1
Jul

Navid Arash Taraghijah: Still Life With Chair (I-XXV)

“I think it’d be good for you to start painting again.”

Navid didn’t answer, keeping his eyes fixed instead out the window. It was raining hard now, and the wind pushed the drops nearly sideways into the glass, giving a view of the grounds as though from behind a waterfall, everything distorted and distant. The IV in the back of his hand itched; he didn’t like it there, but Dr. Lin had told him after he’d pulled out the last one that it’d be a good idea to give the vein in his elbow some time to heal. Everyone in the clinic had lots of good ideas to share.

16
Oct

Ored’s Song

by Zack (ザックス) illustrated by amei (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/59476.html) Ored stared intently as the drops of blood dispersed in the water, turning into red wisps of smoke and then disappearing altogether. And still, no one came. He had already poured all of the alcohol in the river, and the other offerings were gone as well. All […]

6
Aug

The Only Living Boy In New York

by shukyou (主教) illustrated by amei (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/51860.html) Day #527, 6:20 AM – Wake up, dose #1 Evidencing once more an uncanny ability to beat the alarm clock, Jonah opened his eyes at 6:19 on the dot, reached over, and clicked off the alarm before the morning talk shows could filter their way into the […]

5
May

This Side of Saturn

by Shinju Yuri (真珠百合) illustrated by amei (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/42586.html) Naoki leaned back in his chair and stretched. A glance at the clock showed that it was already almost midnight. It hardly seemed possible, but he wanted to get the results written up quickly. He should go to bed. The research conference started tomorrow at seven, […]

5
May

Married Man

by Yamanashi Moe (山梨もえ) illustrated by amei (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/47845.html) “Um, sir? Excuse me, is that ‘The Detective’s Legs’ by Tamura Hiroshi?” The boy standing in front of Tamura is pale and skinny, with wispy red-blonde hair. He wears the uniform of a nearby high school, with the top button of his shirt undone. His face […]

21
Dec

Pyrophoric

by shukyou (主教) illustrated by amei (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/33309.html) That Saturday night, Kip lay naked on the bed in the room two flights beneath the stage, eyes shut, recalling the week prior that had changed his life. He felt her juices still slick on his loins, his seed drying in his nether regions, and wondered not […]

8
Aug

Please Stay

by Yoshiyo Hotaru (昌夜 蛍) illustrated by amei (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/23262.html) At exactly quarter after three in the afternoon, the final bell rings, and class is dismissed until September. Matsu’s heart leaps up into her throat. She stays in her desk as everyone else starts putting away their books, and even after they’ve left, with a […]