Author

Melanie Rees

Melanie Rees lives in the Australian bush in a house made of straw, which she shares with four cats, three magpies, two frogs, one husband, and no dogs. When she isn�t tending to her menagerie of animals, she writes speculative fiction. Her work has appeared in magazines such as Daily Science Fiction, Penumbra and Cosmos online. More information on her work can be found at flexirees.wordpress.com.

http://flexirees.wordpress.com/

Head full of posies

The green-eyed girl brought me talking flowers yesterday: beautiful white teardrops with a proud yellow stamen. They stand tall in the white vase. Everything here is white. Crisp white linen rubs against my skin; sterile white walls and floors surround the bed; and a white…

Insanity Drive

The creature flounders in the blackened ash-laden swamp. I say creature, but who knows what that means anymore. It is a scaly thing with both gills and lungs, neither lizard, nor fish, nor mammal. My ungainly hands attempt to grasp its midriff, but it swishes, flicks, flees, and…

Dichotomous key to "animals" discovered by the first settlers on Quintana: Kepler-186F

1. a.) Creature does not walk on two legs .......... go to 2 b.) Creature walks on two legs .................. go to 6 2. a.)Creature has eyes .......... go to 3 b.)Creature has no eyes .................. Proculco caeci 3. a.)Eyes are red ....... Diabolous rufus b.)Eyes are not…

Virtually Human

The curtains billowed as a cold gust swept through the open window. Unknown voices whispered on the breeze with a metallic tincture, sending chills down Miranda's spine. "Someone's out there," she said. "Ignore it." The teenage boy snuggled next to her on the bed, held up one of…

Third Time's a Charm

Brietta ambled between the rows of stalls, keeping her distance from her mother. A ringmaster bellowed over a megaphone, asking people to join in the fun, and carnies bustled between stalls under the watchful eyes of the seagulls squawking a familiar tune. And for some reason…

Seven Sins

Hunched on the waiting-room floor, a gargoyle clasped a chair leg with razor sharp talons. Its ridged spine protruded through its leathery skin. I glanced at Ms. Shipley at the reception desk. "That is your ten o'clock appointment." She handed me a manila file. "Case of…

A Time to Kill

"Jordan, it's over here." Ella stood on the banks of the river. Jordan descended the rocky slope to stand by Ella. "See, I told you it's beautiful." She stared out across the water. In the moonlight, the rippling stream shimmered. "Yes it is." He met her gaze. Ella smiled and…