Special Holiday Issue

Now Available!

An excerpt from Noche Buena, by Andrew Drilon:
A man came out of the convenience store and offered her a fresh towel. He was dressed in a yellow sleeveless shirt, basketball shorts and red rubber shoes. "Thank you," Fiesta Ham said. "Where did you get this?" The man pointed to his duffel bag. "Was on my way to the gym myself." Fiesta Ham smiled, thanked him again, and asked his name.

"Quezo," he said, grinning. "Quezo de Bola."

An excerpt from The Off-Season, by Michael Co:
Before I could get up, he threw the hood over my head. It didn't smell too good. The fabric had been soaked in some kind of chemical and my nose was on fire and I think I bit my lip because I could taste something metallic. He stretched the hood against my face. I reached out behind me, seeking him out, my fingers like claws. He tightened the hood around my neck and shook me violently but I was unwilling to give up easily. That's when he struck my kidney with his knee and the force of the blow took the will out of me and I think I yelled, "Inay ko po!"

An excerpt from The Magic Christmas Box, by MRR Arcega:
"This box can take you to that year's Christmas," the old man said, sounding completely convinced of what he was saying. "You can live this day over, as many years as you want."

The boy stared at the old man. The old man stared back. The boy was quite sure the old man wasn't insane, because he'd seen insane and it was nothing like this.

An excerpt from Jumpercable: The Crossing, by Erica Gonzales:
"Your dimension is incredibly slow about things, you know...considering that the Great Interdimensional Crossing happened in your timeline, it's hard for me to understand why your people still believe in the folk tales about it, when the rest of the dimensions hold that moment in such awe..."

An excerpt from Twilight of the Magi, by Dominique Cimafranca:
The Persian halted his camel a respectful distance and dismounted. He was careful to keep his empty hands in plain sight at all times. He walked towards the Ethiopian, shouting out a friendly greeting:

"Hail, stranger, and well met!"

The Ethiopian emerged from his tent and stood up to his full height. He was six cubits tall and dressed in animal skins. His golden smile reflected the sun.

"Hail to you, too, stranger," said the Ethiopian. From his belt, he drew a gigantic scimitar. "But well met? That we shall see."