Literary short stories by established and emerging writers. Excerpts:Akil Kumarasamy Brown Smurf My brother had weak lungs and swam poorly, but he wanted to one day swim across the English Channel. The notion struck him after he watched a documentary on Florence May Chadwick. Jo Walton Interview by David Naimon Science fiction is not about rocket ships whiz-bang! It's about what these things do to us, the us who are taking the trains, the us who are taking the rocket trips. Mary Kate Varnau Supernova I've figured out that if you don't ask permission, if you just go ahead and do, there's a moment of confusion to capitalize on. Trevor Crown Late-Period Ruiz Feeling the plastic bag of an oxygen mask brush limply down his forehead, Dampier recoiled and stood into the aisle, steadying himself with the seat backs on either side of him. Alex Jaros The Southwest Chief He had held the bucket, spoon-fed soup, posted bail. He had given rides that odd, unsung toll on a junkie's parents. Christopher Bundy 80,000,000 Theo tried to let the hurt feelings go and played chase with the satellite channels, finding upcoming biographies on twentieth century world leaders: FDR, Churchill, Stalin. Gabriel Houck You or a Loved One Our routine is to miss each other, leave messages, and then listen to them on speakerphone while brushing our teeth or pulling whiskers or sorting the week's vitamins into pill holders. Kate Gale Australian Thieves It was summer in Sydney and the weather was good, so lots of crowds, which meant plenty of money busking. Ariel Djanikian Summerwalk Circle A last defense. Like the children of 1945 Dresden pulling the blankets over their heads. May-lee Chai Shouting Means I Love You It was his final act of defiance against the encroachment of age. He'd had the heart surgery, the stent, the radiation for his prostate. John Bensink Throwing Out the Vizio Box I bought the thing during lunch, and then went back to NuTekMetal Designs and they fired me after twenty-nine years: "Sales are down." Bipin Aurora The Matrimonial Ads People are alone, they are afraid. They are looking for a companion. Is that such a bad thing? Claire Luchette Moult Skin cells want out. In a year we lose more than a pound of them. Matt Sumpter Off Hours Well, Mr. Benevolence. It's been two months, and I'm afraid the report is generally unfavorable. Edward Porter Storm Dogs I swabbed everything in the apartment with alcohol and they got infections anyway. All the fluid ran out of them, they dwindled, went silent, and left me. Steven Polansky Obsequies "You don't remember me?" "I don't think so," he said. "Maybe I do." "Or Howard?" she said. "Are you Howard and Vicki?" "Yes we are," she said, delighted. David Long Skull It's the now-distant summer you sublet that rathole on Grosvenor Avenue, a time when your life still could go many ways.