjali Enjeti -

During the seventh procedure that night, light from the moon pierced the single, circular window. Zero could guess, nearly to the minute, how much...

Firdaus, The Beautiful

Ash Kaul -

“Boi!” Firdaus’s shrill call to her brother breaks the rumble of the river. Hanif shoots a glance at her. She is holding the net high above...

The Birch Trees

Sophie Strohmeier -

I was out in the night on the brick veranda, having one of the first cigarettes of my life, trying to explain my Lara-situation...

The Lilac Church

Lauren Collee -

The bus route began – for me, that is – in my neighbourhood, and then wound down past the mosque, through the leafy parts...

Good Dick

Richard Chiem -

JANICE IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER GIRLS IN THE THRIFT SHOP, she is not like other girls, she gets what she wants, ashes to...

Mall Mouse

Sam Berman -

I feel I am too old to be trusted as an expert. Too old. And at times it makes things difficult at work. Work for me...

Task Force

M. Cottonwood -

I took the train back to the city where I live, sitting in the quiet car beside the university administrator. She concentrated on a...

Abandoning Beauty

Yuxi Lin -

Since moving to America, mother no longer wears makeup, jewelry, or even good quality bras. Only exception? Nail polish. Not flashy red but baby...

Valley Girls

Emily Nelson -

The day that Cheryl Lee Costello went missing, Michelle and I skipped school. The two events were unrelated—we wouldn’t learn about Cheryl’s disappearance until...

Recess

Jarrett Neal -

They cooked three meals a day that summer. It became a friendly competition between them, small interludes of fun and creativity to break up...