25
Feb

The Absence of You

by shukyou (主教) illustrated by TOFU Read this piece’s entry on the Shousetsu Bang*Bang wiki. “He’s coming to,” said a voice Lucian almost recognized – almost, and then even that was gone. True to the words, Lucian opened his eyes and found himself in a completely unfamiliar sterile white room. It was like waking from […]

28
Oct

The Cuckoo

by shukyou (主教)   Flashbulbs exploded like fireworks as they stepped past the customs gate into the terminal, the happy reunited family. They’d gotten permission to take the Millers behind the scenes a little, past the point where those picking up arriving passengers were expected to wait, so that the reunion itself might take place away […]

27
Aug

Good Morning

by shukyou (主教)   Despite what his name might suggest, Moe wasn’t a joker. He didn’t always get comedy, and he had five good jokes memorized for social purposes, even though I wouldn’t have sworn he understood why their punchlines were funny. The rest of our friends and I generally left him out of our […]

30
Jul

Female Impersonators of Distinction

by shukyou (主教) Bud clutched the matchbook tight in one sweaty paw as he hiked the two miles from where he’d gotten dropped off off to his final destination. He hadn’t dared give the driver of the ride he’d thumbed the right address, so he’d told the man that friends would be meeting him here at […]

25
Jun

Night Owls

by shukyou (主教)   “Dad.” Marcus opened his eyes, willing himself not to look at the bedside clock. The number would just depress him. “Dad.” The voice came from the three-foot-high silhouette standing backlit in the bedroom doorway. He had just started sleeping with the door open weeks ago, when some part of him had […]

26
Mar

Unconventional

by shukyou  (主教)   “Christ on toast,” Racquel swore at her phone screen. One of the interns on her last project had shown her how to set up Google alerts about three months ago, and from that point since, she’d gotten a little push notification about Leigh March every other week or so. Most carried information […]

26
Feb

For the Vine

by shukyou (主教)   Ray glared daggers over the tops of his glasses. “Not once in human history has that been a compelling argument. Even back when Vine did exist.” Impervious as always to the weapons of his best friend’s expressions, Marcus kept that stupid, shit-eating grin plastered across his face. “Then do it for […]

30
Oct

Man Seeking

by shukyou (主教) illustrated by cloven “He’s a serial killer, you know,” was what Wyatt heard as he approached his friends at the bar. “Nah,” said Benny, shaking his head so his disdain came through loud and clear over the thudding strains of Joy Division. “He probably doesn’t kill them. Just chains them to a […]

21
Aug

The Smart Girl’s Spellbook of Practical Wicca

by shukyou (主教) illustrated by rebelliux It was Nightshade who had the idea first. She’d been at this the longest, since back before we all could drive, because her parents were the only ones willing to shuttle her to the town’s single New Age store, where the shelves were stocked with crystals and books that […]

24
Jul

The False Prince and the True

by shukyou (主教) illustrated by beili The throne room looked different from this angle: an inch or so off the floor, with a guardsman’s shiny leather boot pressed against the back of his neck. It was a fine angle from whence to observe the delicate work and mother-of-pearl inlay. It was a terrible angle from […]

20
Jun

Risingson

by shukyou (主教)   He could remember: four years old, the fruit bowl on the table, anaphylactic shock, being rushed to the doctor, a bustle of injections and barked instructions, his father’s nervous pacing, the doctor’s mechanical eyes — and then, when it was all done, a stern, clear lecture about how he was never […]

20
Jun

Jól

by shukyou (主教) It was difficult to believe in such a chill, even as Hrolf stepped out into it. Breathing it in was like taking a blow to the chest every time. With his hands, hobbled as they were in fur-lined mittens, he redoubled the scarf around his mouth and nose. The morning sky was […]

19
Jun

Funeral Potatoes

by shukyou (主教) Britt was so absorbed in the wording for the obituary that he didn’t hear the doorbell ring. He did hear it shut, though, as well as the few lines of muffled conversation that preceded it. A few seconds later, Kendra walked back into the living room, heading toward the kitchen with a […]

23
Mar

Dick

by shukyou (主教) (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/354055.html) “What’s it do?” I asked, staring into the box. “What do you mean, what’s it do?” asked Isha. “It’s a dick.” I could see that. “But what’s it do?” “It does what dicks do,” Isha said. She poked at its head, and a small pink lightning storm erupted from the […]

23
Feb

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

by shukyou (主教) (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/348802.html) When the aliens come, we will have to explain Elvis. When the aliens come — and they will come, because they’re out there, because in an infinite universe it’s more probable they’re there than they’re not — we’ll have to explain a lot of things. It’ll start with the big […]