Issue 45

NewMyths.com

A quarterly ezine by a community of writers, poets and artists.

Issue 45, December 2018

Dear Reader,

Journey with this issue of NewMyths to worlds fraught with battles and assassins, enchantments, and transitions to death. Spend time in caves with blocked exits, in dark streets and mortuaries, at Christmas gatherings…and in the company of cats who lord it over their domain.

This issue also includes nonfiction articles on xenoarchaeology, herbs cultivated by witches, and a tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin on the 50th anniversary of her Wizard of Earthsea’s first publication.

-Marta Tanrikulu, Editor

Table of Contents

Fiction

Ice Rider by Tiah Beautement

The train whisks its cargo through the ice tunnels... Ignacia, back pressed against the sides of the car, ignores the other [children] as she focuses on the vibrations. It is a habit that has outlasted the varnish of hope.

Wings at Midnight, Wings at Dawn by Deborah L. Davitt

Aderyn swept on snowy wings across a moonless sky, where aquamarine fire hung in folds like finest silk. Below her, black trees limned in snow rose up from white ground like twisted hands...

Dirty Work by Dan Micklethwaite

Backstabber Creen...lifted his spyglass to look at the shack, the tree like a tumbledown gallows beside it. He heard the faint moans of pain from within; caught a faint whiff of the godsforsworn stench.

If he wanted the other half of his payment, enough to retire on, he'd have go up there and finish the job.

Gentleman's Agreement by Tom Olbert

The entire sand ship trembled on its massive treads as the sand crawler’s forward limbs, like the gigantic legs of some nightmarish arachnid, crushed the upper framework... Men plummeted to their deaths from the radar mounts and gun turrets...

Flash Fiction

Charles Edward Tuckett's Yuletide Message by Robert Bagnall

It was the second glass of wine that was making Charles Edward Tuckett reminisce. In his twilight years at the corporation he’d felt quite proud to be one of the silver surfers who had, against type, taken to the new technology.

Sunset Like a Dying Fire by R. K. Duncan

Fallen leaves leapt and danced and fell in rustling spirals of slow fire all around him. Thomas walked quickly, the cold wind tugging him this way and that. There was no one else on the streets at this twilight hour.

Hellava Journey by Christina Sng

Hella runs through the snow, her spindly legs gaining traction with every step.

NonFiction

Gone Dark by J. Brenton Parker

It was the distant sound of another cave-in that woke Cal from his fitful sleep.

A Christmas Tail or Mr. Dickens' Last Christmas by J. S. Watts

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house it was pretty quiet. Very few things were stirring, especially not small rodents worth their cheese who wanted to live to see Christmas Day. The reason for the subdued hush amongst the meagre mouse population was...Mr. Dickens, the household cat.

The Local Herb Witch and Her Kitchen Garden by Frances Silversmith

Willow bark tea and basilicum powder, lemon balm and comfrey roots: They must not be absent from the local herbwoman's inventory.

Once Upon a Time. Xenoarchaeology by Peter Jekel

The year is 2033 and humans have finally made a landing on the planet Mars.

Fifty Years of Earthsea by Stephen Taylor

I count myself among the many readers who will greatly miss Ursula K. Le Guin...

Poetry

Gatecrasher by Davian Aw

A Kind of Dying by Jessica Drake

Diet Nanobots by Ngo Binh Anh Khoa

The Cats of Mars by Mary Soon Lee

Follow Me by Calie Voorhis