From overrun courtyards to quaint villages in a remote past, from poisoned farmlands to radioactive seas, each story opens a unique window into carefully crafted worlds. This curated collection offers both moments of levity and emotional depth, ensuring every reader finds a story that resonates.

Highlights include Catherine Yeates’s enchanting romantasy “The Merit of a Curse,” Charlie Freelander’s epic time-traveling ghost story, “The Sentinel and Boddhisattva,” and Victoria Roskam’s weird Victorian tale “Baptism of the Petit Comte,” highlighting the bizarre fancies of a lord who hasn’t left his house in ages.

Also in this issue are entries written by StoCo’s Short Story September graduates, Miles Lizak, Cale Rubenstein, Mica Smith, and Stefano Ronchi.

Our international roster of contributors includes: Cale Rubenstein, Catherine Yeates, Charlie Freelander, David Henson, DJ Tyrer, Ed Kratz, Ephraim, Jake Nuttall, James C. Clar, James D. Mills, Mica Smith, Miles Lizak, Raima Larter, Stefano Ronchi, Tony Daly, Victoria Roskams, and Yucheng Tao.