by Catherine Lutz

“Winter has had its way with the bush on which the berry hangs, denuding it of its leaves and stripping the fruit of any seeming life.”

by L.F. Graubard

“Months blurred. Death moved on little cat feet—alarms, gurgles, a gasp at 3 a.m. I pushed wheelchairs and watched bodies fail in slow motion.”

by Josh Price

“The dark becomes morning and I catch myself staring at the sun. I pull out my eyes, to keep them from burning.“

by Christie Goodman

“Blood sprayed from the wound in her head, like a fire hydrant, soaking my face and chest in deep, hot red.”

by Sonali Kolhatkar

“My childhood memories of Dubai were marred by Baba’s whiskey and words. He liked his drink served in a cut crystal glass with exactly two cubes of ice, topped off with water. He would go through an entire bottle a week. By himself.”

by Audrey Hollenbaugh

“I used to have this idea in my head that healing from my past would mean I could suddenly do all the things I want to do and feel perfectly fine…I’ve realized that it isn’t quite like that.”