Author: translunartravelerslounge

“The archivist called, earlier. She says they’re opening the herbaria today.” Till sets down the teapot with a clink. It’s jarring; ruinous of her nana’s cultivated peace. “Late notice, but you know what she’s like. She wondered if you’d like to come.” Her nana takes a careful sip from her mug. “Today?” Till grew up… Continue reading In Pursuit of Resurrection, by Kit Calvert

There is a queue of people wearing funny costumes in the garden, stretching from the porch all the way to the gate. They are here because Pātti died. Well, they haven’t come because she died, exactly. More because she’s not supposed to still be here. The people in costumes aren’t supposed to be here either.… Continue reading When Pātti Stayed, by Tehnuka

Content warning: racism Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, 1913 When Takeda opened his tent in the morning, the mountain ridges on this tropical island were covered in snow. The pure whiteness had painted the trails, and the strong wind was whispering to his ears like a woman’s haunting lament. This was the colony in the… Continue reading In the Colonial Mountains, by Lillian Tsay

Sure, my heavy metal band, the Desperados, needed the gig, but our 2024 booking agent should have clued us in on how much our cellphones resembled 2483 ID devices. The moment we emerged from the portal, a robot snatched the mobile from my pocket and examined the notification screen. She extended an appendage and tattooed… Continue reading Scam Likely and the Future Desperados, by Allan Dyen-Shapiro

Grandma warned Jambu about Tavila’s thieves and cutpurses, but didn’t mention its bazaars. By the strange alchemy of roads that all markets wield as weapon, the bazaar had dragged him right to where his heart would beat the fastest. Everywhere he looked, the stalls were loaded with mountains upon mountains of yarn. Must hurry, he… Continue reading The Weaver of Uswalpur, by Abhijeet Sathe

Annabelle’s heart was a hard nut to crack. He should have known it the moment she stepped into his study and remarked not on the human hearts lining his shelves, but the antique jars he displayed them in.

Alicah bent low to wrap the water-proof leather strips tightly around the legs of his pants, feeling uneasy. Behind him, around sixty fur-coated Pelairians were gathered and grumbling on the pebbled beach, silently watching him prepare for his trip into the lake of their god. The gloriousness of the day did little to ease his… Continue reading The Unabridged Prayers of Pelairus, by Erin Brown

WELCOME TO WIKIREPLY: HUMANITY’S RESPONSE TO THE HD 294752 TRANSMISSION THAT ANYONE CAN EDIT TALK: THE REPLY Auto-translation enabled: English How representative are we really? [edit] I know our goal is to try to craft a collaborative communications package that’s as representative of the global population as possible, but is a Wiki really the best… Continue reading Talk Page, by Tessa Fisher

I work at the New York Public Library Main Branch. 5th avenue and 42nd street. You know, the one with the lions. Technically, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, but most of us call it Sasbee. This is what happened to me, not long ago. I’m writing it down in case someone else trips over the… Continue reading Lost in the Central Stacks, by Laurence Raphael Brothers

“Darling,” Hades says one evening as the two of them are curled up on the couch, “I love you, but we can’t live like this.” “Hmm?” Persephone glances up from her Macbook. At her feet, Perennial Granata Aster Cerebus the Munificent rolls onto his stomach, unheeding or uncaring of Hades’ feet in his quest to… Continue reading The Care and Training of Hellhounds, by Cynthia Zhang