EDITOR'S NOTE
Here is a trove of some of the best short stories I've read all year. Each illustrates ugliness and beauty dwelling side by side in some way, and each delivers a form of devastation that is completely perfect in its ability to provide moments of reflection.
Thank you for reading, and enjoy.
Jae Worthy Johnson
Editor-in-Chief
THE PUBLIC BURNING OF A NICOLAS CAGE STUNT DOUBLE
ELIJAH SPARKMAN is a candidate in the Northern Michigan MFA program. He teaches courses on climate change literature. He can be found on Instagram @elijahsparkman20
ELEVATED
MICHELE WONG is a teen mentor and teacher. She’s been a Canadian-BC play competition finalist and winner of the CityTV Vancouver Story-Initiatives. She’s had honorable mentions in the Lorian Hemmingway and Writer's Digest competitions and long-listed in the Fish Short Story Prize.
THE STAIN
NAIRA WILSON is a writer and editor based in Northern Virginia. Her writing has appeared or is forthcoming in places such as Typehouse Literary Magazine, Nymphs, and Dynamis Journal. Author Website: www.nairawilson.com Twitter: @naira_wilson
NIGHT BARGES
EDWARD GRAHAM is a writer and journalist living in Alexandria, Virginia.