A gathering of recent speculative flash & micro fiction, each presenting a tiny-yet-powerful universe. How tiny? About one-thousand words for flash; four-hundred words for micro. The word count isn’t as important as the emotion, the adventure, the sense of wonder. Including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and the spaces in between.
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June is a busy month in the flash universe with National Flash Fiction Day in both the UK and New Zealand. From the Flash Flood to the Festival of Flash to Micro Madness to the Write In and more, there were too many stories to keep up with. With that in mind, I’m giving you some quick hits along with bonus stories and poems. Enjoy! And please let the authors & magazines know you love ’em!
A Visit From the Sentient Slime Mold Specialist
By Spencer Nitkey in Hex Literary * 1006 Words
See those tendrils, that’s what you’re hearing scurrying around in the dark at night, the rattling pipe noises like, what did you call it, a lawnmower running out of gas, yeah. That’s what that means.
This is one of those “WTF did I just read?” stories, and it is delightful! And a little gross. The voice and format work perfectly together, exposing so much about these two characters. You’ll find a lot of heart under the mold.
By Jason R. Chun in MoonPark Review * 548 Words
I thought I was real smart to be getting Blue, Yellow, and Green all for 95 bucks. I thought I was really sticking it to Big Color.
I admire Chun’s approach to current dystopian capitalist trends, skewering corporate greed with humor and creativity. I laughed out loud at “Big Color.”
By Stefan Alcalá Slater in Small Wonders * 710 Words
It’s mutual when the werewolf and the moon break up.
In the mood for a beautifully written werewolf romance? Then this is the story for you.
Instructions for Rewilding the Wasteland
By Emma Burnett in Radon Journal * 607 Words
Line up. Jostle for a seat on the packed bus. Sit in it uncomfortably as the bus drives deep into the night, deep into the forest. Wonder if it’s the size of a city or a state or a continent.
Burnett’s stories continue to surprise me. This is a unique and very weird idea that will stick with you long after you read it. Mind the content warning.
Graveyard Shift in the Fantastical Creatures Wood Preserve of New White Horse
By T.L. Tomljanovic in MoonPark Review * 251 Words
I can’t stand the sound of ‘em. Unicorn screams are like sheet metal shearing against itself.
Seamless worldbuilding in this micro. I love the shifting societal norms illustrated by the Preserve, and the notion of “no good deed goes unpunished.” This one made me smile, and then I felt a little guilty about it.
Chickens Remember One Hundred Faces
By Janna Miller in Flash Flood * 243 Words
Gently relocate the orbs to your stomach incubator. You will feel them inside when they start to rock and peck, like undigested energy.
The last lines of the story tie back to the title with a burst of poignant longing (which was unexpected and wonderful). I love it when such a short micro packs so much emotion.
Rattlesnake Mothers Don’t Nurse Their Young
By Colin Alexander in Molotov Cocktail * 999 Words
When people came by she called me her “miracle,” and it made me smile through the cracked plastic ventilator.
One of the 2025 Flash Villain winners, this story circles around the central horror theme expertly. My reading experience went from, “oh, yay!” to “oh, no!” several times! The author has two stories in the Flash Villain top ten list.
By AD Schweiss in Molotov Cocktail * 1008 Words
She’s got pavement eyes from years of getting bounced between hard choices and hard people.
This story’s language pulled me in. The plot unfolds at a great pace, with strong characters. The ending wasn’t exactly what I expected, which was a nice surprise.
Bonus Stories!
When the Faerie King Toured the Human Realm
By Vanessa Fogg in Lightspeed * 3215 Words
If you do see her, he tells us, you’ll know. She is the Queen of Dawn and Day. What he doesn’t say, but what we’ve figured out on our own: He is the King of Dusk and Night.
Fogg’s stories are always gorgeous and elegant. The longing in this one is sharp. Don’t forget to read the author interview.
Because I Held His Name Like a Key
By Aimee Ogden in Strange Horizons * 5750 Words
When I met the young Mr. Turing, I had not yet ascended as Autumn’s King.
I love tales of the sidhe, and I love a new take on Turing’s life story. This piece delivers on both counts. The voice and structure feel like a classic sidhe tale, but the subject matter is contemporary and gorgeous. Masterfully done!
By Dan Weaver in X-Ray Lit Mag * 825 Words
You’re gonna come in here into my place and tell me to change my socks you’re gonna tell me that? Get out of here with that horseshit.
I have to wonder how/why the author wrote this story, but I don’t really care because it made me laugh out loud several times. Rock on, Dan Weaver.
Bonus Poems!
By Tara Campbell in Small Wonders
By Casey Aimer in Penumbric
With This World, We Must Not Forget
By Emmie Christie in Gaia Lit
What Can We Do With A Captured Asteroid?
By John Paul Davis in Beaver Magazine
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If you love these stories as much as I do, please share them so others can discover these brilliant authors!
Myna Chang 