Fiction:

"The Hypnotist's Gaze," by Paul Kane
     Gareth is losing his girlfriend. Ever since they went to see that hypnotist show he hadn't even wanted to attend in the first place, she's been growing more and more distant. Seemingly disconnected from her surroundings. And Gareth is fed up; he's going to make things right.

"To Die on a Cold, Blue World," by Justin Stanchfield
     It's Blaine's job, to ship off to these planets at the end of the universe, partake in research of local soil composition, water, and lifeforms. But when dealing with so much of the unexpected so much of the time, sometimes things are bound to go wrong. And planet ES237 might just be the place to forever change his life.

"The Room Beneath the Stairs," by Kealan-Patrick Burke
     Andy hated being made to visit his grandmother. Her house -- it had its nuances, its irregularities, its niches that, frankly, terrified Andy. Specifically, the room beneath the stairs, from which he sometimes hears noises. Scratching. At last he asks his grandmother about it, and the answer she gives is a bit more than he'd bargained for.

"A Head Full of Pigs," by Ken Goldman
     Emory didn't always do his days' work at the Hog Island Meat Packing Company with such ease. Once upon a time his father had slaughtered his pet hog when times were tight. But now he works right alongside his father at that same joint. And there are more forces at work inside that plant than just men trying to make a living.

"The Queen of Hearts," by Amber van Dyk
Received a 2002 Honorable Mention in Year's Best
     Once upon a time, before the accident, Blue had scoured antique markets and dusty shops for curios made by Mother Goose. Now she has given him a wooden Humpty Dumpty as a gift, and the meaning latent within its carved shell is greater than meets the eye.



Poetry:

"The Lunatic's Croon," by Richard Gavin
"In the Dead Bag," by Charlee Jacob
"Eleven Love Poems," by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
"Hands Shining, Sharp," by Charlee Jacob
"Our Lady of Darkness," by C.A. Gardner
"Riding the Nightmare," by Frank Fradella
"One More Before Boarding," by G.O. Clark


Artwork:

Chris Friend (Cover)
Nick Rose ("The Hypnotist's Gaze")
Russell Dickerson ("To Die on a Cold, Blue World")
Roxell Edward Karr ("The Room Beneath the Stairs") Eric Yates ("A Head Full of Pigs")
Marcia A. Borell ("The Queen of Hearts")