Optimize Optical
A sting. A swell. A white light. “Easy,” Dr. Gray says, patting my arm. “Let them adjust.” Warm tears bury their bodies in the pits of my ears. White…
The Graveyard, the Garden
They forgot to take a clock with them, and when they came up from under the earth all the clocks had stopped. They had no spaceman suits but managed…
Red on Yellow
Satan was in the sunset the night Jaiq didn’t come home. Earlier that day, Liv, Jaiq’s mother, left work at 2 pm instead of 5. Under normal circumstances, her…
Come Tomorrow
Every house in the village looked identical, which made it difficult for Diya to decide where to knock for help. In the absence of any distinguishing features—a worn jute…
Cicada Song
Rock, Paper, Scissors would have been easier, Rob thinks. Because after he gives Andy a quick rundown of the rules of the game, Andy asks, “Does everyone count? Mailman?…
Americanos
There were two Americas, and I loved them both. One entered my life during seventh grade social studies, right before the other started dating my father. Can you imagine?…
The Plague of Frogs
I grew up expecting them, dreading them, that appointed hour in biology class when the dead—or worse—the still-alive-and-only-just-anesthetized frogs would be presented to us for dissection. I pictured the…
Date Me: A Memoir
I’m trying to date you. You’re late. Or I’m late. Our timing is already off. We met online. OkCupid or Plenty of Fish. My pictures are a decade old.…
Water Gwisin Saves the Earth: A Chapbook by Maria S. Picone
Salamander is thrilled to present Water Gwisin Saves the Earth, a chapbook by Maria S. Picone. Maria S. Picone is the 2023 Louisa Solano Memorial Emerging Poet Award…
Salamander Fiction Contest 2023 Results
Winner “Come Tomorrow” by Nina Sudhakar From judge Kirstin Valdez Quade: When a young photographer’s scooter breaks down in a remote village near her grandmother’s city, she finds the village…
The Kelley Street Disappearances
The two white-haired boys vanished from their house on a Monday afternoon. No forced entry, no evidence of foul play, and nothing missing from their room to suggest they’d…