He is very old. Wrinkles like canyons, deep enough to stick my arm up to my elbow. Nose hairs protruding, white like icicles. I’ve seen him from afar many times over. He is always on the left side of the casket, his right ear best for hearing. Every funeral he mumbles to his sons, they … Continue reading Measuring Mortician
dark fantasy
Fairy Jars
When he caught me, I didn’t think he’d pull me apart. Though most fairies are never caught by humans. My arms sit in separate jars, so I don’t try any magic. My legs separated too. I’m not sure the point of that. It’s not as if I can change all this with my toes. My … Continue reading Fairy Jars
Labor of the Damned
I never went into labor. Wheeled behind the curtain before I was ready. Pokes and prods as my limbs numbed out of existence. A lone teardrop crawled down my nose, impossible to wipe away with my arms tied down. I didn’t want to seem weak, but it was all too much. “Are you okay?” The … Continue reading Labor of the Damned
Jessica Balko 