5/31/2023 0 Comments Star Mother by Charlie N. Holmberg“Moonlight and Sunlight.” He peered up at the moon, and the longing in his face was evident, despite its lack of human features. Everywhere but his tail, which was situated close enough to the trees’ shadow that the moonlight didn’t touch it. I looked to see Ristriel ethereal once more. The first-quarter moon peeked over the tops of the trees, and I caught a shift of colors from the corner of my eye. I tried to see what he saw, but there was nothing special in the heavens tonight except for my star, who twinkled merrily among her siblings. Only open to the sky.” He tilted his muzzle upward. He smiled ever so faintly-at least, as much as a horse could. Ristriel seemed a mellow-minded being, but I didn’t want to test his temper. I had an impulse to touch him, to test my words, but decided better of it. His coat glimmered like the sky above, shimmering violet where the firelight touched fur. I glanced over, shocked to see a very solid animal beside me. The blanket shifted as the dog-sized horse stepped onto it. I watched the sky for nearly an hour before she popped up over the tops of the trees. As I chewed my bread, I lay back on the blanket, looking for my star. Night swallowed the wood whole and completely.
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I crossed toward the girl who’d just walked in. shrugged off the tall butch in her brown vest who was bearing down on me, thumbing the curve of my waist. Dykes in hiking boots and windbreakers took one look at me, few that did not prefer white girls in that wordless unexamined way made a beeline. I was wearing the makeup from work and a filmy blouse. Some damp July night, I walked an hour to a bar I had heard was right. Now I had moved to a new city and wanted the real thing. Were bulwark against the terror of total inexperience. These assignations had given me a degree of confidence. In secretI’d posted on Craigslist in the sleepless reaches of the replied to a personal ad or two. In college I had not known how to get women. An excerpt from The Rumpus Book Club‘s August selection,ĪLL THIS COULD BE DIFFERENT by Sarah Thankam Mathews 5/31/2023 0 Comments Industrial magic kelley armstrongI wanted-or I thought I wanted…” I rubbed my hands over my face. It’s what I’m supposed to do.” “Because your mother would have wanted it,” he said softly. I want to change things, to start paying closer attention. I don’t mean we need to be breathing down every vampire’s neck, but we need to be more proactive in general. “The Pack does it with werewolves, and there are more of them to police and fewer people to do it. We should have caught this.” “You can’t keep tabs on every vampire-” “ Can’t we?” I said. Well, I am, but I can’t be, right? Between the council and the new Coven, my plate’s already full.” I inhaled. I’ll be here to help when you need me, but that’s it.” “That wasn’t-That is to say, I certainly don’t mind, if you’re interested…” “ I’m not. I have no plans to shoehorn myself into your life that way. |