“Forewarned,” by Benjamin Matvey

It’s an odd love story. She won’t move in for fear of killing his cat, Earl Grey known as Teabag when a kitten. He believes her rejection is based on some biological defect of his. She reminds him of Teabag, “Huge eyes and ears like a marmalade cat with its ears back.” What plays out is the danger of the reptilian brain strong enough to overpower judgment and logic. The story is scarier than sci-fi and more thought provoking. Read it here in Stickman Review.

"Unsealing the Tomb," by John Michael Cummings

Some of the most compelling stories engage our empathy for a character who must either break from family or suffer integrity. The urgency of this story is made richer with a deep sense of place and history, the South and fears surrounding racism. To get your reading quota of delight and surprise offered by this wonderful writer, click here and be transported to Stickman Review.