In preparation for our 13 Halloween Tales starting tomorrow, we decided that we wanted to set the mood with one of our earliest Halloween stories featured on the website. -The Editors Everybody in town knew about the murders. You couldn’t walk down Washington Street without someone tapping you on the shoulder to confirm what they … Continue reading Academy Classics: Thrice by Thomas Page
The Nun’s Pockets
By Kait Leonard Sister Mary Hildegard bought a chocolate donut with pink sprinkles. She closed her eyes while she chewed, not wanting anything to distract her from the greasy cake and sugary sweetness. It had been over forty years since she’d indulged in anything so frivolous. Sister Mary Hildegard crossed herself. Sipping coffee thick with … Continue reading The Nun’s Pockets
From Soil to Dust
By Dan Shpyra The bright lights were blinding Oleksa; his thin arm wiped the sweat from the forehead. June's sun did not play favourites. The man's weary blue eyes were staring at the dark rocks and dirt beneath the worn boots. As he leant to grab the pickaxe, the copper cross slipped from his linen … Continue reading From Soil to Dust
Aina Ghar / The Mirror Room
By Mehreen Ahmed Between a three-hundred-year-old house of the Sufis, and an un-gated front yard, a quiet graveyard sleeps, where the bones of the ancestors rest. The spiritual leadership of this complex changes hands every time the previous sufi dies, and a new one is designated to the cushion called the Gaddi. who is then … Continue reading Aina Ghar / The Mirror Room
Ryan’s Magic
By Lewis Brett Smiler Previously Published in Scarlet Leaf Review on February 10, 2019 At ten years old, Ryan Thorpe was a master of illusion. With fast hands and a contagious smile, the budding magician could easily amaze anyone. The magic act had given Ryan a new identity, a way to connect with people. His … Continue reading Ryan’s Magic
24/7 Crossroads Store
By A. R. Tivadar “24/7 Crossroads Store”by A. R. Tivadar Sarah adjusted the cap on her head. The sky was purple, slowly turning darker. The surrounding woodland made it seem like the store was located in a black void. The sterile white lights shining out the windows were the only sources of illumination. She fixed … Continue reading 24/7 Crossroads Store
Beware The Mayor
By Asna Saqib The scorching sun of mid-summer teased the creatures of the forest as it showed its power, forcing the beings to remain in their shelters. The sun, however, still could not stop two men and a woman from leaving the safety of their houses. They stood in a clearing inside the forest, soaked … Continue reading Beware The Mayor
Heathens
By Karlie Taylor My high school is on fire. I saw it before I heard the news on the radio in Dad’s shed, constantly playing to ward off birds, or through the screeching of the scanner whose sharp tones could pull even dad out of a deep sleep. My bedroom, still covered in the posters … Continue reading Heathens
Arrowroot Cookie
By Jim Bates Deep in the Northwoods lake country, the water glistened jewel-like under the bright sun. Waves were lapping on the shoreline bringing with them a gentle cadence to the day. The sand on the beach was scorching hot but seven-year-old Jack didn’t mind. He sat on the shore half in and half out … Continue reading Arrowroot Cookie
Over there Beyond The Fence
By Katrina Johnston Sometimes Tricia’s sons played super heroes. Kayden, her youngest, pretended the sunglasses were night vision scanners imbued with infrared. Maybe Gavin too, although he was three years older and not overly imaginative or much wiser. Maybe he had tossed their mother’s glasses over the fence and into Gary Sitwell's yard. Tricia hoped … Continue reading Over there Beyond The Fence
Academy of the Heart And Mind 