Oksana pounded the door of Zoya’s wooden house. She screamed.

Zoya embraced her daughter. She heard a crashing sound. When she realized the smoke was coming from above, she said, “I love you Ekaterina. We’ll be together in Heaven.”

From Guest Contributor Deborah Shrimplin

I walk down the abandoned streets as the slightest beam of light begins to brighten the unlit sky. The brisk wind forces a stubborn tear to stream down the side of my cheek and crystallizes from the absence of warmth. In the fog filled skies of New York City, I take my last exploration before I restart my life. I stumble down the stairs that stand before me and I make my way into a desolate tunnel that fills with light the longer I wait. A loud horn echoes. I guess now is my time to fly away from here.

From Guest Contributor Lilia Onstott

Lilia is an English student at Pikes Peak Community College. She spends her free time by allowing her mind to express itself within many artistic fields, like writing, photography, and music.

When the Iron Giant fell from the sky thousands of us died. Thousands of us crushed, frail flesh smeared; muscle, brain and bone pulped. Phosphorus flares turned us to char. We starved and burned and died.

The Giant gouged the earth sending dust into the air choking us. We starved, we fought, we fed on one and other, and we survived. And the Iron Giant lies waiting for us to come.

From Guest Contributor David Rae

Sunil’s adolescent fantasy of being a bus conductor was now fulfilled. Nubile women pressed against him in strategic spots, he smirked.

When the bus pulled into Ramanattukara bus stand, Sunil was no longer in this world. Literally.

From Guest Contributor Aparna Nandakumar

Aparna lives in Calicut, India, and writes stories and poems. Her work has been published in Atticus Review and previously at 100 Words, and is forthcoming in Cafe Dissensus and Red River Review.

When Bob achieved omniscience in heaven, pretty much all the crazy shit that had never made sense now became clear. But as he sat on a cloud with Baby Jesus, there was still one mystery that confused him.

Baby Jesus giggled. “To tell you the truth, I don’t get why they worshiped me in the first place. Why not go in for one of the more vengeful religions that better suited their temperament?”

I was presented with a choice: I could obey or I could go to hell.

So you’ll commiserate when I say that taking orders from Baby Jesus made the prospect of heaven less than inviting.

Brian loved being an angel. Heaven was a playground without any teachers and Earth was Tombstone before Wyatt Earp came to town. In other words, anything goes.

“You’d think God would have learned his lesson with the apple. If you don’t want people punching baby angels in the face, don’t make a rule prohibiting it.”

Simon went to sleep in his bedroom on 523 Broadripple Avenue. He woke up in a remarkable city in the clouds. He found himself face to face with all manner of fantastic creatures, including flying horses, hippogriffs, storm giants, and singing seraphim.

It took him several days to realize he was actually dead.

Peter scanned the document, making note of the many black marks against the latest supplicant.

“Yes, it’s true, God is an American. But when it comes to your final judgement, your nationality is only a small percentage of the evaluation.”

Michael– the commander of Heaven’s armies, the prince of holy light–was the most powerful of God’s angels. He was also charged with maintaining God’s lawn.

Michael eventually gave up. “From now on, it will be God’s job to cut you down.”