A farmer found the body. He was traveling down a little used dirt road, checking the perimeter of his cornfields, preparing for the fall harvest. The body was face down in the dirt. Stab marks littered its back. Runnels of …
The Girl in the Window by Bailey Garcia
I walked down the sidewalk checking the ground for struggling worms. The rain stopped about an hour ago, I always liked to go and search the sidewalks for worms, hoping to save them before they dried up in the sun. …
Skald by Ravneskalle Sigurd Li Crozier
I’m a Skald, a Warrior-Poet, not to be confused with a Bard. For you see, a Bard is one who tells the stories of another’s tales and triumphs, but me? Oh, glorious gales ye must be kidding? To perpetuate such …
Practice Piece 31 by Meghan Lynch
October 27, 1986 The animated warble of the sportscasters’ voice carries through the room, and I’m sitting cross-legged on the floor watching game 7 of the World Series. My little sister Sally is painting her nails in her trademark red, …
The Start by Katie Kocheski
A short figure was standing in the middle of a field of blood and bodies. She was panting, puffs of air coming out like smoke; it was freezing. Sword in hand staring off into nothingness, doused in the blood of …
Fair Mermaid by Lawrence Koebernik
The moon was full and high in the sky that night, giving off a glow of light to the beach. It allowed me to see the board walkway that led nearly to the water’s edge, stopping only a couple yards …
Stranded by James Archuleta
The little space ship rattled as it entered the atmosphere. Alarms blared insistently. “Come on, come on, please . . .” The pilot was a black ant trying to pull out of free fall. “This is Brandy to the Colony …
Parley Staff Picks: Copy Editor, Tswana Caine
We’ve received a number of exceptional submissions, and Parley’s Copy Editor, Tswana Caine picked some of her favorites (in no particular order). The Goblin Shack Ganker by Kirk Thomas I’ve chosen this piece because I was instantly captivated by the sensory language at …
Parley Staff Picks: Editor in Chief, Camille Liptak
We’ve received a number of exceptional submissions, and Parley’s Editor in Chief, Camille Liptak has picked some of her favorites (in no particular order). When She Realized the Universe Was on Her Side by Lache S. Man, oh man do …
The Cycle of Winter by Keri Kapfer
Poem Version: All seasonsAll colorsAll sights for eyes to seeAll soundsAnd all smells tooAll for a heart to melt overAll to see your faceOh SummerMy cousin has come to me fallingNow I wish it wasn’t meWasn’t my turnYou know me …